How liquid wallpaper is applied to the walls correctly. Technology of high-quality application of liquid wallpaper. Which surface is suitable
Do you want to fulfill original finish walls in the bedroom or living room? Recently, more and more designers are using liquid wallpaper, with which you can implement different design ideas. Now it is not necessary to buy ordinary wallpaper with a ready-made embossed pattern, follow wall decoration liquid wallpaper with your own hands. The videos and photos from this article will help you make a beautiful and inexpensive repair in the apartment.
Preparing walls for liquid wallpaper
Liquid wallpaper today can be made independently from paper or use ready-made mixtures. Unlike others decorative materials, liquid wallpaper is environmentally friendly and consists of breathable components. They are made mainly of cotton, silk and cellulose fibers, as well as an adhesive substance.
A photo finished formulations for application
If you decide to buy liquid wallpaper, then before applying them to the wall, read the instructions carefully. Ready mixes are most often sold in plastic bags. The fibers are already treated with glue, which, when dissolved in water, makes the mass very plastic. Thanks to this, the mixture is easily applied to the wall in the likeness of plaster. Depending on the design idea you can choose materials neutral color or any shade from the available palette from the manufacturer.
Before you start applying liquid wallpaper, you need to pour the mixture into a container and pour cold water. It is very important to mix the material well so that it is uniform and plastic. It is best to pour one or two packets of the mixture into one container, otherwise it will be difficult to knead.
Interior photo
After that, the mass is again laid out in plastic bags and it is left for 12 hours to completely swell the fibers and bind with glue. The mixture should not be too thick or thin so that it is easy to apply to the wall. Composition made from ready mix, can be stored up to 14 days, so do not worry if you knead a lot.
Liquid wallpaper: how to apply them to the wall
Now you can proceed directly to the decoration of the walls with liquid wallpaper. Previously, the wall is cleaned of the old coating (wallpaper, paint, etc.). The advantage of applying a liquid mixture is that it can even out small defects in a wall or ceiling.
If you are doing a major finish and cleaning the walls to concrete, then they must be primed, and then putty should be applied to level the surface. After the putty has dried, it will be necessary to prime the surface of the wall or ceiling again to increase adhesion with liquid wallpaper.
wall decoration
The process of applying liquid wallpaper
Do-it-yourself decorative finishing with liquid wallpaper resembles a thin-layer plaster finish. If you made several batches and added dyes to them, then when applying, you need to use material from several containers, mixing it. Otherwise, after the liquid wallpaper dries, an uneven distribution of color may be observed, and the finish will turn out to be sloppy.
The method of applying liquid wallpaper is quite simple, so it can be done by a beginner. A thin layer of finish can be achieved with a metal spatula. It is desirable that the finishing layer is no more than 3 mm. According to technology, after applying the mixture, the finish is smoothed with a special trowel-trowel.
Depending on the planned effect, the technology of applying the finish changes. Try applying the liquid wallpaper mixture in a circular, vertical or horizontal motion. If you plan to make a drawing with liquid wallpaper, then first draw it on the wall according to the template with a pencil, and then fill it carefully with a mixture suitable color. After that, we recommend that you start applying the wallpaper of the main background.
Drawing on the photo
With the help of liquid wallpaper, you can make beautiful patterns that emphasize the individuality of your interior. Do-it-yourself liquid wallpaper application- a way to save on repairs and implement any creative ideas. See video instructions and learn new ways to decorate walls and ceilings with your own hands.
Preparing walls for liquid wallpaper is considered practically milestone in finishing, even the application itself has less nuance. The more carefully you carry out this stage of work, the better the final result will be.
What is liquid wallpaper
Our recommendations would be incomplete if we do not mention in a nutshell what kind of material it is, because in our usual understanding, wallpaper is roll elements, most often based on paper. But our choice is fundamentally different from the traditional idea, and the principle of preparation and the finishing process itself change from this. Let's first say that this material is sold exclusively in powder form, which contains cellulose and/or silk, dyes, anti-rot and anti-fungal additives, as well as many decorative elements, baby various origins, sequins, etc.
Wallpaper made of pure silk, of course, will not only be the most solid (although outwardly it is not distinguishable), but also durable, which makes them more expensive. But if you do not plan to change the interior every year, then it is still a good idea to opt for them. In general, finishing with any kind of liquid wallpaper will financially “bite”, firstly, new technologies, and secondly, corny high material consumption. Despite the innovation, this repair option is not deprived of shortcomings, although the advantages beckon. Let's say a few words about this.
