Liquid wallpaper is a fairly new finishing material, unusual and unknown for many domestic developers. Before you start decorating your bathroom with liquid wallpaper, you need to briefly familiarize yourself with its composition, advantages and disadvantages. This knowledge will allow you to make an informed decision and be prepared for the surprises of the material.
Liquid wallpaper
Types and brief performance characteristics of liquid wallpaper
There are many articles on this topic on the Internet, but unfortunately, it is very difficult to find out the truth from them and get practical recommendations. Most articles are written at the request of manufacturers or distributors and are clearly advertising in nature. The second part of the information is provided by amateurs who have not only never worked with liquid wallpaper, but have not even seen how they were used by professionals. Hence the statements “there is nothing complicated”, “everyone can do it”, “universal wallpaper”, “easy and simple to work”, etc. Such statements are very far from the truth; in the article we will only give practical advice from independent users.
Colors and shades of liquid wallpaper
Main advantages and disadvantages
It would seem that not so long ago this material was not widespread, not only in the bathroom, but in general, it was practically not used when decorating an apartment. However, today we are increasingly using liquid wallpaper in the bathroom. Reviews from many apartment owners indicate that this finishing material has a significant number of advantages that set it apart from some other analogues, including more traditional ones.
However, there are also certain disadvantages. Thus, there is an opinion that liquid wallpaper, when used in the interior of a bathroom, does not swell, since this is due to its ability to withstand moisture. However, some cases show that this is not the case, especially in bathrooms with high levels of moisture exposure and frequent shower use.
In addition, you should not forget that such wallpaper is not so easy to apply to the wall, since the process of installing it yourself requires a certain level of preparation. In fact, to be honest, liquid wallpaper, in its structure and method of application, is more reminiscent of decorative plaster than the more familiar vinyl, paper or non-woven rolls.
Be that as it may, liquid wallpaper has more advantages than disadvantages when used to decorate bathroom walls. It can be said that most of these benefits extend to other rooms, not just those with high levels of moisture exposure on the walls or ceiling. They will make the room more interesting and unusual from a design point of view. In addition, their service life is quite long, which cannot but please the apartment owner in terms of durability.
Let's not forget about such an important parameter as environmental cleanliness. The fact is that in most cases, constant and long-term exposure to humid air, as well as direct contact with water on the walls, cause the formation of fungus, mold and other unpleasant phenomena. In addition, a huge number of bacteria appear that feel very comfortable in such conditions. Naturally, all this has an extremely negative impact on the general environment in the apartment, and also poses certain threats to the health of all its inhabitants. So, liquid wallpaper in the bathroom will help you avoid all these problems.
It was noted just above that the application of this material requires the presence of certain skills and a person’s experience in carrying out such work. However, as long as you can understand the basic instructions, applying this type of finish yourself is not difficult. In addition, errors that are typical for the initial stage of any type of work will be minimized. Or rather, their consequences will be minimal, since it is not as noticeable as, for example, when gluing vinyl wallpaper.
Repairing a damaged area of the coating is also easy. Moreover, you will not even notice that any of the areas have been damaged. This is also one of the advantages, especially when compared with traditional roll wallpaper. To fix a problem area, you just need to apply the same liquid wallpaper to it. That's all! Let's give a short list of the advantages that this wonderful material has:
- Environmental safety for humans.
- They do not fade under the sun.
- Better retain heat indoors.
- They are easy to repair.
- Long service life.
- No joints.
Of course, there are other advantages. Nevertheless, the ones mentioned above are the most obvious ones, which directly influence the choice of buyers. If the topic of the positive and negative aspects of this material is interesting to you, we advise you to study the material about the advantages and disadvantages of liquid wallpaper.
Composition of liquid wallpaper
During the manufacture of liquid wallpaper, the following components are used.
| Name | Composition and purpose |
| Base | Cellulose and cotton fibers. They occupy up to 90% of the total mass and serve as the main basis. Wood processing industry waste and waste paper processing materials are used. To obtain cotton fiber, textile waste is processed. |
| Decorative additives | Various sparkles, silk artificial fiber, dyes. Purpose – imparting decorative properties to surfaces. |
| Adhesives | PVA, Bustilat, KSM and other cheap compounds. The purpose is to bind the constituent elements into a durable coating. |
| Additional components | Cellulose is an excellent nutrient medium for fungi and microorganisms. In this regard, special antiseptic preparations are added to some types of liquid wallpaper to prevent the appearance of fungi. |
Fillers
As can be seen from the table, waste from various industries and the cheapest adhesives are used to produce liquid wallpaper. Question. Why are they so expensive? Answer. The advertisement is engine of the trade.
