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Photo wallpapers come in paper, vinyl and non-woven materials. The most popular are paper ones, because they are more attractive and at the same time, gluing paper photo wallpapers is quite easy and even pleasant.

Before you buy photo wallpaper, you should consider which room they will be hung in (its purpose) and whether they will “fit” into the interior and style of the room. The color of photo wallpaper can visually expand the space of a room, or maybe narrow it.

Required Tools

To hang photo wallpaper, as in the video, you must arm yourself with the following tools: a bucket for glue, a brush or roller for spreading glue on the surface, a rubber roller, a damp sponge, a level, a tape measure, a stationery knife, a pencil and a stepladder.

Step-by-step instructions for gluing photo wallpapers to the wall

If you are planning to glue photo wallpaper onto wallpaper, then you should know that this is the wrong decision. If you apply photo wallpaper on top of the old ones, then the structure of the lower wallpaper will be visible through it. Old wallpaper must be removed. To do this, you can apply to them special remedy, wait 10 minutes and then remove them with a spatula.

Then you should level the walls so that there are no unevenness on them. All cracks, holes and cracks must be plastered. If you are going to glue photo wallpaper on the door, then you should also carefully prepare it - eliminate all irregularities. If you glue photo wallpapers to painted walls, you must wash them first. The surfaces on which the wallpaper will be glued may be too smooth. You need to create roughness on them with sanding paper and the adhesion of the photo wallpaper and the wall will be better.

To correctly place photo wallpaper on the wall, you must first lay it on the floor of the room, the same way it will be placed on the wall. It is necessary to measure their area and compare it with the dimensions of the wall. It may turn out that the dimensions of your wallpaper will be more sizes walls. Then they will need to be trimmed. Before gluing photo wallpaper to the wall, it is better to first make markings on the wall. Using a level and a pencil, draw a vertical line along which you will place the wallpaper. Why apply markings on the wall for all fragments of photo wallpaper.

A sales assistant in the store will help you choose the appropriate adhesive for gluing photo wallpaper. Often a special glue is sold with photo wallpaper, or you can use the same glue that is used when gluing regular wallpaper. How to prepare it is described in the instructions for it.

Using a roller or paint brush, the glue is evenly spread on the back side of the fragment and on the part of the wall on which it will be glued. The strip of wallpaper, after applying glue to it, must be pasted for several minutes, because the glue will begin to harden. In addition, the wallpaper, when heavily saturated with glue, gets wet. As a result, they increase in size and stretch, which is why the pattern does not converge and wrinkles and bubbles appear. Never fold the paper in half, because there will be a stripe left from the fold.

How smoothly you glue the first strip depends on how smoothly you glue all the others. It is correct to glue photo wallpaper if the first fragment is glued on the left top corner. The edge of the strip of wallpaper should line up with the vertical line you drew.

After this, apply all other fragments to the walls. You need to very carefully align the joints of the wallpaper. Be careful that they do not overlap one another. After gluing the strip to the wall, remove any air bubbles. This is done with a rubber roller.

Using a roller, draw a vertical line along the glued strip, then smooth the fragment using the herringbone method from the center to the edges. You need to do this very carefully so that the wet wallpaper does not stretch. You cannot transfer photo wallpapers to adjacent walls, if this is not provided for in the drawing itself. If glue gets on the front surface, it should be removed immediately with a damp sponge.

The main difficulty that one has to face in the process of decorating walls with photo wallpapers is not their stickers, but the selection of the necessary pattern - sometimes it takes a lot of time to resolve this issue. The technology for gluing photo wallpaper is simple enough to avoid the services of a professional and save a certain share of the family budget. We’ll talk about this in the current article, in which, together with the website, we’ll look in detail at the question of how to glue photo wallpaper with your own hands, what tools and materials will be needed for such work.

How to glue photo wallpaper with your own hands

How to glue photo wallpaper: features of preparatory work

As a rule, the thickness of modern photo wallpapers is thin, therefore all surface defects appear through such canvases. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare the base in the most careful way - in fact, preparing walls for gluing photo wallpaper can be compared to preparing them for painting. The walls must not only be properly plastered, but also cleaned abrasive mesh, then thoroughly open with primer. If you are wondering whether it is possible to glue photo wallpaper onto wallpaper, the answer is clear - “no”. Because the entire structure of the lower wallpaper will be visible through them.

Features of gluing the ceiling with photo wallpaper photo

In addition to the base, you will also need to prepare some tools. You will need:

1. straight metal ruler;
2. level;
3. roulette;
4. pencil;
5. sharp knife with replaceable blades;
6. plastic wallpaper spatula or thick rubber roller;
7. poplar and a pair of brushes (wide and narrow);
8. soft and clean cloth;
9. , which, with low ceiling heights, can be replaced with a stool.

It is with this set that you will have to solve the question of how to glue photo wallpaper on the wall.

How to properly glue photo wallpaper with your own hands photo

And that's not all - as with any wallpaper, you will need to prepare a special one. What glue should I use to glue photo wallpaper? Like all others, photo wallpapers can be made on on different basis– it is this factor that determines the correct choice of glue.

It is diluted quite simply - into a bucket with clean and warm water quickly pour in the contents of the package and mix thoroughly. The process of pouring out the glue and stirring it must be combined. After the first stirring, the glue should sit for 10–15 minutes. Afterwards, this stirring must be repeated and you can immediately begin to work.

What glue to use to glue photo wallpapers

DIY technology for covering walls with photo wallpaper

The question of how to properly glue photo wallpaper is no more difficult to solve than a similar question regarding other types of wallpaper. To make it clear, let’s try to present this technology in the form of instructions.