Let's start with the pros, talk about safety and environmental friendliness interior finishes already tired, this material is also included in this group, and the technology of its application suggests the possibility of multi-layering (in moderation), which means that you can hide minor flaws in the walls, and even finishing layer bring gloss and beauty. You can not apply them to all the walls at once, suddenly you don’t have time, and you can live in this room in parallel with the repair, as well as amend the already existing coverage. It is especially important if the house is new, the decoration is not even afraid of the shrinkage of the building. If you noticed our remark about additives against fungus and mold, then you realized that you can apply them even during wet rooms, for example, a toilet.
There are few cons, but still there are: they cannot be wetted (that is, it is already undesirable to make wallpaper in the bathroom) and it takes a long time to dry (but this is a trifle, because you can still live indoors).
Photo gallery: colors and shades of liquid wallpaper
Preliminary preparation
Why do we make so much noise around this stage of work? It's simple: although defects can hide under a layer of wonderful wallpaper, dirty walls (and this is not only dust, but also paint, plaster, etc.) will make themselves felt at the first contact with the material. After all, the powder is diluted with water, and this is a good solvent for other building materials, which may be in residual quantities on the surface. You will be disappointed with the streaks on expensive and freshly applied wallpaper. Moreover, this is not the only place where liquid wallpaper is used, the technology of applying to the ceiling is not particularly different from the usual work with walls, which means that preparation is also important.
Here it is necessary to note several main points: first of all, it is necessary to determine the type of surface, the nuances of preparation depend on this, and after removing the contaminants, it is better to prime the surface first, you can then cover it with paint on water based. Let's start with porous walls, where we will take bare concrete, plaster and putty, i.e. partial finishing is. Here we should expect an increased absorbency of the surface, so you need to walk on it with a gypsum putty mixture, then only apply primer and paint, then the wall will be clean and securely hold the finish.
In old houses, we do not know at all what the wall actually consists of, which means that unexpected divorces and stains can appear with a high probability. In this case, a good impregnation or primer will help, after that it would be nice to apply 2 more layers of primer, and after such hassle, also white paint. Drywall is insidious, but it is so loved by modern builders, and many seek to cheapen and putty only the joints between the plates. For ordinary paper wallpapers, this will be acceptable, but not for liquid ones. Putty seams will stand out from the rest of the wall, so take the trouble to putty the entire surface, and then paint it with white paint, otherwise the putty will dissolve. Also this way will close all metal elements, which from water can begin to rust.
Video: how to prime and putty the surface
In those cases, if your walls or ceiling were leaking, then under liquid wallpaper, simply paint these places with the same white paint. In all cases, for the strength of the coating, PVA can be added to it by about 1/3. When the surface has already been painted before, and what’s good more than once, the appearance of dissimilar colors will spoil expensive materials, so you have to putty the surface gypsum mixture and then color in White color. wooden surfaces(plywood, MDF, etc.) should be well primed (at least 2 layers) so that moisture does not deform them.
Photo gallery: wall treatment
Wall decoration with liquid wallpaper - step by step instructions
Beginners should be especially careful, it will require skill.
- We devoted a separate paragraph to this step, for sure you have already determined the method of protection and almost completely done it. We just want to once again make sure that everything is done correctly. You had to level the possible unpleasant consequences from future contact with water. To do this, putty, primed and painted. Also, first make sure that you do not have surface level differences exceeding 3 mm, the wallpaper will hide the rest. We assure you that at this stage you should not feel sorry for the primer or paint, if you see that everything has been absorbed without a trace, it is better to apply an additional layer, otherwise the consumption of wallpaper will increase, and this will hit your pocket harder, and even can cause defects from which we try so hard to get rid of it. Also, do not forget about the microclimate in the room, when it is cold (below 15 degrees), you cannot work.
- Take containers of the right size so that it is convenient for you to stir the wallpaper and carry it with you throughout the room. Shake the bag with the mixture well, this will break up the caked lumps, making it easier to mix. Read about the proportions of water and dry mix on the package, most often it is 1:6 (6 liters of water per 1 kg of wallpaper). Also study the requirements for water, namely, its temperature, usually 30 degrees Celsius. First of all, additional decorative powders, such as sparkles, are poured out, then the main mixture is added to the water in parts, while being thoroughly mixed. Now the resulting mass must be left for 12 hours for final preparation, and ensure the absence of air, cover with a bag or even transfer the mass into a bag and tie. As a result, evaluate the consistency, it should be a dough, but not watery, but very, very thick.
