Border wallpaper removal: How To Remove Wallpaper Border

How To Remove Wallpaper Border

A few tricks and lessons will help you learn how to remove wallpaper border quickly, and with minimal mess. Spoiler alert: If I can do it, you can do it!

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Our basement bathroom drove me nuts. This small area contained four types of wallpaper, including a border featuring classic cars (ugh!) running along a built-in cabinet. It all had to go.

I asked a few professional installers for their wallpaper removal tips before taking full sheets from a bedroom wall. When I inquired about the wallpaper border, they all said the same thing: It’s just like removing full sheets. Really?

Turns out they were right, for the most part. Through a little experimentation and one big mistake, I uncovered some helpful techniques for removing a wallpaper border. I hope these insights help you easily remove the dreadful wallpaper border in your house.

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It’s the Same Approach

Wallpaper removal is a wet, messy task that requires patience. Wallpaper borders come off with less fuss than full sheets. It’s easier to get a scraper behind it, so the work goes faster.

And yet, it’s still wallpaper. It’s made of the same materials and put on with the same type of adhesives. You’ll also use some of the same tools and techniques to remove the wallpaper border that you would to remove floor-to-ceiling sheets.

Don’t Skip Room Prep

Here’s where I made my big mistake: rushing through room prep.

If you’re using hot water or liquid wallpaper remover, cover all woodwork and electrical outlets below your border. I did put plastic sheeting on the floor and taped over the wall paneling under the border. But thought I could skip taping the baseboards because they were far below where I’d be working.

I soaked the wallpaper border with a removal solution (but you can also just use hot water. ) Once the glue loosened, I scraped off the border and glue with a putty knife, then scrubbed off the leftover glue.

The issue: The removal solution wouldn’t stay on the wallpaper border. Instead, it ran down the wall to the baseboards. That’s why you should cover them.

Consider a Gel

I also had some gel wallpaper stripper so I gave it a try on another section of the border. Wallpaper removal gel clings to one spot with minimal running. While not ideal for full sheets of wallpaper, it’s great for smaller border strips.

The gel mostly stayed put, though it did splatter a little more than the liquid remover. I also dropped the wet wallpaper border I pulled down on the plastic sheet on the floor.

So, using gel won’t get you completely off the hook protecting your room. But test it in a small spot to see how much it splatters and runs. If it doesn’t run much, you could skip one step of room prep.

Start at the Top or Bottom Edge

Getting behind wallpaper at the edge or a seam makes it easier to scrape the piece off the wall.

It’s easy to reach the top and bottom edges, so use that to your advantage. Give them a little extra spray to get more removal solution behind the edge of the paper.

Start at the bottom edge and go up to the top edge, then go down as you scrape behind the border. Once you peel a section off the wall, scrape horizontally along the length of the strip to speed things along.

Be Gentle if You’re Trying to Save Paper Underneath

You never want to gouge your wall, but you can patch drywall or plaster if it happens. If you’re trying to save wallpaper under the border, be extremely careful. Even at that, it might not be possible.

If you’re removing a border that is laid over wallpaper, start with just hot water at the top and bottom edge and carefully add tools as needed. The strong gel I used made the color run on the vinyl wallpaper under my border, while hot water alone didn’t.

If you’re tempted to go with a wallpaper scorer on a vinyl border, be extra gentle and add pressure only as needed to avoid poking holes in the paper underneath.

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5 Ways To Remove Old Border Wallpaper

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By Valerie Golik/Nov. 28, 2022 2:09 pm EST

It was probably pretty or trendy once, but that border wallpaper ringing your bedroom or the palm tree print in the powder room for the past 30 years has to go. You have looked at the seashells, the chubby bears, or the overgrown flowers for far too much time. The only problem is that it has been stuck to the drywall for so long that, like your high school boyfriend who couldn’t let go, you don’t know if it’s ever relinquishing its hold.

Before exploring ways to remove old border wallpaper, prepare the room where you’ll be working. Paper Puller recommends starting the project by moving everything out of the way. Once the room is ready, the surface area needs to be prepared even if the job is a removing a wallpaper border rather than the entire wall.

