Paintable Wallpaper Border

What is Paintable Wallpaper?

Paintable wallpaper is, very simply, wallpaper that is designed to be painted. It comes in plain white, prepped and ready to receive any color of paint. The draw to this wallpaper is the design; it comes in tons of different patterns, so when you paint over it, the pattern is visible on the wall. It mimics the look of specialty faux painting techniques, and it also offers options that would be impossible to create through painting alone. The design on paintable wallpaper is in 3D - it is raised off the paper and therefore provides texture to your otherwise bare walls.

The kind of wallpaper can be a bit overwhelming in some rooms, which is where paintable wallpaper border comes into the picture. By using border, you can get the texture of patterned wallpaper without having to do the entire room. Using border instead of going for a full wallpaper also gives you more flexibility to experiment with color. Bold colors that might be over the top in small rooms or with certain decors can easily be used as accent colors with paintable borders.

There are innumerable options when it comes to the wallpaper patterns, but some common ones include:

• Diamonds
• Stucco
• Horizontal and vertical stripes
• Confetti
• Granite
• Herringbone
• Tweed
• Dado paneling

Another popular design for paintable wallpaper border is faux architectural features, such as pillars and columns. It is also possible to find less abstract designs, like wallpaper with lighthouses, children’s characters and more.

These websites offer great examples of paintable wallpaper designs in action:

• Creative Wallcovering
• Waverly
• Wallpapers Plus

Using Paintable Wallpaper Borders

Hanging and painting this kind of border is relatively simple and a DIY project you can easily handle yourself. These steps will walk you through the process:

• Prep the wall – if the surface of the wall is uneven where you plan to hang your border, smooth it out with a sander. If there are any holes in the wall, patch then as needed. If the wall is especially bumpy or rough, consider using a lining paper to give an extra layer between the border and your wall.

• Go for pre-pasted paper whenever possible. Often this paper will need to be soaked before you apply it – follow the directions specific to your particular paper.

• Hang the paper according to package instructions. Border can be a little trickier to line up then normal wallpaper, because you have to worry about the seam and maintaining the height around the room. Be sure to have measured and marked everything in advance, and if possible, have a helper to double check that you’re staying on track.

• Let the wallpaper set for at least 72 hours (or according to your package directions).

• Paint the wallpaper in your chosen color. Two coats are usually sufficient. You’ll need latex paint and a heavy roller.

Some people choose to take their design even further by using painting techniques on top of their base coat, like antiquing, colorwashing or stenciling. You can also use different colors in your painting to make a design pop out – this technique is especially popular with non abstract designs.

Thing to Keep in Mind

Whenever you are changing the walls of your room, it is important to keep a few factors in mind:

• The size of your room. Dark colors and bold patterns can make a small room feel even smaller. If you want to open up a small space, stick to lighter colors and unobtrusive wallpaper patterns.

• Your design style. Paintable wallpaper can range from extremely formal to oh so kitschy. Make sure to choose a style that fits your décor.

• The walls themselves. If you have wood paneling on your walls, you will need wallpaper designed for that purpose. Also, if your walls are in need of more than a few minor touch ups, you may need to have a bit of work done on them so that your border hangs smoothly.