How to Cover a Paintable Wall

Paint

• 1

  Fill holes and minor cracks in the walls with spackling compound using a putty knife. Push the compound into the holes, and scrape the blade of the knife across the walls to remove excess compound. Allow it to dry according to the package instructions, and then sand the compound with 100-grit sandpaper so the walls are smooth.

• 2

  Wash the walls with trisodium phosphate using a bucket and sponge. Rinse the walls with water, and then dry them carefully with a towel or let them air-dry.

• 3

  Tape around the windows and door frame with painter's tape to avoid getting paint on the trim.

• 4

  Remove as much furniture as possible, and move the rest to the middle of the room. Cover the furniture with plastic sheeting. Lay drop cloths on the floor to protect them, and secure the drop cloths in place with painter's tape.

• 5

  Apply a 100-percent acrylic primer to the walls using a sponge roller. Cut in the edges with a bristle paintbrush. Use a zigzag pattern when painting the walls to ensure thorough coverage. Allow the primer to cure for at least four hours or as recommended by the manufacturer.

• 6

  Paint the walls with 100-percent acrylic paint in the same manner as the primer. Use a sponge roller and paintbrush. Allow the paint to cure, then apply a second coat.

Wallpaper

• 7

  Measure your walls using a measuring stick to determine how much wallpaper you need. Compare the measurements to the recommendation of the manufacturer. Buy extra wallpaper in case you make a mistake and to allow you some room to line up the patterns.

• 8

  Prepare the walls by filling holes with spackling compound. Sand the compound smooth, and wash the walls with trisodium phosphate as you would if you were painting.

• 9

  Apply a wallpaper primer to the walls using a sponge roller and bristle paintbrush. Use the wallpaper primer to create a smooth, even surface for the wallpaper to stick to. Allow the primer to cure before proceeding.

• 10

  Wet the wallpaper according to the manufacturer's instructions to activate the adhesive. Some wallpaper requires the wallpaper paste to be prepared and applied, others need wetting, and others have a plastic back that is peeled off for application.

• 11

  Create a horizontal and vertical chalk line across the top and side of the walls using a level. This gives you a plumb line so you know how to hang the wallpaper evenly.

• 12

  Press the top part of the wallpaper up to the ceiling, leaving 2 extra inches at the top for trimming. Smooth the paper down each wall, starting at the middle and smoothing it out to the sides to eliminate air pockets.

• 13

  Continue applying the wallpaper in this manner until all the walls are covered.

• 14

  Use a seam roller to press the seams together so they are invisible.

• 15

  Trim the tops and bottoms of the wallpaper using a box cutter so they are neatly aligned with the edge of the walls.