Den Garden notes that old wallpaper is normally defined as being in excess of 20 years old and typically is difficult to remove because it’s vinyl backed by paper. Vinyl keeps out the various liquid methods used to penetrate and break down the adhesives, thus preventing them from easily peeling off the wall. Scoring the wallpaper using a tool with tiny sharp edges is recommended by some experts and denigrated by others. Nolan Painting, for example, dislikes the use of any sharp tool that punctures the wallpaper with hundreds of tiny holes. They say that the holes often need to be patched, which ends up adding to the project time.

Hot water or steam

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Start with the method the pros use: Hot water is sometimes all it takes to remove border wallpaper. D’Franco Painting & Wallpaper suggests using the hottest water your hands can tolerate and applying it with a sea sponge. Wet the sponge, wring it out, then apply the water to the wall, working in sections. The water should permeate the wallpaper for up to 10 minutes, then repeat the process two additional times before trying to scrape the paper off. Most times the wallpaper removes easily at that point.

If you want to take the hot water approach to the next level, try steaming the wallpaper. For a large area (a room full of wallpaper, for example), you may opt to purchase a wallpaper steamer. An option with a pad allows you to place the pad directly onto the wallpaper, but even if your steamer doesn’t come with one, you can apply steam to the wallpaper to loosen the glue then follow up with gentle scraping to remove the wallpaper.

Working with hot water can be challenging, though. First, it’s hot, made worse if you use boiling fluid. Secondly, it’s water, which means that it drips everywhere. Be sure to tape off outlets (you should also turn off the electricity), cover baseboards and floors with plastic, and add layers of old towels to catch rips, which could be grungy unless you’re a regular wall-washer.

Vinegar and water

Valerie Golik/House Digest

Vinegar’s acidity dissolves the glue in border wallpaper, even old wallpaper, as The Make Your Own Zone discovered when removing theirs. The “recipe” was simple: a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water combined in a spray bottle. After scoring the wall, the solution was sprayed on, then left to soak in for a quarter of an hour. Then the aging wall covering was removed with a putty knife.

DIY Without Fear had a similar experience, but used hot water with the white vinegar. Even without scoring the wall so that the solution could soak through properly, the blogger stated that it worked well. She didn’t wait as long as 15 minutes as The Make Your Own Zone team did, either — just “a second” before working it over with a tool, in her case a spatula. The inexpensiveness of the vinegar makes this option a great first or second choice.

Fabric softener and water

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Arguably the most delightfully-scented option for removing an old wallpaper border is to try the fabric softener and water method. Upgraded Home provides directions for mixing the solution, recommending that 1/4 part fabric softener be mixed with 3/4 parts hot water. They also note that some homeowners add a few drops of dishwashing liquid for extra cleaning/removal power. We here at House Digest suggest a 1:1 combination of fabric softener and water. You may want to experiment with the combination that works best for you.

As with other methods, Upgraded Home recommends using a spray bottle and scoring or dulling the surface first, followed by application of your homemade wallpaper removal solution. It can either be applied using that or a sponge. Once the fabric softener had done its job, you may need to give the wall a quick wash to ensure no residue of the glue remains.

Wallpaper remover

Valerie Golik/House Digest

Commercial wallpaper removal products are specially formulated to remove wallpaper, and in the case of stubborn old ones like 30-year-plus border wallpaper, it may provide the option with the fewest variables. One option is a gel formula. While it isn’t as economical as the concentrate that is added to a bucket of water, the gel works better for the smaller area of the border wallpaper, which is located right up against the ceiling of the room. To minimize the amount of dripping, wallpaper removal gel in a spray bottle is ideal. The drawback was that the bottle only covers 75 square feet per 32-ounce bottle; for a 4-inch-high border, that covers just enough linear feet for an average suburban bedroom.

The Wagner Group reviewed different methods of removing wallpaper, including using a liquid wallpaper removal product. They note that in addition to scoring the wallpaper and making sure the product soaks in for about 15 minutes or more, you should wear protective coverings over your hands and eyes. Plus, be sure to open a window or have a fan running to provide proper ventilation to the room. They also note that not every commercial product (nor any method) works with every wallpaper paste, so a little trial and error will be needed.

