If you’ve been following me for awhile you already know that I couldn’t stand the plain white tile in my kitchen. I decided to take matters into my own hands to fix it. So today I’m showing you how to wallpaper over tile. It’s simple to do and oh so pretty!
When it comes to items in our homes like tile, often the cost or the difficulty of replacing it means we leave it the way it is. That’s what happened for me and my kitchen tile. For 15 years I lived with it and tried to cover it up the best I could with my treasures. Replacing it or painting it was out because my hubby didn’t like those ideas so I thought I was stuck. Then I had an epiphany: wallpaper! The cost is far lower than replacing tile and it doesn’t have to be a permanent change if you don’t want it to. I wanted to give you the same option so I’m showing you how to wallpaper over tile!
How to Wallpaper over Tile
Redecorating your home doesn’t need to be expensive, messy, or permanent. I am all about finding ways to update my decor that are simple but still make a large impact. Wallpapering over tile is a great example of this. My finished project looks just like real brick and I neither had to remove tile nor lay brick!
Years ago I did this with a floral wallpaper and I liked it for awhile but then got tired of it. If you decide to try this know that removing the wallpaper is not a big deal! If you want to go back to your tile or try a new paper you can. All you have to do is get your paper wet, let it sit for a bit, and then remove it. I’m not saying that stripping wallpaper is the quickest or most fun job but it definitely can be done. When I removed my first paper my tile was still in perfect condition. Still clean, shiny, and with no damage.
When you watch the video you’ll see that I didn’t just cover the tile in my kitchen with this paper. I have a stand alone wall in my kitchen and I also papered that. The reason for this was that I wanted the continuity and balance in the room. You don’t have to do this step but if you have a wall like mine or a kitchen island you could use your paper on one of those and really add life to your room!
Supply List
- Wallpaper ( I used a paper from Milton and King called White Washed Bricks)
- Ultra clear wall paper paste (my paper didn’t come already pasted so I needed this. If you are using the pre-pasted kind you won’t need paste)
- Chip brush
- 3″ paint roller
- Wallpaper smoothing tool
- Exacto-knife
Step by Step Instructions
- The first thing I did was made sure my tile was clean and dry. Then I cut the wallpaper to fit the area I needed. You want to work in sections that are a manageable size and just be sure to butt each piece up to the last.
- Next I used a chip brush to slather the paste on the wall. I paid special attention to the edges because that’s where you really need it to stick.
- Next I used the 3″ roller to apply more paste and smooth is all out. It’s kind of like painting, you edge with a brush and then finish with a roller.
- For the next step, place your paper on the wall making sure that it is straight. Smooth it down with your hands first.
- Use an exacto-knife to trim around your molding, edges, and light switches or outlets. Watch the video for tips on how to do this safely and precisely.
- Next use a wallpaper smoother or bench scraper to smooth the paper.
- Finally use a damp cloth to wipe down the paper and remove any paste. When the paste dries it looks shiny so you don’t want to leave any behind. If you miss a spot you can go back later with alcohol to remove it (just test a hidden spot on your paper to make sure it will handle the alcohol without damage).
And that’s that! I really love the way this turned out. This paper is amazing and I highly recommend it, it looks so realistic! If you go with brick paper like I did just be sure to match up the bricks between each section of wallpaper. I talk about this in the video so if you have questions be sure to check that out. I hope you love this project as much as I do, I know I’ll leave this paper up for a long time to come!
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If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!
