Advice needed on Repairing Torn Wallpaper General decorating topics, questions and answers. find help, tips and advice on completing your decorating projects

[JCMNelson]

Hi everyone,

I've been using the site as a reference for a while now - it's been really helpful! I'm just about to move into my first house (needs work!!), and I need to fix a few things in the place I'm renting now. I can't find the answer to this question anywhere on the site so I thought I'd ask!

The wallpaper (painted over) in my little girls room has been split on the join for a while now. I should of fixed it but didn't, and she's now picked away quite a bit along one side of the join.

To fix it I thought I'd do the following:

- Cut away the damaged wallpaper leaving an open rectangle.
- Clean the wall area using sugar soap.
- Cut a piece of wallpaper to fit, and paint it.
- Glue the piece of painted wallpaper into the gap.

I don't expect my landlord not to notice, but figured if that's a good way to repair the damage it may not affect my deposit. Would this be the best way to fix this?

Thanks for any advice!!

[stoneyboy]

JCMNelson,
Cut away the damaged wallpaper leaving an open rectangle.
Cut a piece of wallpaper to fit.
Glue the piece of painted wallpaper into the gap.
Paint it
end

[theshedman]

Hi, my advice would be to remove all the damaged paper then cut a piece bigger than the damaged area including the staight edge, as you say it started at a join in the paper, then backtear the piece and paste into place. Once it has all dried out paint the area to hide it. If you have got enough of the paint do the whole wall and that way you shouldn't be able to see it at all. Good luck.

[Simonatjam]

Have papered straight onto plyboard and then painted it due to having child with special needs but the paper is spliting where the joins are.
Any advice how to stop it. What the cause is and how to mend it and prevent it happening again?

[chris_on_tour2002]

"Have papered straight onto plyboard and then painted it due to having child with special needs but the paper is spliting where the joins are.
Any advice how to stop it. What the cause is and how to mend it and prevent it happening again?"

-the edges had insufficient glue when the wallpaper was hung
-the walls not properly primed/sealed/sized prior to papering.
-edges not seam rollered when paper was hung.
-damp air in the room causing paper to swell and lift.

easiest way to fix it is with pva glue or border adhesive (which is pva glue in a fancy tube.)
apply to back of paper where it has peeled (may need to peel a little more away to give enough surface area to glue) and to the wall. leave for 10 minutes to go tacky. press back into place with firm pressure and ideally a seam roller.

check on it regularly (every 10 mins or so) as the glue dries to ensure that it does not lift. if it does lift reapply pressure using seam roller.