Heat/blow dryer

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If you want to try removing the old wallpaper without any wet messes from water, vinegar, fabric softener, or commercial wallpaper strippers, you could try using a heat gun or hair dryer. Not all wallpaper glues will succumb to heat application alone, but for some people the absence of messy drips and the need to tape plastic sheeting and line floor with old towels is enough to convince them to give this option a try.

House Painting Info stresses that the hair dryer has to has a wattage that is fairly high (1200 or 1500 watts). They also add that if you’re going with the heat method, you should choose a plastic scraping tool rather than a metal one. Plastic tools won’t heat up as quickly in your hand, and therefore would be more comfortable to hold.

According to Real Homes, it doesn’t take long to apply the heat. They suggest working in small sections with the hair dryer turned to high for 30 seconds at a time. In between, try prying up the wallpaper border with the putty knife or other scraping tool. If it doesn’t respond to the heat, try another method.

Recommended

How to remove old wallpaper – mastering the theory

Re-wallpapering in a room can completely change its appearance, and the event itself is estimated at an affordable amount – an easy way to give a second wind to a familiar interior. However, before sticking new wallpapers, the question arises of removing the old ones – how to do it most effectively – we figure it out together!

Why is it not recommended to glue new wallpapers on old ones?

Even though it may seem that the old wallpaper is firmly attached to the surface, another layer of wallpaper will inevitably change this – under heavy weight they will begin to peel off. In addition, paper wallpaper, vinyl or non-woven – one way or another, over time, some places will be glued more reliably, some will not, and gluing new wallpaper on top will reveal this and lead to the appearance of bubbles and folds. Therefore, one way or another, you still have to take care of the issue of removing old wallpaper.

What do you need to remove old wallpaper?

The list of tools may vary depending on the type of wallpaper and the type of work, however, the main composition looks like this:

• two spatulas – narrow and wide, well sharpened for ease of use;
• special solution or just warm water, sponge and bucket;
• paint roller, 15-25 cm wide;
• knife;
• needle roller or wallpaper tiger;
• if available, a household steam generator can serve you well.

When carrying out work, it is better to protect the floor surface from sticky and damp pieces of paper – to do this, you can stick it with masking tape and plastic wrap. Turn off the electricity in the room before starting work.

Wet remove wallpaper

The dry method of wallpaper removal – just remove the wallpaper with your bare hands or with a spatula – does not always work, in addition, it leaves a lot of dirt and dust. Wet removal is more effective – it works especially well with paper wallpapers. To do this, paper wallpaper is well wetted with a roller or spray gun. Water should be well absorbed – if you apply too little, the water will dry without having time to wet the glue, if too much – it will drain down to the floor.

Work more efficiently with hot water or steam – leave the wallpaper well moistened for 20 minutes. A roller with spikes will help speed up the process of moisture penetration to paper wallpaper: by making small scratches and cuts on the wallpaper, and there will be no scratches or marks left on the wall. After impregnation with water, the wallpaper can be easily removed with a spatula.

Multi-layered wallpapers should be removed gradually, wetting them one layer at a time.

Removing Vinyl Wallpaper

Removing vinyl wallpaper requires a thorough cleaning of the surface, and after scratching the canvas with a spiked roller, vinyl wallpaper needs enough time to absorb moisture, as they usually have impressive moisture resistance qualities. Leave the canvas for 20–25 minutes so that the water has time to penetrate under the polymer layer and dissolve the adhesive. After that, it is necessary to make an incision at the top and, having separated the edge, pull the canvas down – the wallpaper is removed in a single strip, and if pieces of the paper base remain on the wall, they can be easily removed with a spatula and water.

Washable wallpapers are resistant to moisture and usually have two layers. The top one can be removed without problems, but to remove the bottom one, you need to scratch the surface well with a wallpaper tiger, and then moisten the canvas with glue and let it soak well. A household steam generator works well in this situation.

5 tips for choosing and sticking border tape

How to give the desired touch of contrast or elegance to ordinary wallpaper? Many designers know a very simple answer to this question – with the help of a curb tape. In this article, we will look at its main characteristics, learn how to correctly combine a border with basic wallpaper, select the most suitable place for it, and learn how to properly glue it on our own.