- You have activated liquid wallpaper in your hands, how to apply this richness to the walls? There are two options. The first uses a spatula (grater, trowel) and your muscle efforts, and the second uses a sprayer. Moreover, this is not a choice for convenience, but a determination of the relief of the future surface. With the first method, you will get a smooth smooth wall, in the second - a voluminous embossed or velvety one (if there are few foreign inclusions in the wallpaper). When applied with a spatula, part of the wallpaper is laid out on its end and held along the wall at an angle of about 15 degrees, do not press the spatula tightly against the surface.
- You need to start work from the bright part of the room to the darkened one, and after 1.5 hours, walk again, smoothing the resulting coating. You need to pre-sprinkle the wallpaper a little with water and check the final result most conveniently under the side light. If you decide to use a sprayer, then the work is simplified only by loading the mass into the tank and uniform spray. Now this beauty should dry well (up to 72 hours). Some are applied on top for durability acrylic lacquer, but this is optional.
In this article, we will try, without all sorts of advertising notes, to figure out what liquid wallpaper is and how to use it. Let's take a closer look at what the technology of applying liquid wallpaper with your own hands consists of, from surface preparation to the finished result. Let's start with a short introduction regarding the main features of this finishing material.
Briefly about liquid wallpaper
Actually given material is a variety. As part of liquid wallpaper, cellulose fibers are used, which are obtained as a by-product of the wood processing industry, as well as silk fibers. To give liquid wallpaper an aesthetic appearance, various dyes and dyes are added to them. decorative fillers, such as glitter or granules. For fixing, the well-known KMS glue is used, which is already habitually used for gluing ordinary roll wallpaper. Actually because of the composition they got their name. However, according to the method of application and the result obtained, this finishing material is still close to decorative plasters. It will be applied using a trowel, a special grater or spatula in the same way as putty or plaster. By the way, this also determines a huge range possible ways the use of liquid wallpaper and their undoubted advantage over conventional rolls.
The main advantage of liquid wallpaper is the possibility of applying them to the surface of any even very complex shape. They can be combined and made up of applications on the walls of your apartment or house. And the result is a layer as similar as possible with very high quality wallpaper. That is, the surface is warm to the touch and soft.
Their main disadvantage is their high cost. You should not immediately believe such encouraging speeches of advertising banners that one package will be enough for you for 5-6 square meters, and even more so that they can be applied to all kinds of surfaces without careful preparation. This is not true. All the same to receive good result, but it is really worth it and cannot be compared with ordinary wallpaper, to be performed careful preparation walls and carefully perform the process of applying liquid wallpaper.
Important to consider
In addition to the price, there is also a technical aspect, which, most likely, should be written down as a minus. , liquid wallpaper is applied directly to the wall, and if it has differences in surface composition or unevenness, all these defects will eventually come out on top of them. Having multiple layers old paint, uneven putty or plaster, level differences, and, consequently, the thickness of the wallpaper layer, the appearance of metal objects (screws, nails, fittings, pipes) on the surface - all this will eventually spoil the appearance of the result.
Video: 1 channel about liquid wallpaper
Application technology in detail
Just repeat the simplest instruction on the use of liquid wallpaper does not make sense. It is best, in addition to the instructions, to pay special attention to important points, which cannot be found in the quick start guides.
Surface preparation
Basic requirements for the prepared surface:
- homogeneity;
- minimum and uniform moisture absorption capacity of the surface;
- white background color or at least similar to the color of the wallpaper itself;
- no potholes, drops, depressions more than 2-3 mm per meter of surface;
- strength.
First of all, you need to get rid of all old materials, such as wallpaper, paint or peeling plaster. Anything that may peel off with the new coating over time should be removed.
Remove, if possible, all protruding nails, screws, self-tapping screws or other metal, plastic elements from the wall. If wall or pipe reinforcement protrudes to the surface, then they should be carefully repaired. Suitable for this is either a layer of putty 2 mm thick, if possible, or smeared oil paint.
Bringing the surface of the wall into a level and making it perfectly even and smooth, although desirable, is not necessary. If there are extensive depressions or protrusions commensurate with the entire wall or it is somewhat tilted, as is often the case in old houses, then the use of liquid wallpaper, as well as the texture of the plaster, will not visually highlight these shortcomings in the end. So in this regard, you should proceed from your own capabilities. After all, to completely level the surface, you will need to invest significantly in plastering or wall cladding. What is important is to get rid of medium and small defects: pits, holes, depressions and protrusions of more than 2 millimeters in areas less than a meter. If this is not done, then the consumption of liquid wallpaper will increase sharply, and as a result, in places where their layer will “walk”, spots will be visible that differ from the rest of the surface in shade.
Several years ago on the market finishing materials liquid wallpaper appeared. Gradually, they are becoming more and more popular, as they can be used for 5-8 years without losing their appearance, even in the hallway or corridor. Among the advantages of this coating are safety, high maintainability, plasticity, which allows you to easily finish arches, columns, and other surfaces with complex shapes.
