Kitchen Remodeling Tips: Wallpaper Trim
For best results, wallpaper trim used in kitchens should be located high enough that water and grease splatters will not reach it. This might be two thirds of the way up the wall in a kitchen with a vaulted ceiling, or at the very top of the wall for a standard 8 foot ceiling.
Prepare and clean the surface area. This may involve smoothing out the area where the border will be located with a sander. If you do this, take extra care to clean off any sanding residue.
Mark lines (in pencil) where the top and bottom edges of the wallpaper border will be. Don’t simply rely on measurements. These are only guides. Stand back and double check visually to make sure that the positioning is correct.
Use wide masking tape to cover the area directly above and below the border. This prevents the primer coat from messing up exposed areas of any painted wall. A latex or acrylic interior paint will usually work fine as a wallpaper primer. Brush on the primer between the taped up boundaries and let it dry overnight.
Leave the tape in place to act as guides between which you can place the strip of wallpaper trim. For best results, don’t simply rely on the coated paste that comes on the back of the trim. Use additional paste to increase adhesion. This is especially critical on any textured surface where the border will tend to separate from the wall as it dries.
If there are ripples or puffy areas in the wallpaper trim after it has dried, you can steam iron it. Set your iron on its cotton setting and place a dishcloth between the surface of the iron and the wall. Use lots of steam to soften and shrink the wallpaper border as you press it flat.
Related posts:
- Removing Wallpaper to Paint
- Removing wallpaper
- Wallpapering Ceilings
- Wallpapering Walls
- Spiff Up Your Bathroom With Sealer Trim
Tags: Kitchens