• Firstly, this is the very first stripe, or rather its orientation in the plane. The first strip of wallpaper is fundamental - if you paste it crookedly, then the whole pattern will look exactly the same. In order to clearly observe the level of gluing the first strip, you need to draw a beacon for yourself. Everything is simple here - using a long level and a pencil, draw a vertical strip in the required place. We will start from there.

How to paste the first strip of photo wallpaper with your own hands

• Secondly, directly gluing the first strip. Everything here is quite simple - despite the type of wallpaper, you will have to coat both the wall and the wallpaper itself. In this way, you can count on the canvas sliding easily along the wall - as a result, you have the opportunity to orient it strictly relative to the drawn line.
• Thirdly, you should not fold photo wallpaper in half after spreading glue on it - in this case you are guaranteed to get an indelible stripe on decorated wall. In addition, photo wallpaper should not be kept smeared for a long time; it is better to work more slowly - smear a strip, wait a couple of minutes until it gets wet, and stick it on. Then the next one in the same way. Slowly, but confidently and efficiently - this is how the issue is resolved, photo wallpaper.

How to glue paper wallpaper photo

• Fourthly, the second and all subsequent strips are aligned with the first strip and glued to it with an overlap, which should not exceed 2 mm. This is where you will have to tinker a little to properly fit the design and orient the two canvases relative to each other. When the canvas is oriented relative to the previous one, it can be smoothed and finally glued. Here you need to make a reservation - not all photo wallpapers are glued “overlapping”. Some of the varieties are best glued joint to joint - you should carefully study the instructions for use on the packaging. The method of joining the canvases is determined by the method of photo printing - if the pattern is precisely adjusted (this happens only in expensive photo wallpapers), then the strips are joined end-to-end.

How to glue photo wallpaper on a wall with your own hands photo

• Fifth, smoothing and removing excess glue. This is where you will need either a plastic spatula or a rubber roller. A spatula is preferable, as it completely removes excess glue, leaving only a thin layer of it under the wallpaper. It is necessary to straighten the wallpaper and squeeze out excess glue from under it from the center of the canvas to the sides. Try not to stretch the photo wallpaper.
• Sixthly, it is very important to observe certain conditions when drying photo wallpaper on the wall. This process should happen slowly and, as they say, on its own - for the same reason, it is not recommended to glue photo wallpapers in the hot season. If you neglect this rule, you risk getting a cracked surface. In addition, sharp and rapid drying of any wallpaper is fraught with divergence of the seams - the wallpaper pulls together, and you get unsightly joints. Moreover, the possibility of drafts, which have a very adverse effect on the glued wallpaper, should be completely excluded. If the drafts are strong enough, you risk finding all your newly pasted beauty on the floor.

How to cover walls with photo wallpaper with your own hands photo

Well, in conclusion, I want to dispel one myth that newcomers to the field of wall decoration with photo wallpapers often fall into. There is an opinion that it is much easier to deal with self-adhesive photo wallpapers and many people, without fully understanding them, make a choice in their favor. Have you ever tried working with self-adhesive? Do you know how to remove air and resulting bubbles from under it?

Working with self-adhesive without experience is tantamount to ruining purchased wallpaper. If you are asking the question of how to glue photo wallpapers, then solve it with the help of ordinary ones - at least they can be easily torn off and re-glued, and if necessary, a third or even a fourth time. In general, there is an opportunity to practice.

With the help of photo wallpaper you can radically transform the design of a room. A large-scale image on the entire wall can become the main accent of the room and even create the illusion of spaciousness in a cramped space. To ensure that the result of your self-pasting meets your expectations, study all the nuances before starting work. Find out how to prepare the surface, what glue to choose and how to glue photo wallpaper on walls with your own hands, depending on their type and the condition of the wall material.

Like any other finishing materials, photo wallpapers come in several types. Before purchasing, be sure to decide what kind of coating will be in your home, because the complexity of the work and the final result depend on this.

Modern photo wallpapers are very realistic

As a rule, photo wallpapers are distinguished by the type of material from which their base is made. They can be:

1. Paper. This is the most common type of base, made from ordinary paper of different densities. It is quite difficult to glue such photo wallpapers, since the paper tends to get wet and deform, which can lead to distortion of the design.
2. Non-woven. This base made of non-woven material holds its shape well, stretches if necessary and practically does not bubble during operation. It is very simple to stick non-woven photo wallpapers on the wall; they are simply applied to a surface coated with glue.
3. Fabric. A rarely used and quite expensive type of wallpaper. The gluing of fabric wallpaper is the same as for non-woven wallpaper.

Thanks to photo wallpaper, the room takes on a completely different look

Photo wallpaper can be single-layer or double-layer. In the first version, the design is applied directly to the base; for example, the simplest paper photo wallpapers are produced, as well as single-layer non-woven ones. This material requires a perfectly flat surface for pasting, otherwise finished wall Each bump will stand out.

The most widespread received two-layer photo wallpaper with vinyl coating. They can be of any texture - from glossy to textured. Vinyl photo wallpapers do a good job of hiding small roughnesses, so you don’t have to level the wall so carefully before gluing them.

How to properly prepare a wall for photo wallpaper

It would seem that nothing is simpler - there is a wall that requires decoration, there is wallpaper, you can start working. However, to achieve an impressive result, the surface must be carefully prepared.

The importance and methods of removing old finishes

The very first question that usually arises during renovation is whether it is possible to stick photo wallpaper on a wall with old wallpaper. You shouldn't do this. Even if it seems to you that the old coating is holding very tightly, during the process it may happen that the old wallpaper begins to peel away from the wall along with the new ones.