Contents of the article

In the process of renovation, decisions regarding the choice of finishing materials are often subject to changes at the very last moment. It happens like this – you choose the perfect wallpaper, suitable for both color and texture, stick it on the walls with skill, then you stand admiring and you understand that something is not right. Too boring and monotonous, or something, or lacks something, highlights small or contrast, so that it becomes completely harmonious. Do not tear off the freshly glued wallpaper now? In this case, wallpaper borders. Today we will talk about tips for choosing and sticking curb tape.

1. Choice of curb tape taking into account its main characteristics

to him expressiveness and characteristic shade. Those who claim that this is the last century, and borders have already gone out of fashion, since interiors with their use are very reminiscent of the atmosphere of the times of the USSR, they simply do not know how to use them correctly. Especially considering that the modern look of the frieze is distinguished by high aesthetic qualities and impresses with its diversity.

This decorative element consists of strips ranging in width from a few centimeters to a full meter and is sold in rolls ranging in length from 5 to 10 meters. The choice of border tape should not bring many problems. Most decorating stores offer a large number of ready-made wallpaper collections that already contain one or more frieze options. If you first pasted the wallpaper, and then realized that you need to complement the interior to complete the picture, then you need to pay special attention to material of manufacture edging. The most common ones are:

• Paper is the thinnest and most delicate type that is very easy to stick and remove. However, due to their delicate texture, with an inaccurate pasting process, they can tear or get soaked. They do not have a particularly long service life and quickly fade under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. But this is the most budget option.
• Vinyl – differ from the previous ones in an increased level of strength to mechanical stress, have a denser structure, are not subject to fading, which means they have a decent service life. Various contaminants are easily removed from their surface using conventional detergents that do not spoil the surface, unless, of course, rubbing with the hard side of the sponge. Due to this practicality, they are often used in environment-specific areas such as the kitchen or bathroom.
• Acrylic – also proved to be a very practical decor, resistant to external factors. The cost of acrylic borders is somewhat cheaper than vinyl borders with almost equal performance.
• Textile – this interesting type of frieze consists of two layers. The first layer is the base, made of paper. A fabric layer is glued on it, which performs a decorative function. Often, velor is used for such purposes. The disadvantages of this chic element is poor resistance to moisture and mechanical stress. If carelessly handled or placed near furniture, such as a sofa or armchairs, where there may be constant contact with pets or hairpins, it may scratch, stick or lose its gloss. In addition, dust will quickly settle on it, especially if the tape is not small in width. Allergy sufferers should definitely refrain from such an idea. Care of textile frieze is complicated due to the inability to remove dust or dirt simply with a damp cloth.
• Made from fiberglass is the most practical option and is resistant to both mechanical and other types of impact. Such a frieze will have an attractive appearance for many years. Its stability allows you to use this decor in any room. As a result, it has the highest value.

So that the borders do not create a clear contrast, it is necessary to select material identical to the material of the main wallpaper. For example, silk-screened acrylic wallpaper embellished with paper borders will instantly lose its chic and rich look and become ridiculous and vulgar instead. The same happens in reverse situations. Borders are designed to hide the junctions of two types of wallpaper, eliminate the consequences of inaccurate pasting or smooth transitions between two or more colors, and perform the function of zoning. At the same time, they should remain an interior decoration. With regard to the choice of pattern and color, the border tape is:

• Plain;
• Ornamented;

Belt surface can be:

• Smooth;
• Embossed;
• Gold, bronze or silver plated;
• Lace.

Depending on the application area , the borders for:

• Children’s room are very clearly distinguished by their appearance – you will not confuse them with any other. Elephants, giraffes, dolls, butterflies and other heroes always “live” on them;
• Living room – such a border looks quite noble and rich. It can depict various stripes, monograms, floral patterns, elements of ancient Roman frescoes, calligraphic inscriptions and much more. Sometimes such a small element, with an appropriate pattern, is enough to demonstrate one or another design style;
• The canteen is the most “delicious” variety, which can be painted with fruits and vegetables, tempting sweets, various drinks, or simply words that correspond to the kitchen theme. In this room, borders are often used to accentuate a window or doorway, a beautifully illuminated wall cabinet or pencil case, or on the wall opposite which the dining area is located.

2.