Composition of liquid wallpaper
liquid wallpaper
A type of liquid wallpaper
In specialized retail outlets, for those wishing to make repairs, there is a large selection of coatings for walls in the bathroom, as well as ceilings. Liquid wallpaper is presented in a variety of colors, with or without the addition of decorative materials. Experts distinguish only three main types of this finish:
- silk type, consists of silk fibers. Despite the high price, this type of coating leads in aesthetic appearance. It is more resistant to ultraviolet rays, so it remains bright for many years;
- cellulose type of finishing, it is much cheaper and suitable for budget repairs. The main component of the finishing material is cellulose. They are recommended to be used for cladding the walls of a hallway, corridor or loggia;
- combined - this type is most often presented on the building materials market. The facing mixture contains silk and cellulose fibers. The price of this material depends on the amount of artificial silk in the lining. The more it is, the more expensive the wallpaper.
In building materials stores you can find several types of packaging of liquid wallpaper for the bathroom. They are divided according to readiness for use:
- Ready-made mixtures are sold in plastic containers in the form of pastes with the addition of various paints.
- The packages offer a dry mixture in the form of flakes, to which mineral dyes and texture materials are added.
- Basic dry mixtures to which you need to add dyes and texture components.
Advice! To create your own unique design in the bathroom, you can buy other additional ingredients that will ideally suit the interior of the room.
In specialized retail outlets, liquid wallpaper for the bathroom is most often sold in plastic bags and buckets. When dry, they look like flakes or sawdust; when diluted, they look like a paste-like mixture of all the constituent and additional components.
Some manufacturers add mica, tree bark chips, and algae to liquid wallpaper for the bathroom. Such components not only will not spoil the quality of the mixture, but will also serve as flavoring agents.
Objective performance characteristics of liquid wallpaper
We will compare the advertising positive aspects of the material with practical characteristics. This information will help you decide on the advisability of using liquid wallpaper for wall decoration in the bathroom.
| What does the advertisement say? | What practice shows |
To apply liquid wallpaper there is no need to specially prepare the surface; it hides all unevenness | The thickness of the liquid wallpaper layer is 2–3 mm (not 5 or more!). This means that the walls cannot have irregularities exceeding these values. Wallpaper should be applied to flat surfaces in a thin layer. A thick layer of wallpaper will not only be expensive, but will also not adhere to the surface. Under slight mechanical loads, it will begin to peel off and inevitably fall off completely. |
To carry out work, small areas of workspace are required | This is true. Tools and containers for liquid wallpaper do not require much space. To work, you will need a small basin or bucket and ordinary grout with a handle. |
Complete absence of joints; work can be suspended at any stage and continued after a few days. Joint seams will not be noticeable | Partially true. Indeed, work can be stopped at any time for several days. The prepared mixture will not lose its original properties; it only needs to be covered with film to prevent drying out. If during this time a little moisture is lost, it doesn’t matter, you can add water and mix everything thoroughly. As for the seams, that's not true. They will be inconspicuous, but an experienced master will always see the junction point. No amount of soaking will help for two reasons. The first is that the surface of the wallpaper is rough, and a wet coating will always be a little harder than the new one. It will never be possible to apply a new liquid over the entire joint area to a hard, rough wall; air pockets will remain, albeit small ones. The thin edge of the joint will be slightly different in color; it will not mix with the old wallpaper, but will lie on top. This is a proven practice, do not double-check it with your own experience. Do you need to stop working urgently? Make the border as smooth as possible. |
Liquid wallpaper “breathes” | It's true, cellulose allows air and steam to pass through without problems. The only question is, do bathroom walls need steam? |
They have excellent sound-absorbing and heat-saving properties | If the layer thickness is at least a centimeter, then, if desired, you can notice a slight effect. And with a thickness of 1.5–2 mm, you need to have very precise instruments to record “high” sound-absorbing and heat-saving properties. Since wallpaper is applied in a thin layer, you should not hope that after finishing the walls in the bathroom it will become much warmer and quieter. |
The surface is easy to repair | Yes, it is easy to repair, but marks will always be visible. The new coating looks like a clean spot on the old one. |
Reusability | After removing the wallpaper from the walls, you can apply it again. You just need to keep in mind that the original design appearance will not be restored. |
Ease of care | Blatant untruth. Wallpaper cannot be cleaned with a sponge or rag, only with a vacuum cleaner. There is little dust in the bathroom, but mold appears on damp walls; it cannot be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. But there are also problems with it - the brush is difficult to move along the wall, it constantly clings to emerging irregularities. In addition, there is a high probability of mechanical damage to the surface. |
These are the differences between advertising brochures and practical user reviews. Now it’s up to you to decide whether to use liquid wallpaper for rooms with high humidity and temperature.