Old wallpaper needs to be removed

If old finish does not want to part with the walls, moisten the surface generously with water and wait 10-20 minutes. In most cases, the wallpaper can be easily removed after this. Treat particularly stubborn areas again with plain or slightly soapy water. Clean off the remains with a construction spatula. It is important not to leave a single piece of the old coating on the surface, otherwise bubbles may form under the photo wallpaper.

If the wall is covered with paint, then this coating is peeled off when it itself is prone to shedding and peeling. If the paint is on water based holds tightly, then simply cover it with a layer of acrylic primer.

Surfaces that are too smooth, painted with oil paint or enamel, should be lightly sanded to give a slight roughness. This is necessary for better adhesion of the wallpaper to the wall. In any case, keep in mind that too bright contrasting paint can shine through thin photo wallpaper, which will completely ruin the design. In some cases, it makes sense to re-coat the wall with a coat of white paint.

The wall must be flat

The final stage of preparatory work

If there are bumps, cracks or any other visible irregularities on the wall, it is better to level the surface before gluing the photo wallpaper. This is especially true for thin paper types. Under the textured vinyl covering on a non-woven base, smooth out only obvious surface imperfections.

Apply finishing fine-grained plaster to the wall. After drying, smooth out the remaining unevenness with a construction float, then use a soft broom to brush off any dust and residue. construction waste. Prime the prepared surface with acrylic primer and let dry for at least several hours.

The glue needs to be diluted with lukewarm water.

What tools and glue will be needed for the job?

The choice of adhesive depends on the type of coating base. If you are faced with the question of how to hang paper photo wallpaper, then any universal wallpaper glue. For non-woven fabrics you will need a special composition.

Dilute the glue according to the instructions on the package. Please note that in warm water the composition will dissolve faster and will be more homogeneous than in cold. Even if the instructions say that the adhesive solution will be ready in five minutes, still wait at least half an hour. This simple trick will help you achieve best quality gluing.

Tools for work

In addition to glue, you will need the following tools:

• building level;
• roulette;
• sharp scissors and a construction knife;
• pencil;
• glue tray;
• wide and narrow brushes;
• rubber roller;
• soft, preferably cotton rags (old T-shirts work great);
• damp cloth or sponge.

Stages and rules for covering walls with photo wallpaper

It is better to do the work together and slowly. Each element requires careful adjustment, because the quality of the final image depends on it. To make the process completely clear, watch a video on how to properly glue photo wallpaper to a wall with your own hands.

Video: How to quickly hang photo wallpaper

Wall marking and pattern selection

Obviously, the size of the photo wallpaper must match the dimensions of the wall. Important points:

1. If you ordered photo wallpaper by individual project, then there will be no problems with fitting.
2. If you intend to glue ready-made photo wallpapers standard size, it may be necessary to adjust the canvas to the size of the wall.
3. If the surface to be pasted is larger than the photo wallpaper, place the picture in the center, stepping back an equal distance from the corners. Using a tape measure and a pencil, mark the extreme boundaries directly on the wall, beyond which you cannot extend when pasting.
4. If the wall is slightly smaller than the picture, proceed as follows - trim the outer panels, adjusting them to the size of the wall in places where it least harms the overall composition.
5. Before pasting the photo wallpaper on the wall, lay out all parts of the canvas on the floor, completely assembling the pattern. This is how you get general idea about what should happen in the end. In addition, this way you will see whether all the elements of the design match, and whether there are any differences in color between individual paintings.

Wall marking

Vinyl photo wallpapers on paper or non-woven backing are glued end-to-end, so you can start working from any angle. However, it is more convenient to stick the canvases from the upper left corner and move to the right and down. The edges on parts of the design, if any, are carefully cut off with a sharp construction knife.

Thin paper wallpaper, as a rule, they are glued with an overlap; for this, the canvases have special edges that are arranged in a certain order. To properly stick paper photo wallpaper, you need to study the location of these edges. U different manufacturers they can be on the right or left side, respectively, work begins from left to right or from right to left.

In order for the drawing to be smooth and beautiful, the canvas must be strictly vertical. Using a level and a pencil, draw vertical and horizontal lines on the wall that form a right angle. These lines will guide you as you begin your work.

With correctly pasted photo wallpapers, the joints are almost invisible

Stages of gluing non-woven photo wallpaper

Non-woven wallpaper is good because there is no need to apply glue to the canvas itself. Due to this, the process goes quickly.

How to hang photo wallpaper on non-woven fabric:

1. Place the drawing on the floor or stack the sheets in the order in which you will take them.
2. Using a wide flat brush, evenly coat a section of the wall slightly larger than the part of the photo wallpaper to be pasted. Make sure that there are no dry areas left, otherwise the wallpaper will lie unevenly.
3. Place the dry one tightly against the wall, aligning it along a pre-marked right angle. Run the rubber roller in the middle of the canvas from top to bottom. Roll the roller in a fan shape from the center to the edges.
4. After working with a roller, the canvas is practically glued. Gently go over the edges with a dry, clean cloth, pressing them against the wall. Try not to rub, but to make patting movements so as not to damage the drawing.
5. Non-woven photo wallpapers are quite flexible, so they can be slightly stretched if there are any unevenness on the wall.
6. Apply glue to the next sector and glue the next part of the canvas. Pay special attention to the joints; they should not overlap each other and, at the same time, there should be no gaps between the panels.
7. While working, remove any glue that gets on the outside with a damp sponge. When all the parts are in place, roll the joints again.

