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Preparing Walls for Paint or Wallpaper
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CAUTION!
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Don't pre-clean the walls
with a phosphorus-based detergent. This prevents
the primer from properly bonding to the wall.
Instead, use equal amounts of ammonia and water
in a well-ventilated area.
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Manufactured home paneling (either wood
or decorative gypsum board) has an uneven surface. Before
applying wallpaper or painting, treat the panels to create
a smooth surface and disguise the grooves between panels.
If the walls have been damaged by fire, you must seal them
to remove smoke odor.
- One method is to apply a primer,
then fill the grooves with spackle. When it is dry, sand
it down. Add a second coat of spackle to fill areas where
the spackle has shrunk. Sand when dry. Add a second coat
of primer so the wallpaper adhesive won't cause the spackle
to shrink.
- A surer method is to put up liner
paper as a foundation for your paint or wallpaper with a
stiff texture. Unlike wallpaper, liner paper is installed
horizontally. This makes a stronger bond when the wallpaper
is applied vertically over the liner paper. Look for liners
wherever wallpaper is sold.
Materials
you will need:
- Ammonia
- High-acrylic wallcovering primer
- Heavy-weight liner
- Heavy-duty adhesive
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Fix-It
Tips!
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If
the liner is stiff and difficult to work with,
apply adhesive directly to the wall with a paint
roller. Let dry two hours or until dry to the
touch. Apply adhesive to liner and continue as
directed.
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Tools
you will need:
- Flat table
- Paste brush
- Roller
- Smoothing brush
- Scissors
- Razor knife
- 12-inch broadknife
- Straightedge
- Sponge
STEP 1: Before You Begin
Turn off power to the electrical outlets
and switches. Remove battens from between panels. Remove outlets
and switch covers. Remove floor and ceiling molding. Secure
any loose panel edges with glue or nails.
 STEP
2: Clean Walls
Adhesives stick poorly to dirty surfaces.
Wash walls with a solution of equal parts warm water and ammonia
and open windows for ventilation. Allow to dry thoroughly,
which could take several hours.
STEP 3: Apply Primer
With a brush or roller, apply high-quality
acrylic wallpaper primer to the panels. Let dry overnight.
 STEP
4: Measure & Cut Liner Paper
Hang liner paper horizontally and measure
from corner to corner. Cut the paper.
STEP 5: Apply Adhesive
Spread liner on a flat surface. With
a figure-8 motion, apply glue to the inner side of the liner.
The liner side will "cup" from being rolled up.
It will hang easier if the cupped sides carries the glue.
 STEP
6: Fold the Paper
To make it easier to handle the large
strips, fold the paper accordion fashion, glued sides together.
Keep the folds no larger than 2 to 3 feet long.
 STEP
7: Hanging First Strip
Begin in a corner at the top of the
wall. Butt the strip to the ceiling edge and in the corners
so there is no overlap. Keep the liner as tight as possible
to bridge the grooves between panels.
 STEP
8: Fitting Windows, Doors & Outlets
Don't precut the liner to fit around
openings. Hang across window or door. Cut away most of the
excess, then make diagonal cuts with a scissors to the edges
of the opening. Press liner flat to the wall at the edges
of opening. To trim, hold a broadknife against edge of opening.
Cut excess with a razor knife. Hang paper straight across
outlets. Cut around the outlet with razor knife.
 STEP
9: Smoothing The Liner
With the smoothing brush, use horizontal
strokes. Smooth toward the corner as you begin. Additional
smoothing strokes should all go toward the end of the strip.
 STEP
10: Hanging the Second Strip
Lay strip at bottom edge of the wall.
Butt strip to the floor edge and in the corners so there is
no overlap.
 STEP
11: Fill In The Middle Section
Butt seams in the corner and to the
edge of the bottom strip. Continue hanging liner strips from
the bottom up. Be sure the new liner strip always butts edges
with the lower strip. On the final strip, finish with a double-cut
seam to the top strip.
 STEP
12: Double-Cut Seam
Overlap the lower strip onto the top
strip (about 2 inches). Cut through both layers of liner with
razor knife, using a straightedge as a guide. Remove excess
end of each strip. The edges should now form a butt seam.
STEP 13: Clean Up
With a damp sponge, clean off any excess
paste from wallcovering, ceiling and floor. When the liner
is installed and thoroughly dry (allow 36 hours), finish the
wall with paint or wallpaper. If you are hanging pre-pasted
wallpaper over the liner, prime the liner. Otherwise, the
liner will absorb the glue from the wallpaper and it won't
adhere. To paint over the liner, apply a paint primer first.
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