Easily add WallPaper to Furniture-Everything you need to know

Whether you’re an experienced furniture painter looking for a fun new way to spruce up your pieces, or you’re just starting out and want to add a unique touch to your home. When you add wallpaper to furniture you create a perfect makeover without too much fuss!

Wallpaper can be used in any number of ways on furniture projects: as decoupage material, a design element for the backs of cabinets or the sides of drawers, or transformed by paint layering techniques. And it couldn’t be easier.

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In this post, we’ll cover everything from how to choose the right wallpaper for furnishing projects to helpful tips on installation to help ensure your look turns out flawless every time. So let’s get started – it’s time to transform outdated furniture into something stylishly unique with wallpaper!

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What type of WallPaper to choose for furniture

Picking the type of wallpaper to use on furniture will depend on how you will be using it on the furniture. The most popular types are:

• Vinyl wallpaper
• Peel & Stick
• Paintable wallpaper

Vinyl wallpaper is the most common type. This is perfect to use for the sides of drawers and on the backs of cabinets with open shelves. However, with the popularity of peel-and-stick wallpaper, this might be an easier option as you would not have to use any adhesive. By using paintable wallpaper, you can paint it any color and this type of wallpaper will give you great texture options as well.

Prepping the Furniture surface before applying WallPaper

I started with this plain Jane dresser. She was in desperate need of a makeover. I definitely could see the textured paintable wallpaper on the drawer fronts and the sides.

Start by removing the hardware and checking the furniture to see if it needs any repairs. Lightly hand sand the furniture to remove dirt build-up and to also smooth out any deep scratches.

I sanded down the top of the dresser using my Ryobi orbital sander.  I like to stain the tops of my pieces instead of painting, when possible.  

After sanding, thoroughly clean and wipe down the furniture. I use a 50/50 blend of vinegar and water to clean the furniture.  

Measure and Cut Wallpaper for Furniture

The wallpaper I used is discontinued, however, I found a similarly textured wallpaper from Amazon.  

Start by measuring the area where you will be placing the paintable wallpaper. Pay close attention to the direction and the center of the pattern, especially when working on the front and lining up the drawer fronts.  

The pattern looked best with the full shape pattern in the center of the side panel.

I use a 36″ metal straight-edge ruler to make my cuts. I measure and mark the lines and keep the metal ruler on the wallpaper and run a retractable box cutter to make the straight cut.

Apply Wallpaper to furniture

Once all the wallpaper pieces are cut, brush on a layer of Wunda Size on the furniture.  Let that set for 5 to 10 minutes to allow it to become tacky and then carefully place the wallpaper on the adhesive.  Make sure as you are placing on the wallpaper you also work out any air bubbles from the wallpaper.

Work from one side to the other to work out any leftover air bubbles. You can pick up the wallpaper again if you have too many bubbles. If you notice any bubbles after the paper begins to dry, you can use the straight edge and place a tiny cut in the bubble to allow the air to escape.

I use Wunda Size for all my decoupaging, I get far better results with it than other brands of adhesive.  Make sure to be patient and let it set up overnight before painting.  I do this so the adhesive has a chance to fully cure before painting the front and getting it wet.  I am pretty sure that the painting could be done all in one day, but I like to be cautious and let it dry to save me frustrations down the line.  

Painting Wallpaper on Furniture

Once the wallpaper has adhered to the dresser, I began to stain the top of the dresser using General Finishes Black Gel stain and sealed it with the Gel TopCoat sealer.  

This was the first time I used the Gel TopCoat sealer and I really like how easy it was to use.  I also allow my gel stain to dry overnight before placing the sealer on top.  Again, I do this to prevent project malfunctions, and this comes from experience and trying to rush a piece to completion.  Slow and steady is how I work.  But don’t get me wrong, I do have many project malfunctions and this is how I learn.  

Once the top was completed, the painting of the wallpaper dresser began. I taped and covered the stained top, and sprayed on lamp black using my Wagner sprayer.

Once the 2 coats of paint were completely dry, I sealed the dresser using General Finishes High Performance in Matte.   Once the topcoat was fully dry, I used the delicate yellow frog tape to tape off the edges on the sides.

I applied a dry brush finish to the textured wallpaper sections using General Finishes Pearl Effects in Argentine Pearl.

Here is a quick 15-second video on how I did this dry brush technique.

You can see how pretty the pearl effects look on the textured wallpaper.  

Also, check out how I used this same technique on my office ceiling to make it look like tin tiles.

I also did the same exact procedure on this mirror.  Now you will want to go out and find decorative home accessories and do this painting technique to have beautiful home decor pieces at inexpensive prices.  That is why I love to DIY. 

I loved how this turned out and I can’t wait to complete another one. The textured wallpaper and the paint products from General Finishes gave this plain Jane dresser the perfect makeover. Check out these other great textured wallpaper furniture pieces.  

I love when a piece turns out better than you imagined! 

I added these fun knobs from Hobby Lobby, which added a little bit more style to the piece instead of the original hardware.