Beadboard Wallpaper

Your walls need to be smooth… an orange peel texture is fine, but anything bumpier will show through. Feel your walls before starting, if you notice any bumps, scrape the plaster smooth with a putty knife. (You can purchase “wall liners” that are intended to smooth out very bumpy or cracked walls… but I haven’t had experience with those.)

You probably already have a baseboard in place– great. But, you’ll need to cover the top edge of the wallpaper with some type of trim or chair rail, or it will look strange. My bathroom already had this under the windowsill, which is the main reason why I chose wallpaper over real beadboard– I didn’t want to have to take down the trim & reinstall it!

Yes, you can paint it. And from reading others’ reviews, you probably should, even if you plan to paint it white. This makes it thicker, more durable, and easier to clean. But, wait 24 hours after hanging.

I don’t think I’d use this in a high-traffic area, like a child’s bedroom. It’s wallpaper, after all, and would you trust your toddler with wallpaper? (Okay, maybe it’s only my children who are so very naughty with crayons and scissors…)

Will people be fooled into thinking it’s real wood? Hm, probably not. Definitely not if they go up and rub it. (But what kind of weirdo would rub your walls?) But, I still think it’s a charming finish.

By the way, you can see the tutorial for my Mason Jar Wall Organizer here.