Options for combining frieze with wallpaper0050 correctly combine them with wallpaper. Two main characteristics, according to which it is customary to combine them, are color or pattern. There are actually not so many selection options, given these conditions, but they are the most successful and really help to create a coherent and piquant interior.

Plain wallpaper + ornamental frieze

One of the classic, noble combinations. This design option is suitable for restrained natures who prefer elegant and seasoned interiors with their own twist. In this case the width of the tape must be such that the design is clearly and clearly visible on it. So that from a distance it doesn’t just look like a stripe of a distinctive color. With this combination, compatibility is ensured using a shade. Therefore, the main rule of is to choose a border with an ornament that will have sections that are identical in color to the main wallpaper. Even a small amount of such a color match will provide a harmonious perception. With the help of this technique, you can easily diversify a calm environment, make it more dynamic and lively.

It is very successful to use a border with patterns in spacious rooms, where a special emphasis is placed on the walls. Opposite them, there may be no furniture at all. Also, this option is optimal for decorations children’s room . You have probably often come across the fact that caring parents try to make their child’s life as bright and colorful as possible and please him in every possible way. In this regard, they decorate the room depending on the preferences of the child. Often, themed wallpapers or photo wallpapers with the characters of their favorite cartoons are used for this. This is costly and not entirely justified. Indeed, at an early age, a child very often and quickly changes his hobbies. Today he was delighted with dinosaurs, and tomorrow he became interested in airplanes . .. That is why it is much easier, faster and more economical to replace a border with a boring and no longer relevant image than to re-paste the wallpaper in the whole room.

Against the background of neutral walls with a thematic frieze, paintings with an appropriate image can be placed to support the idea. This is not a strict rule, it is simply a recommendation to practical parents. Other combinations look no less successful in the room of small owners.

Wallpaper with a pattern + plain frieze

This combination will give some calm and order to a room rich in patterns. In this case, the frieze should display a color that is in the minority on the main wallpaper. So you can to avoid oversaturating with one tone. The width of the tape is selected from the option of its location on the wall, which we will talk about a little later. One thing is for sure, that a strip that is too narrow against the background of large elements of the pattern will look ridiculous and simply get lost. If there is mother-of-pearl on the wallpaper, you can pick up a plain ribbon to match it. Thus, seemingly ordinary wallpaper with an ornament will acquire charm and sophistication. Usually in such cases, gold or silver edging is used.

Plain and colored wallpaper + border options

Wallpaper with a pattern always looks more expressive and interesting, but there are times when decorating the entire room from bottom to bottom with colored canvases is unacceptable. This is especially true for small rooms. You run the risk of making them visually even less spacious and stuffy. In this case, you should not completely abandon your favorite wallpaper with a pattern. You just need to use less of them. A popular option is the design of the lower part of the wall with such canvases, and the upper one with plain, pastel or the same color, but without a pattern. The place where there will be a junction of two types of wallpaper must be hidden or with a plain tape in a distinctive color, or with the same pattern , but with a different orientation as in the example below, walls decorated in this way in living rooms or bedrooms look very harmonious.

Ornamented wallpaper + patterned frieze

If you like this kind of composition, then you should be very careful. By choosing the wrong ornament, you run the risk of oversaturating the room with all sorts of drawings, and then only the walls will catch the eye, and not your chic furniture or original decor items. Such a decision in itself is very rich and rich. Based on this, the most a good option for would be to use a medium-width border tape, which shows the same pattern as on the main canvases, but smaller. Or combine wallpapers of different tones, but with the same ornament, which should be repeated on the tape. In this case, the frieze is optimally positioned so that the direction of its pattern is perpendicular to the direction of the pattern on the wallpaper.

Dark and light wallpaper + border tape

Many designers like to use different color combinations to make the interior more expressive and voluminous. It not only looks spectacular, but also has practical point of view. Even the most accurate and pathologically prone to cleanliness housewives will not be able to avoid soiling the walls from below. This is especially true for such passage rooms as corridor . Therefore, very often the lower small part of the wall or half of it is pasted over with darker wallpaper. From above, preference is given to light tones. The junction of two canvases can be effectively hidden with the help of a well-chosen border. Wallpaper, in turn, can be either plain or have an unobtrusive pattern. Hence follows two versions of border tape:

• Monochromatic textured wallpapers of different colors can be combined with a border that has the color of the lower or upper web, but with an ornament. For example, a dark blue bottom and a white top will be successfully complemented by a white border tape with a blue ornament, or vice versa.
• Wallpaper with a pattern in different colors can be completed with a plain ribbon to match the color of the pattern. For example, the bottom canvas is dark gray and the top is light gray. But on both canvases there is a black or white pattern. An unusual distinction in this case will be a thin black or, respectively, white edging.