What it is
Liquid wallpaper is sometimes confused with decorative plaster. Probably because the application technique is very similar. - using a spatula. Fundamental difference in that the composition of the applied mass is completely different. Any plaster contains sand, and cement and lime are used as a binder. The composition of liquid wallpaper includes silk, cotton, cellulose fibers. As a binder - some kind of glue.
Acrylic dyes are usually used to color the composition, and sparkles are added to obtain a surface that is different in appearance. different sizes, pieces of mica, mother-of-pearl, thread, other natural or artificial materials. These decorative additives are called "glitters".
How do they look on the wall
If we talk about appearance, liquid wallpaper is a cross between plaster and paper wallpaper. From the store you bring a dry composition, to which, according to the instructions, add a certain amount of water. The resulting semi-liquid mass is applied to the walls or ceiling. The coating is seamless due to the plasticity of the material; minor surface defects are corrected during application - recesses, cracks, etc. Due to the same plasticity, it is not too difficult to form a drawing, even a picture.
Liquid wallpaper can be applied to the walls even complex patterns ... or paintings
So on the wall, liquid wallpaper looks different. Adds more difference different composition. If it is a silk-based liquid wallpaper, the surface has a characteristic matte sheen. This composition is also called "liquid silk". Cellulose and cotton variation - matte, even in the same shade and with the same decorative additives, the wall looks different.
And there are also mixed compositions - cellulose-silk or cotton-silk, in which there is a certain degree of sheen, but not so pronounced. In general, it's hard to say what liquid wallpaper looks like on the wall. If you like decorative plaster, you will also like this finish option.
Kinds
Liquid wallpaper is distinguished by composition. As already mentioned, they are made on the basis of natural fibers. According to the type of these fibers, they are:
They differ not only in composition, but also in appearance. It is difficult to convey this in the pictures - the difference is in the presence and type of gloss, its brightness, visual "looseness" or smoothness of the surface. Of all the options, the most expensive silk compositions. More budget - cotton and cellulose.
Advantages and disadvantages
If we talk about the general impression, some people like liquid wallpaper, some do not. But they have good features. The advantages include the following qualities:
Good qualities. Most impressive is the high maintainability. This is good in the presence of pets: scratches are simply overwritten. If you like this coating also externally, you should try it.
Liquid wallpaper also has disadvantages:
As you can see, there are some pretty serious drawbacks. The worst thing is the impossibility wet cleaning. In the hallway or in the kitchen, this is not always acceptable. This disadvantage can be leveled by varnishing the wall. It can be washed, but cannot be restored. In addition, the varnished coating loses vapor permeability, but becomes water-repellent.
Application technique
Although manufacturers say that liquid wallpaper can be applied to curved walls, it is better not to do this. There are two points. The first is increased material consumption. Considering that the cost of liquid wallpaper is not too low (one package per 4-5 m² is required, and it costs from $5 to $18, although there are $40), it is cheaper to prepare the surface. The second point is that if there are significant differences, a pronounced “spotting” may result. Darker will be the areas where the liquid wallpaper lay down in a thick layer, and lighter where the layer is thin (due to the translucence of the wall). This again leads to an increase in consumption - to even out the color.
Surface preparation
First of all, you need to remove the old decorative coating. We peel off the wallpaper to the bare wall, we also remove the paint, if it bubbles and peels off. Then we smooth out the bumps. As already said, better wall make it more or less even.
A smooth (or relatively flat) wall must be smeared several times with a primer. This will reduce the absorbency of the surface, making it easier to work.
According to the experience of use, liquid wallpaper is best applied to rough walls, such as plaster. So, it is desirable that the primer gives a similar effect. Of the finished compositions, this is Betonokontakt. After its application, the wall becomes a little "viscous" in sensations, grains of sand adhering to the surface make it rough. On such a basis, any composition fits perfectly. There are more cheap option wall primers for liquid wallpaper - the most inexpensive white water-based emulsion (2 parts) with PVA glue (1 part). It is necessary to cover with a primer (any) at least twice.
If the wall has an uneven color, and the primer did not hide it, you will also have to paint it. Because when applying a thin layer, darker and lighter areas will shine through. You can get the cheapest water-based paint and paint the wall with it. Ideally even color is not needed, there should not be sharp transitions.
One more moment. If there are metal fragments in the wall - nails, screws, etc., it is advisable to remove them. If you can't remove it, paint the area with some kind of water-repellent paint the same color as the base. If this is not done, while the liquid wallpaper dries, the metal will rust, and the rust will “come out” ugly yellow spot. Will have to repair immediately. So everything is better metal objects isolate beforehand.