Advice from professionals. Never apply liquid wallpaper to walls that have direct contact with water: directly next to the bathtub or shower stall.
Advantages of liquid wallpaper
Liquid wallpaper can be used in any room. This new material spread very quickly and gained popularity. The possibilities for its use are quite wide and varied. The most daring design ideas and solutions will make the interior unique and interesting.
Durability is a significant plus of liquid wallpaper. It is unlikely that they will have to be changed due to obsolescence. Also environmentally friendly material. In addition to natural cellulose, they also contain a number of components of natural origin. Fungicides, which work as an antiseptic, will prevent the formation of mold and mildew. The antistatic properties of the material prevent the appearance of dust and various small flying particles. As a result, it is safe for people suffering from allergies.
Find out everything about liquid wallpaper and its types
Ceramic tiles require only a professional approach and have always been a fairly expensive material. Applying liquid wallpaper to the surface is not difficult. The solution has excellent elasticity. After completing work in the bathroom, it will not be difficult to make sure that liquid wallpaper is a good heat and sound insulator. The material is absolutely incapable of absorbing odors and is resistant to ultraviolet radiation. This is not particularly relevant for the bathroom, but these properties are useful for decorating, for example, the kitchen.
Advice. An interesting option for wall decoration is a combination of tiles and liquid wallpaper.
Any mechanical damage to the layer can be easily eliminated. The desired area is soaked, scraped off the wall and reapplied. After drying, there will be no seams or joints left. The coating does not require adjustment of the pattern.
Is it possible to make liquid wallpaper for the bathroom yourself?
The question is of interest to some particularly thrifty developers; you can find advice on this matter on the Internet. Take paper or cotton cloth and cut it finely with scissors. Buy PVA glue, dyes and glitter at the store, soak everything in water and mix. The result is that you will get almost free liquid wallpaper for your bathroom. Everything is simple and excellent.
Preparation of composition for liquid wallpaper
Let's look at this technology from a practical perspective. Let's say you need to plaster a small wall with an area of approximately 10 m2. For one meter, at least 300 g of dry material is required, for the entire wall, respectively, at least 3 kg. Weigh a 3 kg stack of paper and note its volume. Estimate the time you need to spend cutting it, and the size of one piece should not exceed a few millimeters. Lost the desire to cut? If not, then one more fact. For liquid wallpaper, only clean, thin and soft paper such as newsprint is suitable. Glossy magazines are not suitable, their paper does not absorb moisture, and therefore the cellulose will not dissolve. But newspaper cannot be used for two reasons. The first is that printing ink is unsafe for health. Secondly, black paint will make the wallpaper dark, why do you need such a bathroom? Conclusion - go to the store and buy ready-made products, don’t waste your time.
It is better not to use newspapers and waste paper to make liquid wallpaper.
What else do you need to know
If the surface is covered with liquid wallpaper, it can be easily repaired and cleaned if necessary. A regular eraser will be enough to remove stains under the switch. Use a spatula to remove any dirty areas. To do this, you just need to pre-moisten them with water. Then a layer with new wallpaper is glued. It is better to apply more material, then it will definitely be level with the old one. Reviews confirm this rule.
Wallpaper does not need to be removed when new renovations are carried out. The paint is easy to apply directly to the wall. The texture does not suffer at all.
It is worth understanding that the texture of the wallpaper applied to the wall in reality will differ from what is presented in stores. The samples have an ideal appearance due to the fact that a small amount of water is added to them. In practice, more liquid is lost.
Video instructions will help you properly apply liquid wallpaper for the bathroom:
How to calculate the consumption of liquid wallpaper
Study the instructions for use; depending on the specific type, the consumption of dry wallpaper per square meter of surface area is indicated; it can range from 250 g to 350 g. But under one condition - the wallpaper is applied to perfectly smooth walls, the thickness is the same over the entire surface and does not exceed 2 mm. This means that the walls cannot have any flaws, and the work will be done by an experienced professional. Moreover, he should have experience working with liquid wallpaper, and not cement-sand plasters or putties. Your wall is uneven, and you have very little or no experience - increase the amount by at least 20%. If there is some material left, it will always be useful for correcting problem areas.