Step-by-step instruction

Leave the papered wall to dry for several days. Try to avoid drafts and sudden temperature changes at this time so that the photo wallpaper does not come off.

If the photo wallpaper is smaller than the wall, they are glued in the center

How to properly stick paper photo wallpapers

Photo wallpaper on paper based- capricious finishing material, gluing them neatly is not so easy. It is especially difficult to work with thin single-layer photo wallpapers; they literally fall apart in your hands from contact with the glue.

How to properly hang paper-based photo wallpaper:

1. Flatten the sheets and place them on the floor. Determine how the edges are positioned. If there are edges on all sides, cut them off on the left side of the canvases, and leave them on the right - they will serve for gluing with an overlap.
2. Remember that the wall for thin paper photo wallpapers must be perfectly flat and monochromatic. The thinner the paper, the thinner the glue should be. The thick composition is difficult to distribute without damaging the design.
3. Use a wide brush to apply glue to the wall. If the paper is quite thick, apply glue to the first sheet, wait 2-3 minutes and start gluing. Some manufacturers produce very thin paper photo wallpapers. Under no circumstances should such sheets be coated with glue; it will simply cause them to become soggy and curl up. Stick them dry.
4. Apply the first piece to the wall, starting from the top edge, and align with the vertical markings. Immediately roll the middle with a roller, pushing out any large air bubbles. If the canvas is very thin, proceed carefully so as not to damage the design. Move the roller from the center outwards, removing any wrinkles or bubbles.
5. Glue the next fabric overlapping the first one, making sure that the edge does not show at the joints.
6. During the drying process, single-layer paper wallpaper inevitably becomes deformed and becomes covered with irregularities. This is a natural process that should not be frightened. If the pasting was done correctly, the surface will dry and become smooth again.

Please pay attention Special attention joints

How to stick vinyl photo wallpaper on a paper base

It is easier to glue paper-based vinyl photo wallpapers than single-layer ones. This type of coating has gained popularity due to its low price, variety of textures and relative ease of gluing.

How to properly stick photo wallpaper on the wall with your own hands in this case:

1. Remove the edges of the canvases, if any. Remember that the cut must be perfectly smooth so that there are no gaps at the joints. The easiest way to do this is with a sharp construction knife, applying a straight bar or a long ruler to the edge of the canvas.
2. Vinyl photo wallpaper on a paper base is quite dense. To prevent the drawing from becoming distorted during the work, be sure to let the canvases be thoroughly saturated with glue. To do this, apply glue to the underside of the wallpaper, making sure that the layer is uniform and without lumps. Fold the coated fabrics like an accordion and leave to soak for 10-15 minutes. Do not fold the sheets in half; the resulting fold is very difficult to smooth out later.
3. Apply a layer of adhesive evenly to the wall. For the wall, use a slightly thinner composition than for canvases. Do not coat the entire surface at once; treat only the section of the wall on which you will directly glue the next canvas.
4. Unfold the “accordion” of the first canvas. If the edges are dry, be sure to coat them with glue.
5. Attach the canvas to the wall according to the pre-made markings. Make sure that the wallpaper lies flat; this determines whether the entire image will be neat. Go over the center with a rubber roller, then move the tool in a fan shape from the center to the edges, removing air bubbles.
6. Press down the edges of the canvas with a dry cloth. The vinyl coating is not very resistant to abrasion, so do not rub the image, but only apply gentle pressure with patting movements.
7. Use a damp sponge to remove excess glue from front side.
8. Glue the next and all other canvases in the same way. Pay close attention to the joints - there should be no cracks or layers of fabric in these places. If a gap does form at the joint, simply gently pull the canvas by placing your palms on it and moving it in the desired direction.
9. At all stages, make sure that all the details of the image match.
10. In a papered room, exclude drafts and temperature changes for 2-5 days before completely dry wallpaper

Photo wallpaper in the interior

With the help of such a simple finishing material as photo wallpaper, you can revive or even completely change the design of your home. If you are not confident in your abilities, entrust the work to professionals or individually consult with a specialist and ask him any questions you have.

Video: Instructions for sticking photo wallpaper

The desire to diversify your interior without resorting to overly expensive finishing materials has led to the growing popularity of wall decorations such as wallpaper with photographic images. No less responsible than the selection or production of the coating itself is the choice of such important component, like glue for photo wallpaper. It largely determines how exactly the finish will look and how long it will last.

What glue is suitable for photo wallpaper

As a rule, when purchasing a ready-made set of photo wallpapers, we receive instructions for handling this specific type of coating. It also contains information on what kind of glue to use for wallpaper and how to prepare it correctly. Most manufacturers of wallpaper with photographic images recommend a highly specialized adhesive that is most suitable for “their” type of canvas.

For modern photo wallpapers, two types of glue are used:

• for light wallpaper - paper;
• for heavy fabrics - based on non-woven fabric, vinyl, textiles, etc.

When choosing an adhesive composition for photo wallpaper, you should pay attention to the degree of its moisture resistance, which can be increased by adding PVA glue to the finished solution (approximately 10–15%). But when using such a mixture, you need to be prepared for the fact that during subsequent repairs it will be much more difficult to remove the old coating, since this glue increases the adhesion of the wallpaper to the wall.

Important! As practice shows, universal wallpaper adhesive holds only light paper or vinyl wallpaper of medium weight; this composition is not suitable for non-woven wallpaper, textile and other heavy fabrics.

A component of many types of modern glue are ready-made antiseptic additives that prevent the formation of fungus and mold under wallpaper. These components allow you to use wallpaper with photo printing in rooms with high humidity.

