Using Paintable Wallpaper on Furniture

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There are many ways to add texture and interest to furniture. While my style always leans toward simple and classic, I love getting creative and adding a little something extra when I think a piece needs it. The technique I want to share with you today is using paintable wallpaper to add texture to your projects. It comes in so many patterns and styles! Read on to learn the type of projects to use it on, the steps for applying, and tips for purchasing.

When to use

If you’ve ever looked into adding cane webbing to furniture, you’ll know that the webbing is expensive, and this is a great alternative to give some texture at a much cheaper price point. This is important whether you are trying to keep costs down on pieces you sell, trying to give a client pricing options, or just doing a piece for yourself and don’t want to spend a lot. The buffet pictured below was done for a client who initially was considering cane webbing, but when I priced out the two different options, she liked the paintable wallpaper much better!

Some pieces of furniture have large doors or areas that have existing detail work on them. And you may not like these details, or they may have parts that are broken and/or missing. But you need something in the large space or it just looks plain. That’s exactly what happened with the wardrobe pictured below. I didn’t like the existing detail on the doors, but when I removed them, the large space just felt too empty and plain.

Another great time to consider paintable wallpaper is when you want to cover an area with imperfections or texture. For example, you have removed veneer and the wood underneath has lots of wormholes or uneven grain that you don’t want to show in your final finish. Keep in mind that you still need to have a relatively smooth area to apply the paper. It won’t cover large cracks or holes, but it’s a great option to hide smaller issues.

Steps for applying paintable wallpaper

Alright, down to the nitty-gritty – here is how to apply the wallpaper step-by-step:

1. Prepare Surface: Make sure your surface is clean and smooth. I will prep the area like I do for painting, with a good clean and scuff sand.
2. Measure Paper: measure the area you want to apply the paper and, using scissors, cut the wallpaper about an inch longer than you need (so you have some extra to remove). Make sure if there is a pattern and you want to continue it from one area to another that you match and cut accordingly.
3. Prepare Paste: Prepare your wallpaper paste if necessary. It depends on the product you are using, some come pre-mixed, some are a powder that you add water to.
4. Apply Paste to Paper: Using a chip brush, cover the entire back of the paper with the paste. You want enough that it completely covers but not so much that it will be squishing and oozing out the sides when you go to install it.
5. Apply Paste to Furniture: This may be overkill, but I will also put a very thin layer on the furniture itself, especially at the edges. The paste can sometimes soak into the wood, so it’s important to make sure there is enough for good adhesion.
6. Install Paper: Line up the pattern
7. Cut Excess: Cut away any excess using your utility knife. go back and smooth those edges down where you’ve cut. If you find there isn’t enough paste, you can always peel it back slightly and dab on a little more.
8. Let dry: Read the instructions for your particular paste. I generally let it dry overnight.
9. Prime and Paint: Now the fun part! Prime, paint, and seal the paper like the rest of your furniture. The only step I skip is the light sanding between coats. You don’t want to sand into the paper and cause it to tear.

Tips for purchasing

There are so many great options when purchasing paintable wallpaper to use on furniture. The paper I used in both projects above came from Amazon and is linked here, and you can find tons of other styles and patterns on Amazon. have heard of people having issues with tearing or wrinkling when applying some brands. I can only speak to the brand that I purchased and have linked above, but I did not have any issues with application, tearning or wrinkling. Home Depot and Lowes both carry paintable wallpaper, as well as stores like Pottery Barn or West Elm. Again, I haven’t tried these, so do your research or test on a small area if you’re unsure.

Summary

In summary, adding paintable wallpaper to furniture is a fun and creative way to add texture and interest to your furniture makeover projects. I would recommend using it as a cheaper alternative to cane webbing, when you are trying to give interest or detail to a large space, or when you are trying to cover up imperfections on your piece of furniture. If you have any questions about the steps I’ve outlined please leave me a comment below and I’ll do my best to answer!

Helpful Reference Articles:

• Adding Cane to Cabinet Doors
• How to Paint Furniture
• How to Line Drawers

As always, please let me know if you have any questions. Want to learn more about all things furniture? Make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get the latest updates and exclusive content.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through those links, at no cost to you. I appreciate your support.