Liquid wallpaper consumption
How to calculate the consumption of liquid wallpaper
Advantages of liquid wallpaper
This finishing material is appropriate in the bathroom. It looks relevant, original and practical. Liquid wallpaper appeared relatively recently and many people are not familiar with the finishing features and their use. Believe me, there is nothing complicated about this. Moreover, some people make their own material from scrap paper.
If you are not familiar with the features of the material, we recommend doing this as quickly as possible. Know that the advantages include:
- long service life. If compared with conventional wallpaper, such material will last at least twice as long;
- with a long service life it will not lose its attractive appearance. Liquid wallpaper is easy to clean or wash from dust, dirt, even fungus and mold;
- ideal for furnishing a bathroom. Typically, wallpaper and other materials swell and delaminate when exposed to moisture. Use liquid wallpaper in the bathroom and this will not happen;
- This is an environmentally friendly material. Liquid wallpaper is absolutely safe for adults and children. In addition, they are hypoallergenic and will not cause allergies;
- This material is very practical and easy to apply. There is no need to think about the folds that can be allowed when wallpapering. With liquid wallpaper there will not even be any reason for such a defect. By the way, even a beginner in renovation work can handle applying the finish;
- liquid wallpaper guarantees the bathroom excellent sound insulation and heat retention;
- the material used does not absorb odors;
- if you are tired of a particular color of the wallpaper, you can easily change it by applying only paint to the surface;
- finishing material is easy to repair. If there is an area that is damaged or has defects, then it is enough to remove the damage and reapply liquid wallpaper;
- When repairing, you do not need to select a pattern. Also, joints and seams will not be visible;
- To use liquid wallpaper, it is not necessary to treat the surface of the walls with antifungal agents. The material contains an antiseptic.
In our opinion, liquid wallpaper is the ideal solution for the bathroom. You just need to choose the right material. Finishes made several years ago are of different quality from modern ones and can hardly be called suitable for bathrooms. If you decide to use this particular material, then choose wallpaper from a trusted manufacturer and brand.
Application technology
We have already mentioned that working with liquid wallpaper requires specific skills. If you don’t have them, then it’s better to fill your hand a little on an inconspicuous area of the wall. Then the wallpaper can be removed, mixed with a large amount of prepared and reused. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work right away, practice, try holding the ironing board at different angles, press it harder or weaker against the wall. Try working at different intensities. Let the area dry and choose a technology, how best to join the old and new coating, how to align the joints and make them less noticeable.
We recommend practicing applying liquid wallpaper
Now that you have some practical knowledge, start plastering the walls in the bathroom. We have already mentioned that only those surfaces that are not exposed to water during water procedures can be finished. In addition, it is strongly recommended to make an edging at the bottom of the wall to protect the liquid wallpaper from contamination while cleaning the floor.
Step 1. Take the dimensions of the surfaces to be coated and determine their area. Buy materials taking into account the stock. When working with liquid wallpaper, you need to use a smoothing iron; it makes no difference what material it is made of. The size of the trowel depends on the experience of the worker. The larger it is, the smoother the coating is, but the more difficult it is to work with. It takes quite a lot of experience. For beginners, we recommend buying a tool measuring approximately 10x20 cm.
Transparent trowel-trowel - the most convenient tool
Step 2 . Prepare the material according to the manufacturers' recommendations. Be sure to consider the advice of professionals. Mix at least three packets at a time; the more, the more even the coating will be.
Preparing liquid wallpaper
Step 3. Clean the surfaces from dust and dirt and check their condition. To do this, use an even-length staff or level. It is advisable to level out large recesses of more than 3 mm with putty; this will make working with liquid wallpaper much easier and improve the quality of the coating.
Preparing walls for liquid wallpaper
Why do we recommend leveling the surface?
- On smooth surfaces, material consumption is reduced; the cost of putty is much less than the cost of wallpaper.
- Leveling recesses with putty is much easier to do than with liquid wallpaper. Marks from the edges of the spatula are removed with a slightly damp sponge using careful circular movements. This technology is not suitable for liquid wallpaper. You need to have either a very wide grout and great practical skills. Beginners will not be able to work with large grout, and there are no practical skills. Don't think that plastering a few square meters of wall makes you a professional. In order to really understand something, you need to work for more than one year.