Important! Please note that the divorced glue solution was homogeneous after infusion and did not have a sharp nasty smell.

It would not be amiss to remind you that the glue should be diluted and used strictly according to the instructions, carefully observing the proportions, dilution method and infusion time, since such properties of the adhesive composition as stickiness and adhesion and, accordingly, the result of painstaking work directly depend on this.

Note! When working with any wallpaper glue There is a general rule - the heavier and thicker the wallpaper, the thicker the adhesive solution should be.

Glue for non-woven photo wallpaper: features and application rules

A high-quality special adhesive for non-woven coatings should:

• spread quickly and evenly;
• have a long shelf life before preparation and several days in diluted form (in a closed container);
• be safe to use and harmless to health;
• have a coloring pigment (usually pink or blue), which allows you to control the uniformity of application;
• be economical to use.

This adhesive solution is prepared simply and quickly: the dry substance is poured required quantity water (observing temperature and proportions) and infuses for 5–10 minutes with occasional stirring. Next, a section of the wall is covered with the prepared mixture and a fragment of photo wallpaper is immediately applied to it, straightened and leveled.

Important! Non-woven fabrics to be glued must be dry.

Adhesive for vinyl wallpaper on non-woven and paper backing

Vinyl photo wallpapers are polyvinyl chloride film on paper or non-woven basis. The type of adhesive used to attach vinyl coverings depends on the type of substrate.

• For non-woven backed vinyl, heavy duty adhesive is suitable. vinyl wallpaper, which must contain a bactericidal component, since the vinyl film does not allow air circulation, i.e., an environment favorable for the proliferation of microorganisms is created. The process of working with glue is the same as in the case of non-woven wallpaper, and the method of gluing is similar - it is applied to a fragment of the wall adhesive composition and a dry cloth is applied.

• both with “non-woven” glue with the same properties, only a little more liquid, and with a special one designed for lightweight vinyl sheets. Only it is not applied to work surface, and onto a wallpaper sheet. Despite the paper backing material, universal composition In this case, it is better not to use it for gluing paper wallpaper, as it will not withstand the weight of PVC film.

Composition for gluing paper wallpaper with a photo image

Paper wallpaper is the “lightest” wall covering, both literally and in operation. For this type of photo wallpaper, special glue is also preferable to universal glue, and its calculated amount depends on the thickness of the canvas. In this case, the adhesive solution is applied to paper web, which is then kept for several minutes to soak (folded). Then carefully, without stretching, you need to stick it on the wall, level it and remove air or possible excess adhesive mass.

Advice. It is better to coat thin fabrics with cold adhesive, and two-layer or foam ones with warm adhesive.

Adhesive for textile photo wallpaper

Textile photo wallpaper is the heaviest type of wallpaper that does not shrink. They require a special high-quality dispersion adhesive with improved adhesion, moisture-resistant and free of color pigment. Often such an adhesive solution is sold in finished form, i.e. divorced. When working with such a finishing material, the adhesive composition is applied either to the wall or to the canvas.

Composition for gluing wallpaper joints

Poorly glued joints and edges of photo wallpaper can negate all design efforts, so on such wallpaper it is especially justified to use special glue for joints.

A universal product used for all types wall coverings, dries quickly and becomes completely transparent. Sold ready to use in easy-to-use packaging, it is also ideal for minor restoration repairs.

Today many design solutions interior design involves the use of photo wallpaper, and not only as decorative decoration premises, but also for the purpose visual expansion space. This technique is especially relevant for small rooms city ​​apartments with a standard layout. To get the desired effect, you need to know not only how to glue photo wallpaper on the wall, but also what varieties they come in, since the choice of glue depends on the material from which they are made.

Photo wallpapers have always been very popular, but, unfortunately, it used to be quite difficult to buy them, so many people made them to order. Today this decorative finishing material for every taste and color can be found in specialized stores. Choose them to match the interior, made in a certain style, will not be difficult.

In addition to small rooms, photo wallpapers will also be appropriate for decorating kitchen walls. For this purpose they are produced waterproof wallpaper, for example, with thematic images of various gifts of nature.

Not so long ago, photo wallpapers were printed only on plain paper or film. Today, there is a very large assortment of similar finishes on sale, having different textures and made from the most different materials.

Types of photo wallpapers

Photo wallpaper can be divided according to several criteria - the material of manufacture, surface texture, number of layers, theme, as well as the visual volume of the image.

Gluing technology and thorough surface preparation different types photo wallpapers differ somewhat from each other, so you also need to get some information about these factors.

Based on the material used, this finishing material is divided into:

• paper;
• non-woven;
• fabric;
• vinyl.

All types of wallpaper can have one or two layers. Two-layer options are called “duplex”, and single-layer ones are called “simplex”. Moreover, two-layer photo wallpapers have backing layer(base), made from a material different from the main one, which gives the wallpaper additional positive properties, on which the gluing technology largely depends.

All photo wallpapers are divided into regular ones, pasted using liquid glue, and self-adhesive, on which an adhesive composition has already been applied, covered with a special film, which is removed only immediately before gluing them to the wall.

Types of photo wallpapers based on material of manufacture

To know how wallpapers made from different materials differ from each other, you need to consider some of their characteristics:

Paper photo wallpaper

Paper photo wallpapers are used extremely rarely today - they are chosen only in cases where it is necessary to purchase the most inexpensive option finishing. In terms of their other qualities, they are significantly inferior to photo wallpapers made from modern materials, since they have low moisture resistance, fade quickly, and are quite difficult to glue.

