How to prepare walls for wallpapering with your own hands - the main steps

Wallpaper is glued to smooth surfaces that do not have flaws.To obtain a high-quality coating, the wall is prepared before gluing. The technology involves the removal of old finishing materials, stains, unevenness and other defects.

Preparing the walls in a new building

Gluing onto a rough surface is not possible. It is first necessary to prepare the wall. There are no old finishing materials on newly constructed surfaces. Before gluing, you will need to level the walls. The work is carried out in the following sequence:

1. The walls are cleaned of dirt. If oil stains, fungal formations, etc. are found, they are removed.
2. Apply priming. Select a composition that has antifungal properties. The soil improves the adhesion of the plaster mortar to the wall. The composition is applied with a paint brush. To speed up the work, use a roller.
3. Throw on a layer of starting plaster 5-7 mm thick. Use a spatula or plaster trowel. It is necessary not to apply the composition, but to apply it with force. When struck, the plaster fills all the irregularities. This contributes to reliable fixation of the starting layer.
4. Wait until it hardens and apply a second layer 10-20 mm thick. To increase the strength characteristics of the canvas, a reinforcing mesh is installed.
5. Check the evenness of the applied plaster layer. A long rule is carried out over the entire area. This way it is possible to identify irregularities.
6. Protruding parts are cleaned off.
7. Apply a layer of finishing putty. The composition is evenly distributed over the surface with a wide spatula.The recess is filled with a thicker layer.

It is much easier to apply primer with a roller rather than a brush.

After waiting for the composition to dry, the putty is sanded. This removes unevenness and makes the surface smooth. Sanding is carried out with a trowel with a mesh attached to it or sandpaper. It is acceptable to use a grinding machine.

During operation, a large amount of dust is generated. Personal protective equipment must be used.

Before gluing, apply a layer of primer. This removes dust and improves adhesion during installation.

How to get rid of old wallpaper

To prepare for wallpapering, remove the old coating. Mechanical impact on firmly glued canvases is unacceptable. This will damage them. Old wallpaper is removed in the following sequence:

1. The swollen canvases are cut and parts that do not adhere well to the surface are removed.
2. Well-glued strips are moistened with water.
3. Wait until the adhesive composition softens.
4. Clean the wet paper with a spatula.
5. Difficult areas are re-wetted.

A spatula will become an indispensable assistant when removing old wallpaper from walls.

How to speed up the process of cleaning walls from wallpaper and what you will need for this

To soften the adhesive in difficult areas, vinegar is added to the water. The liquid is applied with a paint brush or roller. It is convenient to use a spray bottle or hand sprayer.

To speed up the work, the solution of water and vinegar is heated. Under the influence of high temperature, the glue softens faster.

You can use commercially available cleaning chemicals. The method of using products from different manufacturers differs. Before use, you must read the instructions. After cleaning the surface, the uneven surfaces are puttied and sanded.

We bring to your attention the article - how to hang wallpaper on a painted wall.

Preparation for wallpapering painted walls

Wallpaper glue does not stick to glossy surfaces. Before wallpapering Painted walls need to be cleaned. You can do this in several ways:

1. With a spatula or wire brush. The method is used if the paint is swollen or cracked. When working, use safety glasses. This helps prevent small particles from getting into your eyes.
2. Grinding machine. A specialized attachment is used, which is a metal brush.
3. Hot air gun. The paintwork is heated to a high temperature. It softens and is easily removed with a metal spatula. When paint melts, it releases toxic substances into the air. It is necessary to provide forced ventilation of the room.
4. Chemicals. When preparing walls for wallpapering, specialized compounds are used. Under their influence, the paint softens and is easy to remove. The method of using products from different manufacturers differs. Before use, you should read the instructions.

Carefully! Using a sander will damage the plaster.

After cleaning, the grooves and scratches are filled with putty. At the final stage of preparation for gluing wallpaper, primer is applied to the surface.

The wall must have a uniform color before gluing the wallpaper. Stains will change the appearance of the finished canvas.

What to do if the walls are completely crooked

There are two ways to eliminate unevenness - with plaster or drywall. In the first case, several layers of the composition are applied. In this case, each of them must dry.If you apply a large amount of solution at one time, the weight will cause it to peel off.

To install drywall, a sheathing is made from metal profiles or wooden beams.

Lathing made of metal profiles

The correct location of the frame in the vertical plane is checked with a plumb line or building level.

In preparation for wallpapering, sheets of plasterboard are screwed to the sheathing with self-tapping screws. This way it is possible to obtain a canvas correctly located in the vertical plane.

To improve adhesion during preparation, drywall is treated with primer and a small layer of putty is applied to it. To make the structure more durable, a reinforcing mesh is installed. At the joints of drywall it is laid in two layers. This protects the putty from cracking.

At the final stage of preparation for wallpapering, the putty is sanded. This makes it smooth and monochromatic.

The quality of the finished canvas depends on the proper preparation of the walls. Before gluing wallpaper, the surface must be made smooth and clean. This will provide high grip.

Have you prepared the walls for gluing yourself? Have you cleaned old paper coverings and paint materials? Leave comments. Bookmark the article and share it on social networks.

We invite you to watch several videos on the topic of the article, which will consolidate your knowledge and answer any remaining questions.

Proper preparation of walls for wallpapering (choice of primer, putty and glue).

We prepare the walls: removing wallpaper, primer, plaster, putty.

Video instructions for preparing walls before gluing wallpaper.