Leveling problem areas
Step 4. Be sure to apply two layers of primer to the wall surface. Drying time for each is approximately three to four hours. The primer is applied with a roller or brush, the second layer in a transverse direction to the first. Do not leave any gaps; rub it firmly into the surface. Prime the corners of the room especially carefully. It is in these places that it is most difficult to apply liquid wallpaper so that it does not peel off; all possible measures must be taken to prevent such phenomena.
Prime the walls
Step 5. Start plastering the walls. This can be done in two ways, you can try both and use the one that is more convenient. We will tell you both methods, and you choose the best one for yourself.
First way
Most beginners use it. The mass is applied to one side of the trowel, do not take too much or too little, determine the specific amount experimentally. Tilt the float at an angle of approximately 10°–15° to the plane of the wall. The hand should move at an average pace and without stopping until all the liquid wallpaper remains on the wall. The tilt of the smoother must be constantly reduced, otherwise the wallpaper will not press against the wall surface. We remind you once again that no theoretical knowledge can replace practical skills. Each sentence you read needs to be reinforced with practical actions, and you should immediately try to work with liquid wallpaper.
Application of liquid wallpaper
As soon as all the mass from the trowel has transferred to the wall, gradually move the tool away from the wall. Place a new portion of material and repeat the operation. Step back approximately 2-3 centimeters from the end of the first section, press the trowel down and apply the wallpaper. Try to immediately level the marks from the edges of the tool, return to the already covered areas and try to even out the marks with careful circular movements.
How to glue liquid wallpaper
Stages of applying liquid wallpaper to walls
There is no need to achieve perfect smoothness; after drying, the tubercles will become less noticeable. This is one of the positive properties of liquid wallpaper. We will tell you how to finish external and internal corners in the article below; the technique differs from the production of plastering work with cement mixtures.
Second way
This is how professionals work; you need to have experience in ordinary plastering of walls. By the way, liquid wallpaper is in many ways reminiscent of plaster, with differences in composition and physical characteristics. If you learn to work professionally, you can cover 20 m2 or more surfaces with liquid wallpaper in one day.
What is the difference between the professional method? The wallpaper is first thrown onto the wall with a trowel, and then smoothed with a long trowel. The throwing technology is somewhat different from the usual one. If for cement mortars you need to throw a thickness of at least one centimeter, and each throw of mass should lie next to the previous one, then with liquid wallpaper you should act differently. They need to be stretched as much as possible across the surface during the throw; the hand with the trowel should simultaneously move perpendicularly and parallel to the wall. Free space should be left between adjacent slats; it will be filled during the final leveling of the coating with a trowel. Practice shows with what effort and from what distance to throw, each individual case has its own nuances, it is even theoretically impossible to describe everything. If the work is done correctly, there will be no splashes; the material adheres tightly to the surface in an almost uniform layer. Leveling with a trowel takes a few minutes and is done in a couple of passes.
Applying liquid wallpaper to the wall
Important. Tools must be made of stainless steel or plastic, their working surfaces must be absolutely clean and smooth.
Step 6 : Keep track of the time. A long break can only be taken when work on the entire surface is completed. We have already said above that it is very difficult to make the joining of a fresh section with a frozen one unnoticeable. Estimate the start and end times of work taking this factor into account. There will be a break of more than several hours - close the container tightly and do not allow the prepared mixture to dry out.
How to trim external and internal corners
There are no rooms without internal and external corners; covering them with liquid wallpaper is somewhat more difficult than plastering them. Why, and how to do it correctly? Let's look at this issue in detail. To understand the difference in technology, you need to familiarize yourself with both.
Before plastering the external corners with cement mixtures, a flat board, aluminum or metal lath is fixed to one of the planes. They are fastened with homemade fasteners (brackets) from building reinforcement with a diameter of approximately 5–10 mm or with purchased devices. The board is installed tightly to one of the planes of the corner, above the second plane the edge protrudes to the thickness of the plaster. Everything is done to a level strictly vertically. Everything else is simple. One wall is being plastered, the fixed board plays the role of an outer beacon. The solution has hardened - the board is removed and the second plane of the corner is plastered. Now the new outermost beacon will be a layer of hardened plaster. Thanks to this technology, it is possible to obtain a perfectly even angle. This method is not suitable for liquid wallpaper for several reasons.
- The thickness of the liquid wallpaper layer is only a few millimeters, which does not allow you to adjust the required parameters using the side slats.
- The material has low hardness and cannot serve as a beacon for the second plane.
Finishing corners
Due to such features, it is necessary to change the technology for finishing external corners.
Step 1. Start work from the bottom of the corner. Apply liquid wallpaper on one side to a height of approximately 20 cm. The material should protrude a few millimeters above the corner.
