Introduction
Stickable wallpaper has been applied to a ton of different surfaces over the years. These include walls, floors, insides of drawers, furniture, trays, and even baby’s nurseries. However, one of the most transformative wallpaper projects is using the peel and stick kitchen wallpaper to transform your kitchen backsplash. Wallpaper is an awesome backsplash alternative compared to traditional tiles. A backsplash is a vertical surface, especially of tiles designed to protect the wall behind a stove or a countertop. Adding stickable wallpaper to the backsplash is one of the current trends to give your kitchen a fresh and new look. Whether your kitchen is rustic or modern, this article will offer ideas on how to add gorgeous dimensions to your backsplash. For a cheaper backsplash, the peel and stick wallpaper is preferred as it is easier to install than traditional wallpapers. The self-adhesive back allows it to be directed to the wall without the need to use grout. However, it is tricky to install stickable wallpaper around outlets, low-hanging cabinets, and kitchen appliances. Therefore, this article will focus on how to exactly wallpaper a kitchen backsplash and later on emphasize on advantages of the stickable wallpaper, among other things.
Why avoid peel and stick tile for your kitchen backsplash
Nowadays, a kitchen backsplash is usually created with peel and stick tiles. However, there are many reasons why you would not prefer a tiled backsplash. First and foremost, it is not removable. Just because something is peeled and stuck does not mean it will come off easily. When removing the peel and stick tiles, they will destroy your drywall, and the process will be very messy. In addition, using peel and stick tiles is more expensive than simply using stickable wallpaper.
Technically any type of wallpaper can be used for the backsplash. However, since the wallpaper will be an area that gets wet and dirty easily, vinyl wallpaper is recommended. The vinyl wallpaper is easy to clean and durable thus; it will not be destroyed by the moist conditions.
Determining the amount of wallpaper and the patterns you need
For the patterns, if you want your backsplash to resemble the real tile, pick a pattern that looks like the tile. Before purchasing the wallpaper, it is advisable you accurately measure the space you are planning to wallpaper and plan early on how you plan to use the wallpaper. When determining the amount accounts for how you will hang the paper, the surface area of the kitchen backsplash, the roll dimensions, the pattern size and scale, and finally, the pattern repeat formation. Also, you can buy extra wallpaper just in case you run out of paper which may be very frustrating as you will not be able to complete your task.
Installing the stickable wallpaper
For every project, supplies are needed to make the project happen. The following are supplies required to install the wallpaper. A wallpaper, cutting tools like sharp scissors or a sharp utility knife, a smoothing tool, most preferably a paddle scraper, measuring tape, a notebook, and a pencil. The first step is to clear the backsplash. You are required to remove any outlet covers or items on the backsplash. Then clean it by wiping it with a piece of cloth soaked with warm soapy water to remove any dust, dirt, grease, oil, or even food particles. Thirdly, measure your backsplash. This is certainly the trickiest part as the backsplash has a lot of things to be papered around, especially outlets, for you to be able to deal with anything you need to paper around and make a detailed plan of your entire backsplash. The plan also will help you avoid wastage of the wallpaper. This saves you on costs since wallpaper can be very expensive. Finally, do not forget to note down your measurements as you can easily forget them.
Planning your wallpaper layout is the next step. With the correct dimensions, you can determine how best you will cut your wallpaper. Most wallpaper is usually printed in such a way that it is supposed to be hung vertically. This makes cutting and hanging very easy. However, if you want to maximize every inch of the paper, you may consider applying the paper horizontally rather than from top to bottom. This choice is very complex, but it will help you use the paper with very little waste at the end of your project.
The next step is to cut the wallpaper. This is very easy compared to the previous step, which appears to be very tedious. Once you have all the measurements, you just have to transfer them to the stickable wallpaper and eventually get to the cutting. Before cutting, ensure that the patterns align perfectly with the adjoining panels. Start by cutting the large rolls down to the general sizes. When dealing with the outlets and other features, just cut each feature out of the wallpaper before applying it to the wall.
Finally, apply the wallpaper. This is the easiest part as you already have all the necessary features cut out. You may opt to apply the wallpaper vertically or horizontally. No matter how you are applying it, just peel off a few inches, especially at the corner of the wallpaper, and stick that leading edge to the wall, ensuring it is as straight as possible. Continue peeling the paper slowly, and do not force it. After you are done, smoothen the wallpaper and trim the excess wallpaper. Deciding where to stop the wallpapered backsplash may vary. This decision is personal as some people may opt to even wallpaper their cabinets or even the entire kitchen walls, while others may not love this idea.
Conclusion
Generally, this article equips you with a creative and fun way to change not only your kitchen but also your bathroom, laundry, or even your workspace. The changes may be temporary and even sometimes very small and insignificant, but they can inspire you to love your home a little bit more. Surf the internet and explore dozens of ideas and options for kitchen backsplashes bearing in mind the factors to consider when choosing the ideal wallpaper for your backsplash as earlier discussed in this article. If you follow the steps illustrated above, you will have no trouble when installing the wallpaper, and eventually, you can transform your kitchen in a big way.