3. Secrets of successful application and placement of borders

When you have decided exactly on the type of wallpaper and, based on our recommendations, select the most suitable border, you will certainly face the question – how to properly position elements on the wall. Consider the most successful options :

• Horizontal arrangement – is the most familiar to many. The most common option is when the border is located exactly in the middle of the wall. This is acceptable for rooms with normal ceiling heights. More interesting is the location of the curb somewhere at the level of 1/3 of the height of the wall. This will help raise the low ceilings a bit. To hide an unfortunate wallpaper cut or provoke guests to pay attention to your chic stretch ceiling or exquisite lamp, place the border tape directly under the ceiling. A wide band will be more noticeable. There are a lot of options for such borders, sometimes they can be made in the form of large flowers, unusual birds or inscriptions. With the help of such an element, the interior will seem more thoughtful and finished. Another option for horizontal placement is straight above floor level. In this case, the border can have a width of 20-30 cm and be made in the form of young grass with primroses or simply have an interesting pattern.
• Vertical orientation is especially relevant when you want to highlight the wall, which is the focus. This may be a wall of a distinctive color, bordered around the perimeter with an ornamental border in the same color as the main walls. Or, on the contrary, a wall with patterns and a clear monochromatic edging. In any case, such a solution will have a more expressive and neat look. After all, you will not only clearly define the boundaries, but also hide the junctions or cuts in the corners, where it is quite difficult to do it beautifully. Especially without proper surface preparation before that. A vertical border can also be wonderfully located on the plane of a long wall in a place where wallpapers of different types meet.
• Diagonal division is extremely rare. But this option also has the right to life. The rooms, one of the walls of which is divided by a diagonal line, look very extravagant and creative. In addition, there is another plus using this direction – the diagonals help push the space and slightly dissolve its boundaries, thereby making the room more spacious. Please note that the latest design decision in the design of an apron in small kitchens was the diagonal arrangement of tiles. Which is also manifested in the way the flooring is laid. So why not? 9 will look especially impressive0050 wide stripes with a beautiful pattern on the background of plain walls. But it’s also not worth the hassle. The width of the border should not exceed ¼ of the height of the wall. In the case of the location of two parallel strips, it is even less.
• We select window or door openings . This is another not-so-standard way to use a wallpaper border. However, if you have such a desire or need, then you should not dissuade yourself. To highlight the window opening, you can stick tapes around its perimeter. This is acceptable if the curtains do not prevent further contemplation of such a solution. If you already have your favorite curtains, place a wide border with a beautiful pattern right above the cornice and the entire width of the wall. Of course, it must match the color or texture of the rest of the finishing materials. Doorways are made in the same way. In the case of gluing a border around the door frame, for example, instead of platbands, you can choose its color to match the door leaf, and the pattern to match the color of the walls. It is possible and vice versa. The main thing, , is that the color of the walls and doors be reflected in the appearance of the edging.

It is also worth noting that in addition to their excellent aesthetic qualities, borders can help visually highlight a particular area. Thus, it is possible to quickly and easily perform space zoning at no particular cost. It is especially successful to do this with a vertical arrangement of the border at the junction of canvases that are identical in texture, but different in color. This technique is often used to separate a small section of the bedroom for the working area. Or when combining the living room and kitchen.

4. How to glue borders

First of all, you need to know that the border tape differs from to by the method of gluing.

• Some varieties are self-adhesive. In order to get started, you just need to remove the protective tape from the sticky layer.
• Others are simply impregnated with adhesive. In this case, you just need to moisten their base a little, wait a couple of minutes and stick it on.
• And most still require the same actions as regular wallpaper. In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to the glue itself, which should be marked on the package “for wallpaper borders”. Or ask the seller to select the desired option.

