Wallpapering a bathroom isn’t something you see every day – as a professional decorator, it’s not something I’ve been asked to do all that often – but it’s becoming increasingly popular.
Possibly more so in cloakrooms/downstairs loos than actual bathrooms, but it seems in both situations that the aesthetic appeal is outweighing the practical downsides, and paper in bathrooms seems to be coming back “in”. So why is it so popular now, and what are the reasons why people have been nervous of doing it in the past (and how can we overcome them)?
Why is Wallpapering a Bathroom a Good Idea?
With caveats around doing the job properly, and avoiding obvious areas such as in the shower enclosure or right next to the bath, wallpaper can look great in a bathroom. Even more than paint, wallpaper allows you to express your personality, or create a mood in a room. Whether you want to create an indulgent atmosphere, or simply be fun and quirky, wallpaper can help you to do this like nothing else.
Why have People Avoided Wallpapering Bathrooms?
As a rule, wallpaper is more expensive than paint – the materials cost more, and it takes longer to apply (click here for more on paint vs wallpaper). So, if you’re going to that expense, you want it to stay looking good for a long time, and that’s the problem.
You know how some people use a steamer to remove old wallpaper? Having a long soak in a hot bath or shower subjects your bathroom wallpaper to very similar conditions, so the paper is much more likely to come loose than in other rooms.
Secondly, splashes of soapy water etc will mark the paper, and of course wallpaper is much less scrubbable than paint if it gets marked or stained. Both problems can be largely overcome however, with the right choice of materials.
Tools and Materials Needed for Bathroom Wallpapering
Shopping list
- Standard wallpapering kit:
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Pasting brush
- Scissors/wallpaper shears – I’ve had my Axus Decor stainless steel ones for years, they’re super sharp and precise
- Plumb Bob or Laser Level
- Straight Edge
- Sharp Knife (I use the Olfa Black Snap-Off blades)
- Smoothing tool – some people prefer a traditional smoothing brush, others prefer a plastic “spatula”-type tool
- Pasting table (unless “paste-the-wall” paper)
- Seam roller
- Damp cloth/sponge
- Step ladder
Wallpaper
Your choice of wallpaper in a bathroom may need a little more thought than in other rooms. You can get away with using most wallpapers if the walls are properly prepped, you use a good paste, and you consider protecting your finished paper (see below).
However, there are vinyl wallpapers available which are specifically designed for use in bathrooms, as they are much more water-resistant than standard papers. So, it may be worth considering those, although your choice may be more limited.
Wallpaper paste
Because a hot bath or shower acts like a steamer in encouraging wallpaper to part company with the walls, it’s really important to choose a good quality paste to give your paper the best possible chance to stay where you want it! A ready-mixed paste that is a bit stronger than average would be my recommendation – something like Beeline Medium Grade (“Red Top” as it is known) would be a good choice.
Other Things to Consider when Wallpapering a Bathroom
Where NOT to wallpaper
As a rule, I would personally not recommend wallpapering anywhere where you would traditionally expect to find tiles; inside the shower enclosure, immediately above the hand basin, around the bath, etc; these are the areas where the paper will be most prone to steaming and splashes.
Also, in very small downstairs loos, simply because of the size of the room, consider using a dado rail to divide the space and paint (or tile) below it, paper above it. This is because of the higher risk of scuffs and damage lower down the wall, particularly in a small space.
Design considerations for large vs small bathrooms
It has long been generally accepted that you shouldn’t use big, bold patterns in small spaces, because you lose the benefit of being able to see the full pattern, and because it makes the space feel even smaller.
While I still believe this to be true, there is a trend now for using really strong patterns (particularly jungle motifs) in small bathrooms and toilets. It’s fashion, it comes and goes, if you like it, go for it!
How to Wallpaper a Bathroom
I’m not going to go into a full “how to hang wallpaper” lesson here – I don’t have the room in this blog, and it’s something that is better learned “on the job” when you can get practical experience with someone helping you.
If you’re new to wallpapering, or you’ve done a bit and want to take your skills to the next level, I cannot recommend the wallpapering courses at Dulux Academy highly enough. From beginners to advanced courses, the instructors really know their stuff and are great at sharing that knowledge with you.
The one thing I would say is, as with all decorating jobs, doing your prep right is essential. Fill any holes or cracks, sand the walls as smooth as you can, make sure they are as clean as possible… it’s all about creating the best possible surface for the wallpaper to adhere to.
How to Maintain and Protect Wallpaper in a Bathroom
With the best will in the world, wallpaper probably isn’t going to last as long in a bathroom as in other rooms, simply due to the high humidity and risk of splashes. Using the right paste (see above) will help prevent peeling. Vinyl wallpapers specifically designed for use in bathrooms are more resistant to water/humidity, so should last longer, and are easier to wipe clean too.
For ordinary wallpapers though, there is a trick to keeping them looking good for longer. A coat of Polyvine Decorators Varnish will protect the surface and make it easier to wipe clean. It’s a clear acrylic varnish, and you can buy it here in dead flat matt, satin and gloss finishes.
I usually use the flat matt on wallpaper. For ultimate protection, they recommend two coats of satin, and then one of the flat matt on top. I like to paint some onto an offcut of the wallpaper first, so I can show the client how clear it is, and how little it changes the appearance of the wallpaper.
Another key thing to consider in terms of maintenance and protection of the wallpaper is the ventilation in the bathroom. A good quality extractor fan of sufficient power will suck a lot of the moisture from baths and showers out, reducing the amount left in the room to “steam” the wallpaper off the walls.
Even opening the windows after a bath or shower will help. Without adequate ventilation, the wallpaper will inevitably suffer, although as mentioned above, Polyvine will help.
Final Thoughts
It’s not something I’m asked to do every day, and it’s not to everybody’s taste. But if you fancy having a go, make sure you are thorough with your prep, use a good quality paste like Beeline “Red Top”, make sure there’s adequate ventilation, and protect the finish with Polyvine Decorators Varnish to keep it looking good for as long as possible. Have fun with it, make the room personal, create the mood you want!
FAQs
Is it a good idea to wallpaper a bathroom?
As long as there is good ventilation, you are thorough with your prep, you use a good quality paste and you either use a bathroom-specific vinyl-type paper or you protect your paper with Polyvine Decorators Varnish, then yes, wallpaper is a great way to add some personality to your bathroom or cloakroom!
Can you wallpaper over tiles in a bathroom?
Technically yes, you can, although I’ve never done it myself. I’ve always been a believer in using tiles for the steamiest and splash-prone areas, and either paint or wallpaper for the rest of the bathroom – the tiles are there because they are more suitable in that area than wallpaper. But with the right prep and primer, it can be done.
How long will wallpaper last in a bathroom?
As a rule, probably not as long as in other rooms due to the humidity/condensation and splashes of soapy water. If it’s been well stuck with a suitable paste like Beeline “Red Top”, and if it’s a vinyl paper (or a regular paper protected with Polyvine Decorators Varnish), then you’ve done everything you can to increase the wallpaper’s life expectancy. Ensuring adequate ventilation is also key. I’ve heard of wallpaper in bathrooms still looking good after ten years, and on the other hand I’ve heard of it lasting less than five in bathrooms where there are large families taking long and frequent showers.
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