Paper photo wallpapers are only single-layer, and they are glued in the classic way using simple wallpaper glue for paper wallpaper. In this case, it is important to take into account the thickness of the wallpaper - the time of their impregnation with the adhesive mass will depend on this factor. It usually ranges from 3 to 10 minutes.

If the material is not sufficiently saturated with glue, the wallpaper will not adhere well to the wall surface and hard-to-remove bubbles may form underneath.

Even if all the technology requirements are met and the canvases are glued with high quality, after they dry, all, even minor, flaws in the wall will appear through the thin paper wallpaper.

The only advantage of this finishing material is its low cost. In addition, the glue used for their installation is also inexpensive.

Non-woven photo wallpaper

Non-woven wallpapers are considered the most popular today, as they not only have a very affordable price, but are also easy to stick to wall surfaces. Nonwoven is a soft and lightweight non-woven material consisting of cellulose fibers. On the reverse side, its texture is somewhat reminiscent of paper. The front covering is washable, so such wallpaper can be pasted on walls in kitchen area. However, it should be remembered that they are not resistant to mechanical stress and abrasion.

Non-woven wallpaper - very easy to apply

Photo wallpapers of this class are produced in two versions - paper on a non-woven basis and completely non-woven.

The first ones are coated with embossed high-quality paper, which creates a certain relief on the surface.

The latter consist only of non-woven fabric, and most often their surface imitates the texture of plaster. This type of photo wallpaper can be used to decorate the walls of the kitchen, living room or bedroom, as they are breathable and environmentally friendly.

Non-woven photo wallpapers have a number of positive qualities:

• When gluing them, the composition is applied only to the surface of the wall - there is no need to apply it to the wallpaper itself. However, you need to choose a special adhesive composition that is designed specifically for this material.

Therefore, gluing non-woven fabrics is quite simple, and those who have tried to work with wallpaper made from this material prefer it in the future.

• Non-woven photo wallpaper can even be used several times, as it can be easily removed from the wall. Therefore, if you decide to change the design in a room decorated with photo wallpaper, then the canvases carefully removed from the wall can be re-glued onto another wall.
• Non-woven wallpaper helps maintain the integrity of the surface on which it is glued. Therefore, when the house shrinks, they will not only not tear themselves, but will also keep small cracks that appear from prolonging or diverging.
• When gluing them to the wall, there are no air bubbles underneath them. The canvases are easily joined, as they tend to stretch.
• Thanks to its structural structure, this material is able to disguise small flaws on the wall - minor protrusions or recesses will not be visible through such photo wallpaper.

Textile photo wallpaper

Textile wallpaper has a rich history, as it has been used for centuries. But with the advent of new materials and fashion trends they changed and improved. The ancestor of fabric photo wallpapers can be safely called tapestries, which were attached to walls and also had images of landscapes and floral arrangements.

Textile wallpaper is the “descendants” of the ancient method of decorating walls with tapestries

This type of wallpaper belongs to the category of elite and quite expensive materials, since they are made from natural fabrics such as silk, linen, cotton and others. Some versions of fabric wallpaper are printed on canvas made from natural linen fibers.

Modern textile photo wallpapers are made on several bases - non-woven, paper and PVC (self-adhesive). depends precisely on the basis on which they are produced, and what density they have.

Fabric photo wallpaper on non-woven fabric is easy to glue, just like regular non-woven wallpaper - they have a soft and light base.

The paper-based material is glued using the same glue as regular paper wallpaper.

Self-adhesive wallpaper is fixed to the wall using glue applied to the canvas with reverse side. In order for such photo wallpapers to adhere securely to the walls, their surfaces must be carefully prepared, leveled and treated with a primer.

Textile wallpaper, pasted with liquid glue, is quite capable of masking small flaws on the walls.

There are also single-layer textile wallpaper. They are considered classic version, are fixed to the wall by applying glue to it. When gluing photo wallpaper to the surface, the canvas remains almost dry.

For gluing fabric wallpaper, the same glue is used as for vinyl or Bustilat type.

Vinyl photo wallpaper

Vinyl photo wallpapers are quite popular as they look perfect on the wall. However, they are denser and therefore quite difficult to glue.

It should be noted that vinyl is synthetic material, which is obtained by copolymerizing rubber and styrene, resulting in a type of plastic. Photo wallpapers made from this material are resistant to moisture and abrasion; they can have a smooth or foam coating. The smooth finish is also called satin.

Vinyl photo wallpapers can be made on a paper or non-woven base and they are glued with a composition corresponding to the base. They are quite rigid, so the process of attaching them to the wall is quite complicated.

The glue is applied to the wallpaper for 5-10 minutes before gluing it. The canvas is folded into three folds for better impregnation. While it is soaking, you need to treat the surface of the wall in the area of ​​fastening with the adhesive mass. After the wallpaper has been soaked, it is glued to the wall and smoothed using the so-called “herringbone” method, that is, with a rubber spatula or soft cloth, a strip is drawn in the middle of the canvas, pressing it against the wall, and then from the center, starting from the top edge, smooth the sheet to the sides , expelling air bubbles. After this, the wallpaper is further leveled with a rubber roller. Due to the fact that this type of material is quite thick and hard, the canvases can only be glued end-to-end.

In addition to the options mentioned, self-adhesive vinyl photo wallpapers are produced, which are easy to apply, but require serious preparation of the base. Ideal for them Smooth surface, otherwise folds may appear, and re-glue them onto the applied adhesive layer– it won’t work anymore. Therefore, gluing these photo wallpapers is complicated by the fact that it is simply impossible to adjust or tighten them; the canvas must immediately fall exactly into the place prepared for it.