As for the gluing process itself. Many mistakenly believe that the border is glued directly on top of the wallpaper. This option is acceptable only if a paper border is used on paper wallpaper. Due to the minimum thickness of this material, bulges will not form on the wall surface in the future, and the frieze itself will stick easily and reliably. In case of using other materials, the border is glued only to the wall. Therefore, it is necessary to start work from preparation of the surface itself:

• If it has defects in the form of deep scratches or dents, they must be leveled with a layer of putty.
• After drying, it must be sanded with fine sandpaper or a special mesh to remove unevenness.
• After that, the entire surface to be pasted is primed.
• After the primer has dried, it is very important to mark . This will ensure that the curb is properly positioned on the wall. To do this, use the building level and a special painting line. With one movement, you can accurately mark at once to a large length.
• Now you need to measure how much tape you will need. Don’t cut off. Make by cm stock at each joint. The excess can be easily removed with a clerical knife, but the gaps will be clearly visible in case of a shortage of material.
• To simplify the work, it is recommended to cut the long curb into pieces 1-1.5 meters long. In this case, also do not forget about the reserve. Cut the border in places where the pattern will be most easily combined. This will make your job much easier.

When you have properly prepared the walls, marked them evenly and cut the frieze, you need to start mixing the adhesive and the main work.

• Let the adhesive cool for a while and proceed with the application. The layer should not be too thick. Do not apply the composition immediately to the entire length of the wall. For the first time, it is enough to smear a section equal to the length of the strip. In some cases, adhesive is applied to the border piping. He needs to be allowed to lie down for a few minutes so that he is soaked and only then glued. This feature will be specified in the instructions for the curb tape itself.
• Follow the markings carefully. Since the border tape is often glued on first, it will set the direction for the main wallpaper. In case of skew, it is better to transfer the work.
• Immediately wipe off excess adhesive from the surface of the frieze with a soft cloth.
• Joints of two strips must be rolled.
• When you get to the corners, make sure that the edge of the flooring goes at least one centimeter onto the adjacent wall. This will ensure a joint without gaps.
• If you are decorating a window or doorway with a border, it is better to join the edges at an angle of 45 degrees. Do not do this immediately before gluing. Place the tape around the perimeter of the opening with a margin. So that its edges overlap each other and form the letter P. Without waiting for complete drying, take a ruler and a sharp knife. Attach the ruler at the required angle to the wall, press down well and draw with a knife. Don’t push too hard to avoid pulling the edge of the blade. After making sure that you have cut through both layers to the end, carefully remove the excess pieces and roll the joint with a roller. You will receive perfectly smooth bevel.

As you can see, the process of pasting ordinary wallpaper is even more complex and time-consuming than that of a decorative border. By following these tips and doing everything consistently and accurately, you will certainly cope with this task perfectly.

5. Key points influencing the choice of

A lot has been said, in order to streamline the information and summarize the main results, let’s highlight the main rules for choosing border tape:

• options.
• For a complete picture of how this kit will look assembled, look through the catalogs. Decent suppliers have a lot of them;
• If you clearly want to use a border in your interior, but did not find anything suitable among the ready-made options, leave a place for it. Paste the main wallpaper, after you see how they play on the walls, you will understand what exactly you will be looking for;
• If nothing is found, do it yourself of their usual wallpapers that match the style;
• The border must necessarily repeat either the color or texture of the wallpaper. Then the combination will be harmonious;
• When choosing tape for plain wallpaper, choose a darker shade;
• Wallpaper with a pattern is the perfect complement to a plain border;
• Wide border ribbons with an ornament look very impressive. With their help, you can very quickly diversify the interior;
• Wide borders in dark shades along the lower edge of the wall will protect it from dirt;
• Window and door openings look very sophisticated and expressive with decorative edging ;
• The style and nature of the pattern on the border tape should in no case contradict the theme of the room and the main wallpaper;
• Be sure to choose border material , which is identical in material to the wall wallpaper. This will help to avoid not only visual contrast, but also the difference in thickness;
• The theme of the picture on the border must necessarily correspond to the room in which they will be located;
• Sometimes the color of the border can be combined not with the color of the main wallpaper, but, for example, with a single piece of furniture in a distinctive color. For example, in a black and white interior, an unusual red armchair will create the necessary dynamics and contrast.