Step 2. Apply wallpaper to the same height on the other side of the corner. If the joints fall off, correct them and press them firmly into the wall surface.
Step 3. Very carefully use a spatula to correct the angle on both sides; you will have to do this operation several times. Move the spatula only in the vertical direction; horizontal movements are made as a last resort and only when large corrections need to be made.
Important. Do not allow the thickness of the coating to increase; the corners are the weakest point. A thick layer of liquid wallpaper will fall off faster and you will have to make unplanned repairs.
Internal corners are easier to make. The spatula can be moved both horizontally and vertically, which greatly facilitates the process.
Finishing the inner corner
It is advisable to start applying the composition from a light corner towards a dark one.
Wall decoration with liquid wallpaper
How to make patterns on the wall
Due to the patterns, the appearance of the walls significantly improves; if you have the time and desire, then take up additional decorations. Patterns can be flat or three-dimensional; we will tell you the technology for applying two types.
Step 1. Select a pattern and purchase different colors to match it. There is no need to calculate the exact quantity; you will still have to buy at least one package of each shade, and this is enough to finish 3 m2 of area. Of course, if you have simple geometric patterns over a large area, then find out the amount of materials more accurately.
Important. Be sure to saturate the surface with a high-quality primer. The drawings will have many lines of contact of different colors; they are done in two steps. And this technology reduces the bonding strength of the edges.
Step 2 . Draw a picture on the wall. We don’t recommend choosing a complex multi-color one right away; start with a two-color one. The drawing is applied in several ways.
First. It is drawn immediately on the wall. This method is suitable for those who have natural drawing abilities. Or if you have a geometric pattern consisting only of straight lines. Make markings, mark the break points of the lines and draw a pattern with a ruler.
Marking the pattern
Practical advice. It is advisable to use an ordinary pencil, not a felt-tip pen. The line does not disappear when wet with liquid wallpaper, the paint does not get onto the front surface, and does not show through under the light coating.
Second. If you have difficulty drawing, you can transfer the image to a sheet of thick paper and cut out a stencil. Glue it to the wall with construction tape.
Paper stencil
The third way is to remember how they “interrupted” drawings during their student years. The drawing was laid out on glass, a table lamp under it, a blank sheet of Whatman paper on top, and a drawing was quickly drawn along the translucent lines. Everything is the same, only the shadow of the drawing should fall on the wall. Trace it with a pencil and the preparatory process is complete.
Step 3. If you have a complex drawing or little experience in performing such work, then it is better to cover the outline with masking tape. Use short pieces, cut along the lines. The work is long, but it pays off during the application of liquid wallpaper. You can also mark simple lines with tape; the pattern will be much clearer.
Step 4. Prepare liquid wallpaper of the same color, as we have already described. To work, you need to have two spatulas (large and small); the tool must be clean and have smooth surfaces.
Step 5 . After the outline on the wall is drawn, proceed to applying wallpaper. Apply only one color at first. Work carefully, constantly adjust the wallpaper with the back of the spatula, it should not go beyond the outline of the pattern. If the tape is glued, the work is easier. The layer thickness is standard, approximately 2 mm. Freshly applied wallpaper of different colors should never touch each other, otherwise the dividing lines will be blurred.
Gradually fill in all the elements of the picture
Step 6: Allow time for the first color to dry completely. This will require at least two days, the specific values depend on the room temperature and ventilation efficiency.
Step 7. The first color has dried - start gluing wallpaper of a different color. Take special care at joints. Immediately remove excess wallpaper, do not allow the previous layer to get wet.
Fine detailing, thin lines are drawn using felt-tip pens
Liquid wallpaper can also be used to create three-dimensional designs. To do this, you need to make some of the material somewhat thicker while soaking the material. Fill the picture with more liquid wallpaper using the described method. While they are wet, glue the convex parts to them. Form a shape from thick material and glue it to the wall. First, press firmly over the entire surface of the protruding part, and then trim the edges. On convex surfaces, the end of a small spatula can be used to press out lines, leaf curves, etc. Don’t be afraid to experiment, in any case you will get a completely exclusive finish.
Volumetric drawing
Another original way to apply a pattern to wallpaper in the bathroom. Find a thematic picture, make a stencil on its base, place it against the wall and paint the cut holes with water-based paint. At the same time, you need to remember that the surface of liquid wallpaper is embossed, you won’t get straight lines. Choose appropriate pictures.
