I fell in love with a pattern to use as wallpaper for my daughter’s “preteen” room. But here’s the thing… it was on a set of sheets. The pro? Sheets are a lot less expensive than buying wallpaper for a room. The con? They’re SHEETS.
But did you know that you can actually use fabric as wallpaper? People have been doing it for decades. So I did a little research to choose my method, then I grabbed my materials and got to work… not knowing how it was going to work out for me! Here’s what I did…
Prefer to watch instead? Watch the full video tutorial here.
FABRIC WALLPAPER – HOW YOU CAN USE SHEETS AS WALLPAPER (AND SAVE BIG)
Here’s what I used…
- Liquid Starch
- Thumb Tacks
- Brush
- Roller
- Paint Tray
- Sheets – mine were thin and 100% cotton
Here are the tools you need…
STEP 1: CLEAN & MEASURE YOUR WALLS, THEN CUT YOUR FABRIC PANELS
Start by dusting or wiping down your walls. You don’t want anything to keep your fabric from sticking! Also, take the thickness of your sheets or fabric into consideration. Will you be able to see through them? If so, make sure your walls are the right color to start so it doesn’t mess up your vision!
Then measure your walls to determine how much fabric you’ll need. I used two sets of king-sized sheets for my walls, only using the flat sheets for ease. But I could have gotten away with one set if I took the time to cut the elastic off my fitted sheets. Don’t worry – have another plan for those.
Once you have your measurements, cut your fabric panels. Make sure to add 1-2″ to each side so it overlaps the edges of your wall. That way, you will be able to trim nice, clean lines later.
STEP 2: PIN YOUR FABRIC AROUND THE ROOM
Grab your thumb tacks or push pins, level your fabric, and pin it up around the room where it’s going to go. I only added pins at the top of each panel during this step.
Make sure you’ll be able to match up your pattern well at the seams. To do this, I trimmed the hemmed edges off the sheets and cut straight lines in the white space, avoiding cuts through the actual pattern. You can zig-zag your seams if needed! Plan to allow your seams to overlap just slightly.
Step back and make sure everything looks right before you begin the install! Then I recommend giving your fabric a quick steam to remove all the wrinkles.
STEP 3: ADHERE YOUR FABRIC TO THE WALL
Now, it’s important to note here that this method will only work for thinner fabric – you need your starch to fully saturate the fabric. If you aren’t using a thin, breathable fabric, consider using wallpaper paste instead. Make sure you always test a small section prior to working through the whole room just in case it doesn’t work!
I grabbed my concentrated liquid starch and poured some into a paint tray (for my roller) and some into a cup (for my brush).
I then unpinned small sections of sheets on the wall and rolled my starch on, making sure to cover the entire wall. I used a brush around the edges.
Then I pinned my sheets back up, made sure my pattern was level and in line, and rolled starch over top of the sheets. I also used a brush to do this – it was a bit easier for me. I made sure to fully saturate the sheets and brush around the edges. Use your hands to smooth out the fabric, making sure there’s no trapped air behind it. You want it tight against the wall.
Use more pins to secure the sheets around all edges at this point while it dries, and pin down all your seams to hold the fabric in place.
Allow the fabric to dry completely before moving on to the next step.
STEP 4: TRIM YOUR WALLPAPER EDGES
Once your starch is dry, remove your pins and grab your utility knife and straight edge. Carefully trim the fabric around the edges, making sure to avoid pulling or fraying the edges.
Once trimmed, go around all the edges again with a little more starch to seal them. I used my brush for this.
Once dry, you’re done!
If you have any edges that are trying to lift off the wall, consider caulking around the edges or adding small trim pieces to hold them flat.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can you do this on textured walls?
I think smooth walls would be best, but lightly textured walls could still work! Test a small piece on the walls first.
Is it easy to remove?
It really is. I tested this on a panel once it was dry. Just grab an edge, and it pulls right off without damaging the drywall.
Can you do this in bathrooms?
I’m not sure, but I don’t think it would hold up long-term to excessive moisture. Maybe stick with actual wallpaper in the bathroom!
How can you clean it?
To be totally honest, I’m not someone who regularly dusts or cleans her walls. But I will say that the starch hardened the fabric quite a bit, so I think I will be able to carefully wipe it clean or dust it as needed! But any harsh stains could be difficult!
Does it have to be cotton fabric?
For this starch method, make sure it’s a thin, breathable fabric like cotton. You want the starch to fully saturate and penetrate the fabric. If you want to use something thicker, consider using wallpaper paste!
THAT’S IT!
Let me know if you decide to give this method a try! And if you want to see the full process step-by-step, watch the video tutorial here.
What is liquid starch,?
It’s this product: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002UTOK46/?tag=farmhouseish-20