Composition preparation
Liquid wallpaper is sold dry in bags. Before use, water is added to the composition, everything is well mixed. The amount of water depends on the volume of the bag, the type of composition, the manufacturer. The specific amount is written on the package.
It is more convenient for this work to have a large plastic bucket - 12 liters or more. Pour the contents of the package into it, add water. The mixture should be stirred until smooth. It turns out something similar to minced meat.
Since liquid wallpaper does not contain harmful chemical additives you can mix by hand. If the mass is unpleasant for you, you can wear gloves. The finished mass is usually transferred back to the bag, the “neck” is twisted and left for several hours (at least 4-5 hours, but preferably 10-12) - for uniform swelling. Please note that the dried composition will be noticeably lighter than wet.
It is better to knead at once the entire amount necessary to finish the room or at least one wall. If you put it in "pieces" you can see the borders. They are almost invisible on light shades, but can spoil the picture if the color is bright. If the borders are still visible, until the wall is completely dry, you should not take any action. Perhaps the borders will disappear when completely dry. If the liquid wallpaper is dry, but transitions are visible, the composition can be removed with a spatula, soaked again for several hours, mixed and applied again.
Wall or ceiling application
To work take a new trowel. To make it easier to follow the process, there is a trowel with a transparent plastic working surface. It is easier for beginners to work with such a trowel. The process itself is simple:
It is advisable to process the entire wall at a time, otherwise the junction lines of the two “pieces” may be visible. If, nevertheless, it was not possible to process the entire wall at a time, sprinkle the joint well with water, wait 20-25 minutes, you can continue finishing. Most likely, the joint will be subtle or almost invisible.
In the corners, you can use an ordinary spatula, but it is easier to make even corners with the help of special corner ones. First, a mass is applied on both sides of the corner, carried out with an angular spatula, the excess squeezed out is rubbed from the corner onto the wall, leveling the surface.
Liquid wallpaper dries for a long time - about 48 hours. The composition contains a substantial amount of water, so that when it dries in the room, there is high humidity, which inevitably gets into other rooms. But in the process, you can turn on the heating, open windows, arrange a draft. There are no restrictions.
Roller application
Applying liquid wallpaper with a trowel or spatula is good for everyone, except that the process takes a lot of time. To speed up the process, you can try applying liquid wallpaper with a roller. Only the roller should be special: with hard short hairs collected in groups. Width - about 15 cm. If this is not found, you can use fur with a hard short pile or foam rubber, but hard.
Before starting work, dilute liquid wallpaper according to the instructions, prepare the wall. After trying to work with the resulting composition. If the mass is poorly distributed on the wall, add a little water. But add little by little, because too liquid will “creep”. The technique is slightly different:
- Apply a certain amount of mass to the wall with a spatula, not worrying too much about the thickness of the layer. Just make a "flip".
- Roll out with a roller.
- Apply the next batch of mortar, roll out.
With the help of a roller, it is easier to maintain the same thickness of the material. This works well on flat walls. Moreover, the finishing speed is 6-8 m².
Different application techniques produce different effects
When applying liquid wallpaper with a roller, the surface is more rough, textured. If you don’t like this effect, after the wall is finished, moisten it with a spray bottle, wait 15 minutes, go over the surface with a clean trowel soaked in water, smoothing the relief.
How to make patterns with liquid wallpaper
Beginners are unlikely to be able to make complex patterns on the walls with liquid wallpaper, but it is quite possible to try something simple. The easiest way to make two-color patterns, and the easiest - geometric.
You can find any image. But then you need to transfer the outline of the drawing to the wall. If you have artistic ability, you can try to do it "by hand". If it doesn’t work out, you can enlarge it to the required size, print it on paper, but it’s better on cardboard, cut it out and attach it to the wall. Fill around with one wallpaper color. When the liquid wallpaper is dry, remove the paper/cardboard using a second fill in the empty area. But you have to work carefully, without getting dirty already. finished part.
If the drawing is simple - geometric figures, for example, you can install some kind of hard barrier to separate colors. For example, beacons for plaster. They are fixed, filled with liquid wallpaper of the same color. After drying, you can remove the beacons and carefully, without crawling onto the finished part, use the second color.
There is a way to transfer complex drawings without printing. You will need glass, a black marker, a lamp. Draw a contour on the glass with a black felt-tip pen, highlight it with a lamp. A clear outline appears on the wall, which we simply direct. We fill in the way that is more convenient, but usually first large areas, then smaller ones.