Drawings with liquid wallpaper
How to remove liquid wallpaper
It's not as simple as it seems. To prepare liquid wallpaper per kilogram of dry mixture you will need at least three liters of water; this composition covers 3–4 m2 of surface. This means that to get completely wet you need about the same amount of water, and you need to apply it in one go. It is not recommended to use a roller; it will not be able to absorb so much water at one time. You will have to process the same place several times. During this time, the top layer will already get wet, become soft and begin to stick to the roller. This is a big problem. To remove liquid wallpaper, you need to wet it with a large amount of water and without direct contact of the tool with the wall surface. The best option is a pneumatic spray gun. But not everyone has it.
Device for humidifying wallpaper with steam
Answers to some questions
Can liquid wallpaper withstand shrinkage at home? It all depends on its intensity. If the shrinkage is a few millimeters, then there will be no problems. If the count is in centimeters, then the liquid wallpaper will become deformed or peel off.
Are there simpler wall covering technologies? Yes, you can use a pneumatic spray gun. To do this, several conditions must be met: the nozzle diameter is at least four millimeters, the size of the wallpaper fractions does not exceed these values, and the air pressure is at least five atmospheres.
Application of liquid wallpaper with a sprayer
Is it possible to level surfaces with an ordinary roller? No, you can’t, leveling the surfaces of liquid wallpaper should only be done with smooth, even tools. As you might guess, the surface of the rollers does not meet these requirements.
Apply wallpaper with a spatula
How does primer help? It not only increases the adhesion coefficient, which is also very important. The primer prevents dyes from getting from the wall onto the wallpaper, and they appear on the surface in the form of various stains. In addition, white primers make the base a uniform color, which is essential for surfaces. The thickness of liquid wallpaper is up to two millimeters, in some places it can decrease to a millimeter. Such a thin layer is translucent, and multi-colored sections of the wall will be visible through it.
White wallpaper primer
Is it necessary to follow manufacturers' recommendations for choosing a specific brand of primer? Yes, if you have no experience. Only professionals can choose from a huge variety of materials with identical performance properties at a lower price. One more nuance - you need to pay attention to the properties of primers; some can only improve adhesion, others prevent the surface from getting wet, and others have antiseptic properties. There are complex action primers. To give surfaces the same tone, they need to be painted with dispersion paints. They have high adhesion rates with many finishing materials and liquid wallpaper.
Primer for wallpaper
Is it possible to apply wallpaper to OSB boards? It's possible, but difficult. First, you need to apply at least two layers of waterproof primer to the slab; before applying the next one, the previous one must be completely dry, which takes about 7–8 hours. Next, the surface should be made monochromatic - painted with white water-based paint and again given time to dry. The same should be done if the surface to be finished is covered with plywood.
Can liquid wallpaper be applied to decorative plaster? If you really want to, then you can. But before application, it should be leveled with putty, primed twice and painted with white paint. Now decide whether this type of bathroom decoration is worth it. Moreover, decorative plaster, unlike liquid wallpaper, is not afraid of direct contact with water.
Liquid wallpaper in the bathroom. Combination with mosaic
How is liquid wallpaper applied to partitions made of aerated concrete blocks? Very difficult to apply. Aerated concrete blocks have several disadvantages: low surface strength and absorb large amounts of moisture. Before application, you need to eliminate these problems - cover the surfaces with putty and soak them twice with primer.
Is it possible to apply other coatings to liquid wallpaper? No, they need to be removed. It is not necessary to clean the wall after this, it all depends on the material used in the future.
Is it possible to apply new wallpaper to an old layer of wallpaper? Yes, but not advisable. The fact is that the weight of the coating increases, but the adhesion coefficient remains the same and is designed only for the bottom layer. Another condition is that the old layer must be painted white twice, otherwise it will show through.
Wall decoration with liquid wallpaper and photo wallpaper accent
How to remove stains on wallpaper? First of all, find out their cause and the composition of the pollutant. If it is rust, then you will have to remove some of the wallpaper. Remove rust from the surface of the wall, carry out a set of protective measures and then make a patch from new wallpaper. Be prepared that it will not be possible to make repairs completely invisible. If the contamination is of a household nature, then try commercially available stain removers. If it works out great, if it doesn’t work out, scrape off the problem area and make a patch.
Removing the damaged part
Repair of liquid wallpaper
What are the benefits of liquid wallpaper?
In general, ceramic tiles have been and remain the most versatile material for covering walls in the bathroom; apartment owners are accustomed to them, and they are often the ones that fit perfectly into various interiors. But liquid wallpaper is gaining more and more popularity. Those who follow the latest trends and innovations in the field of building materials and design have long appreciated their qualities.