Types of photo wallpaper based on surface texture

As mentioned above, photo wallpapers also differ in the texture of their surface, which directly affects appearance pattern, resistance to abrasion and moisture.

Previously, when this finishing material was printed only on paper or film, there were two smooth surfaces - paper and laminated, waterproof.

Today, photo wallpapers can have several types of textured surface reliefs and, despite the fact that they are not smooth, their coating is quite suitable for wet cleaning.

Photo wallpapers vary in textured surface with the following relief designs:

• plaster;
• sand;
• painting;
• canvas.

The texture of the canvases helps to hide their joints and enhance the volume of the pattern, as well as mask small defects in the wall surface.

Textured surface “plaster”

Photo wallpaper with a surface imitating plaster can be glossy or matte. The texture is laid in a layer of vinyl or non-woven fabric, from which textured wallpaper is most often made.

The relief of the rough surface is minimal and uniform if it imitates an ordinary smooth putty wall, creating the effect of a fresco on the wall.

In case of imitation Venetian plaster, the relief is more noticeable and repeats the shapes of the objects or architectural structures depicted on the photo wallpaper.

A material with a more pronounced relief surface can hide the defectiveness of the wall, since it is the textured pattern that first of all attracts the eye.

Photo wallpapers made using this technique look aesthetically pleasing on the wall, and with high-quality gluing they cannot be visually distinguished from natural painting on raw or Venetian plaster.

Textured surface “sand”

Photo wallpaper with a sand-effect surface is somewhat reminiscent of rough plaster. They may have a more pronounced large or small textured pattern. Thus, it imitates grains of sand ranging in size from 1÷3 to 5 mm. Depending on this parameter lies the depth of the relief, for which regular or foamed vinyl, as well as non-woven material, serves as the basis.

The “sandy” texture of the surface of photo wallpapers well masks small unevenness in the wall

Wallpaper with a sand effect looks beautiful on the wall and can hide roughness, small potholes and scratches on its surface. However, this relief has certain disadvantages, which, however, are completely correctable. Thus, the relief pattern can accumulate dust, so the surface requires regular wet cleaning.

This texture looks original, but regular cleaning may be difficult

Sand-effect photo wallpapers have a matte surface - this quality also helps to mask unevenness on the wall.

Textured surface "painting"

Photo wallpaper “painting” imitates the effect of strokes of a palette knife or brush, which gives the canvases pasted on the walls a special warm texture of a living drawing. The relief, which can have a depth of no more than 3 mm, is also created using vinyl or non-woven fabric. The surface of this type of wallpaper can be matte or glossy, so you can always choose between them. Matte surface combined with the relief of thick strokes oil paint will perfectly hide the unevenness of the wall and create the effect of a picturesque picture.

Original photo wallpaper with a painting-like texture

This type of wallpaper, as well as other embossed options, has a common drawback - it rapid pollution from dust, but “smears” are still much easier to handle wet cleaning than sandy texture.

Textured surface "canvas"

Photo wallpapers that have the texture of canvas are somewhat similar to the “picturesque” version, since they also create the effect of a real painting. The relief of the fibers of the canvas, with thin layer a picturesque design, is not able to hide small defects in the wall and therefore the surface will not appear smooth. In this regard, for such photo wallpapers it is necessary to carefully level the wall.

Wallpaper with a "canvas" texture

Photo wallpapers that imitate canvas are produced in glossy and matte versions on non-woven and vinyl based, so they can be put in order using wet cleaning.

3D wallpaper

Photo wallpapers made using 3D technology create the effect of expanding space. They seem to continue the room, making it a continuation of the forest landscape or spring garden. This wall finishing option is especially suitable for gluing in small rooms, as it visually enlarges the room several times. As a rule, 3D wallpaper is placed completely over the entire wall area - from ceiling to floor. It is this arrangement, along with the pattern placed on them, that helps create the desired “presence” effect.

Non-woven fabric is used to make such photo wallpapers, so they are easy to care for using a regular soap solution.

Since this type of finishing material is made on a non-woven basis, gluing 3D photo wallpaper is carried out according to the same principle as already mentioned above.

In order for the gluing process to be successful, the surface for 3D wallpaper must be carefully prepared by leveling it and treating it with a primer.

Such wallpaper is glued end-to-end, and the pairing of individual sheets must be very careful, otherwise the three-dimensional effect will be lost.

In order not to lose the “presence effect”, such wallpaper must be glued with the utmost care

After completing the work, the finishing should be allowed to dry thoroughly and only after that can the excess parts located on the plane of the wall or floor be cut off.

Video: how high-quality photo wallpaper can change the interior of a room

The process of sticking photo wallpapers

Like all finishing processes, the installation of photo wallpaper begins with preparatory work. Therefore, you need to know how they are carried out, since sometimes the result of decorating a room mainly depends on this.

Tools for sticking photo wallpapers

To carry out the work efficiently, you will need some tools, without which you will not be able to cope with the gluing process. Therefore, you should prepare:

- tape measure, metal ruler and simple pencil;

- building level;

— a stationery knife with replaceable blades and scissors;

- wallpaper or rubber spatula and rubber roller;

- a wide brush and a large foam sponge;

- soft, clean cloth;

- container for diluting glue;

- a stepladder or a reliable stool.

Having prepared everything you need, you can proceed to next stages work.

Preparatory activities

Whatever the thickness of the wallpaper, it is recommended to prepare the wall for gluing it well, otherwise all defects may appear through the surface of the wallpaper.

The preparation process will depend on the quality of the surface on which the photo wallpaper will be glued. Some walls require careful alignment, as they have big differences planes, others need to be leveled by applying a thin layer of putty.

