You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
My wallpaper is coming loose at the seams. It is the type that came with glue on the back. I have tried all types of white glue and it doesn't work. Some of the seams are barely lifted (see picture) and others all are almost peeling. Please let me know how to fix it so it can look good once more. Thanks
However, knowing that they use steam to remove wallpaper and thinking that maybe the original glue has just dehydrated into brittleness, have you thought about using a bit of steam to soften the glue? Maybe rent a steamer & go a bit at a time, steaming, then smoothing each seam?
And my disclaimer is that all I've ever done is remove wallpaper, not put it up. I think BackyardZoo's idea could work if there's any "life" left in the glue that's there (there may not be though, it may have detiorated to the point where it won't be sticky anymore no matter what) I would actually try that first, since re-melting the glue and sticking it down again would be your best hope for having the seams lay really flat (try it on a small spot first to see how it works though just in case it makes things worse!) You should use a seam roller to press down the seams as you go.
The other thing you could try is find glue/paste that's made for wallpaper and try that, put the wallpaper glue on in a thin layer and then use the seam roller to press it down. White glue isn't made for wallpaper so I'm not surprised that it's not sticking well. And the seam roller is important too to press it down. The problem is since there's already a layer of the dried up glue there, I don't think the seam is going to lay as flat as it would have when the paper was first put up.
I thought of steam to but didn't have a steamer to try it with. The white glue you can get at the box stores is suppose to be for fixing this problem. It is packaged for repairing wallpaper seams, but it is just plan white glue and of course it doesn't do a good job of the repair work. Now the glue/paste idea with the seam roller is definitely worth a try. I am going to see if this works. Thanks for the help.
This is right up my alley - I was a paperhanger for 15 years. You need to use the little tubes of seam adhesive to stick the seams back down. Squirt a good quantity of it in the seams, and wait for it to soften things up and reactivate the old paste that's in there. When the area is almost tacky, use a damp cloth to gently push the seams back down. Do not use a seam roller - it will lay the seams down, but it will also just push all the glue back out. And remember, there's a good chance that you may never get the seams to lie down again correctly, especially in a bathroom. Some wallpaper seems to stay up forever, and some has a limited life. It may be time to redecorate!
I know what you mean about some wallpaper seems to stay up a long time and others don't. I have wallpaper in two different rooms that have been up for over 15 years and not one seam has come unsealed. This stuff that is coming unseal has been up for about 7 years. I am thinking of redoing, but that will include changing out furniture, curtains, and style as well as color. It will need to hold off for a while.
Thank you I am going to give your way a try since I have the stuff already.