Attempts to wallpaper a bathroom have been made for a long time, but ordinary wallpaper is not at all suitable for this room. They, of course, give a more original look to the room, but retain their aesthetic properties for a very short time. Due to constant exposure to moisture, paper tapes will constantly swell and pull away from the walls, which will require too frequent repairs. This is inconvenient and unprofitable.
Decorating a bathroom with liquid wallpaper
Recently, many owners have preferred this type of coating as washable wallpaper for the bathroom. The reviews, unfortunately, were also not very positive. The owners, of course, liked the fact that the coating was easy to clean, it could be wiped clean and even washed, but there were also certain disadvantages that negatively affected the desire to use this material in the future. The main disadvantage was that washable wallpaper does not stick to the walls much better than regular wallpaper. That is, under the influence of heat and moisture they fall off, and you have to glue something all the time. It turns out that, wanting to save on tiles, you end up spending more on glue and new rolls of wallpaper.
The dream of those who want to see their bathroom wallpapered would have remained unfulfilled if fundamentally new liquid wallpaper for the bathroom had not appeared.
Related article: Eliminating the creaking of a plastic balcony door
Final Tips
You need to frequently remove moisture from the floors in the bathroom, with the rag constantly touching the walls. Liquid wallpaper quickly absorbs moisture, and a noticeable dirty strip will appear at the junction. To prevent this phenomenon, place a belt (edging) of ceramic tiles on the lower part of the wall.
You can find recommendations to increase moisture resistance by coating the surface of liquid wallpaper with varnish. You should not do this, the positive effect tends to zero, and financial losses increase significantly. The surface of liquid wallpaper is soft, with slight pressure it bends and the varnish cracks. Moisture easily gets into the cracks, and it takes a very long time to dry. The consequence is that under the varnish the wallpaper will begin to change color due to the appearance of mold or fungi.
One of the main problems for beginners when working with liquid wallpaper is that marks from the sharp corners of the smoothing iron remain on the wall. Unlike grout or plaster, it is impossible to remove these marks after drying, and leveling the liquid material requires considerable practical experience. To make work easier, slightly round off sharp corners; this will make the grooves less noticeable.
Do not apply liquid wallpaper to surfaces painted with oil paint. They will definitely start to fall off over time. The paint will have to be removed, coated with water-based emulsion or other finishing materials used. The same advice applies to plasterboard boards. Remember that moisture-resistant boards can only withstand steam; with prolonged direct contact with water, they not only lose strength, but can also swell and the cardboard layer will peel off from the plaster. In addition, plaster will absorb moisture very quickly and will take months to dry. There is a risk of mold and mildew.
Liquid wallpaper applied to the wall
Do not cover heating appliances with liquid wallpaper. The glue used is made of natural cellulose; it will certainly turn yellow on hot surfaces over time, so everything will have to be removed.
Do not use liquid wallpaper to decorate walls on balconies and loggias, even glazed ones. The material is used only in heated rooms. In unheated rooms, moisture absorbed from the air will freeze and the finish will fall off.
There are times when bubbles appear on the surface after drying. This is evidence of gross violations of application technology. First, try to wet them generously, give them 10-15 minutes to get wet and try to glue them with a spatula again. If you didn’t learn, take off the wallpaper and do the job again. But now taking into account the negative experience. You can reuse removed wallpaper.
High quality coating
If you are in a hurry to complete the repair work, then you can apply liquid wallpaper to the plaster that is not completely dry. It’s okay that the surface will take longer to dry; this will not affect the quality of the coating. Of course, if the plaster does not have dyes. If they are, then wait for them to dry completely. Read about fixing a steel bathtub to the wall on the website.
The best liquid wallpaper in the bathroom: reviews of manufacturers
According to customer reviews, when choosing liquid wallpaper, you should pay attention to some manufacturers.
This:
- Senideco - made in France. Liquid silk wallpaper available in a wide range of colors.
- Cotex (France) - cotton wallpaper, which comes in the form of DIY kits, which allows you to choose the color consistency yourself.
- Silkcoat - Turkish wallpaper, good quality and low cost.
Plaster is a liquid wallpaper from a Russian manufacturer. They have excellent quality, similar in characteristics to those of French manufacturers, and are easy to apply. Moreover, their cost is much lower.
Thus, based on your own needs, material capabilities and imagination, with the help of liquid wallpaper you can create a unique and inimitable interior in the bathroom.