• If you choose wallpaper that has a high relief pattern, and the surface of the walls is relatively flat, then it just needs to be treated with a primer.

Priming walls also requires compliance with certain rules

How to proceed correctly for further finishing, and what compositions are optimal for this - in a separate publication on our portal.

• Walls that are fairly smooth, but have small cracks and cavities, must be treated with putty. True, this process will already require some experience.

Putty is an excellent material for preparing walls for further finishing!

It may not start working out right away. It’s not scary - read the instructions for this, set out in a separate publication on the portal, practice - and you’ll be good to go!

It will be the hardest for those whose wall surfaces in the room have large deformations or changes from vertical level. It must be completely leveled, after installing the beacon system. Moreover, plastering the walls does not at all relieve the owners from further filling them.

After leveling the walls using any of the methods, they must be thoroughly primed, preferably in two layers. The primer will create high adhesion for the materials, thanks to which the wallpaper will adhere well to the wall surface.

Preparation of the adhesive composition

Next, you can proceed to diluting the glue, since any composition must sit for a certain time before it is completely ready for use. The method of diluting the glue, the order and timing of its infusion, as a rule, are indicated on the packaging.

The glue is diluted in a convenient container - usually a plastic bucket is used for this. Water at room temperature is poured into it, and then the dry glue substrate is gradually poured into it, and the entire composition is constantly mixed.

Before starting work, the glue must be thoroughly mixed again, as it must be absolutely homogeneous, without lumps or inclusions.

Marking the wall for gluing photo wallpaper

While the adhesive composition is infused, you can mark the wall, determining the exact location of each photo wallpaper.

It must be remembered that the main lines along which the first sheets of wallpaper will be aligned are the most important, since they set the direction for all other canvases. If the line is beveled, the photo wallpaper will be glued unevenly, which will reduce the effect of the resulting result.

Based on the size of the purchased wallpaper, their extreme boundaries are marked on the wall. They must be controlled by level or plumb, as they must be perfectly vertical.

The process of gluing canvases

• The glue is applied to the surface of the wall, and if the technology requires it to be applied to the wallpaper, then it is applied to it as well. Photo wallpaper cannot be kept smeared for a long time, so the canvases should not be covered with glue all at once, but only one by one.
• The canvas is folded in three and left for some time to soak. You need to fold the wallpaper very carefully so that outside no erased lines were formed.

• Then comes the gluing of the first upper part of the wallpaper. It is applied along the marked extreme line and aligned horizontal stripe. After this, from top to bottom and to the sides, using a wallpaper spatula, remove the glue and remaining air bubbles, while simultaneously smoothing the canvas on the wall surface.

Possible variant gluing photo wallpapers - from the center of the composition to the edges

• Next, the next bottom sheet is glued, which is adjacent to the top one. Moreover, the difficulty of installing it lies in the fact that it is necessary to very accurately align the pattern.
• Then the second one is glued top part photo wallpaper, also with precise adjustment of the picture.
• After that, the second lower part - and so on until all the photo wallpapers are glued.

Here it is necessary to make a reservation that some sheets of photo wallpaper are glued end-to-end, and others overlap, therefore, before starting work, it is recommended to lay them out on the floor and identify them correct docking. Sometimes, overlapped wallpaper has to be adjusted already on the wall, by trimming the sheets overlaid on each other, and then gluing their edges.

In order for the wallpaper to fit securely to the wall surface, they are rolled onto it with a rubber roller - this process is carried out from the center of the canvas to the sides; simultaneously with rolling, the excess adhesive mass will be finally removed from under the sheets.

A very important event is the process proper organization drying of photo wallpaper. This should take place exclusively naturally, that is, without additional heating of the air in the room and, of course, without drafts. If you do not follow these rules and speed up the drying of the surfaces, the canvases may crack on the wall or simply peel off from it, and the work will be completely ruined.

Find out how and also familiarize yourself with the process self-finishing premises, from our article.

Features of self-adhesive photo wallpaper

In conclusion, I would like to say a few words about self-adhesive wallpaper, which consists of two layers - a decorative one and a backing layer that protects the adhesive layer.

Many people think that gluing such finishing material is much easier than simple wallpaper on liquid glue, but this is a completely erroneous point of view. When taking on such finishing without having experience in carrying out such a process, it is very likely that the wallpaper will be damaged.

• Firstly, ordinary wallpaper, even already pasted on the wall, can be adjusted for some time, but self-adhesive is fixed immediately, and it will be completely impossible to correct its position on the surface.
• Secondly, it is easy to remove air bubbles and excess glue from wallpaper glued with liquid glue, but this is much more difficult to do from self-adhesive wallpaper. Sometimes you even have to resort to small punctures or cuts to make the surface even.
• Thirdly, it is better to carry out the process of gluing self-adhesive paper together, so that one master guides and gradually pastes the wallpaper, and the second, in parallel, removes the backing from under the canvas as it is pasted.

• Fourthly, the base for self-adhesive wallpaper requires special preparation, since the surface must be perfectly flat and free of various compositions, interfering with the dense and high-quality gluing of the finishing material.

Therefore, if you have no experience in this work, then it is better not to take risks and use photo wallpapers that are pasted in the traditional way.

Photo wallpapers are one of the most interesting decorative elements in interior design. If you decide to use them to decorate one of the rooms of a house or apartment, and do the gluing yourself, then don’t rush. It is necessary to mobilize all your accuracy, prudence, attention and carry out the pasting in strict accordance with already proven technological methods.

At the end of the publication, there is a video with an example of gluing photo wallpaper.

Video: the process of gluing photo wallpaper