Can Wallpaper Be Used For Decoupage On Furniture? (Plus Easy Steps To Try)

 

The decoupage is a process of cutting thin paper (or any other material) into several pieces in order to apply them on the surface of another object (e.g. a piece of furniture) for the purpose of decoration.

In other words, it is a type of decoration that you can create yourself at home. And it can really be a fun DIY decorating project and a great element of home décor.

Besides, when it comes to the decoupage with wallpaper, it’s something that can do wonders by adding an amazing look to the object, which it is applied to. That’s because the wallpapers usually have fascinating designs, and come with vibrant colors and patterns.

Can wallpaper be used for decoupage on furniture?

The technique of decoupage with wallpaper can definitely be used on many types of objects. It looks particularly impressive on furniture. You don’t need to be an artist to decoupage, a little bit of creativity is enough to produce a stunning piece of furniture.

Additionally, apart from the wallpaper, there are many other types of materials that you can apply to your furniture for the decoupage. Below I have listed some of the materials that are mostly used for this purpose:

Fabrics

Greeting cards

Pages of old books

Catalogs

Magazines

 

Simple Decoupage Method

Before moving ahead to the process of decoupage on furniture with wallpaper, below I have listed the general steps that you will need to follow for a basic process of decoupage. Take a quick look at them.

Step 1. Cover workspace with paper

Before starting the process of decoupage, it will be better to cover the workspace with some pieces of paper or cloth so that you can easily clean your work area after completion of the process.

Step 2. Select the material to be applied

Next, you should select the material that you’d want to decoupage your item’s surface with. I have already listed above some of the materials that are mostly used for the purpose of the decoupage. You can choose any of them, as per your requirements.

Step 3. Choose the surface for decoupage

Once you are ready with the material to be applied, the next step will be to choose the item that you are going to decoupage onto. It is worth mentioning that the materials whose surfaces you can decoupage include wood, glass, metal, among others.

Step 4. Cut the material

Now that you have finally selected the item that you are going to decoupage on, you should start cutting the material that you have selected to apply on its surface. You will need to cut a number of pieces (in premeasured sizes) of the material so as to be able to perfectly cover the entire surface.

Depending on your choice, you may tear the material or cutting it with a craft knife or scissors.

Step 5. Pour a small amount of glue into a dish and dip a brush into the glue

Next, you should pour a little amount of glue into any available dish. You are going to use this glue for sticking the material on the surface to be decoupaged on.

Once you have the glue in the dish, you should dip a brush into it. As far as the brush is concerned, you can make use of a foam brush or a paintbrush.

Step 6. Brush or spread the glue and apply the material onto the surface

Now you should brush the glue on the backside of the material that you are going to apply onto the surface. But if the size of the surface is large, it will be better to simply spread the glue directly over the surface than brushing on the material.

Next, you should place the material over the surface and press it well so that it can be stuck perfectly.

Step 7. Let the item dry

Once you have successfully applied the material onto the item, next, you’ll need to let it dry by leaving it as it is. The space in which you are going to let it dry should be well-ventilated for ideal results.

Step 8. Varnish the item

Yet, it is not necessary. But you can varnish the item if you want to provide an extra layer of protection to it. For this, you should make use of the varnish that will become glossy and clear on drying. And, that’s it!

Decoupage Furniture with Wallpaper

Actually, there is a wide range of surfaces that you can easily decoupage with wallpaper. This range includes wood, plastic, metal, glass, stone, etc. And, as far as the use of wallpaper for decoupage on furniture is concerned, it is not only possible but also widely used and easy to do.

You can probably agree that there are times when you have old furniture at home, which has lost its charm and luster. On one side, you don’t like it because of its unappealing look. And on the other side, you are not ready to dispose of it or sell it out just yet.

In such cases, what you can do is to give it an attractive, updated look by applying decoupage on it with the use of wallpaper. You will be amazed by how the decoupage remarkably transforms the look and feel of the furniture.

 

How to Decoupage on Furniture with Wallpaper

Taking an example of a table, I will walk you through the process of decoupage on furniture with wallpaper. I would explain all the steps that you will need to follow so as to apply pieces of wallpaper onto the tabletop.

If you are ready to learn how to do it correctly, read on…

Step 1. Clean the surface

The very first step in the process will be to clean the tabletop surface in order to make it free from dust and dirt. It should also be dry or free from any kind of liquid droplets or grease.

Step 2. Measure the width and length

Once the surface of your table is totally dry and clean, next, you should measure the width of the wallpaper you are going to use to decoupage on it.

You should also measure the width of your tabletop surface. That’s because the width of the wallpaper roll is generally less than the table width. And, without measuring both of them, you won’t have any idea of how many strips of the wallpaper you will need to be able to end up covering the entire surface.

Apart from measuring the width of the wallpaper roll and table, you should also measure the length of the table.

Step 3. Tear or cut the wallpaper

Now you know very well how many wallpaper strips to cut and what the length of each strip will be. You should start cutting the strips. A rotary cutter can be used for cutting them.

Step 4. Start sticking the wallpaper strips

Once you have the cut strips of wallpaper in your hand, you are good to go. No matter how many strips you have, you will need to decoupage in such a way that the pattern of one wallpaper matches the pattern of another.

Make sure that strips used on both sides of the surface are wide enough to overlap the edges of the tabletop.

When it comes to sticking the wallpaper strips over the tabletop surface, you will need to make use of wallpaper paste in order to accomplish this task. For this, you will first need to read the instruction provided on the packet of the wallpaper paste. Keeping those instructions in mind, prepare the paste.

Once the paste is ready, start pasting over the backside of the wallpaper. You will need to use a wallpaper brush for pasting.

After having finished pasting the backside of the wallpaper, fold it over the other side and leave it as it is for a while (at least for a few minutes).

Meanwhile, you should start pasting the tabletop as well. Once it’s done, it should also be left as it is for a few minutes.

Step 5. Layer first strip of wallpaper

Now start pasting the strips over the surface of the tabletop. Start with the strip that is to be layered in the middle of the surface. Place the strip and position it exactly in the middle.

Once the position is perfect, next comes the task of smoothing the wallpaper out. For this, you will need to use a special smoothing brush that will help you to get rid of any air bubbles trapped between the wallpaper and the tabletop surface.

Step 6. Layer remaining strips of wallpaper

Once you have successfully layered the first wallpaper strip in the middle of the surface, you can go ahead to start layering the second strip over the surface.

Follow the same process that you followed for the first strip. But keep in mind that you have to position the next strip in such a way that the pattern of one wallpaper matches the pattern of another (as mentioned earlier, too).

Don’t forget to make use of the smoothing brush for smoothing the wallpaper out, as you did for the first strip.

Once you are done with the second strip, repeat the same process for the next strip as well. And, keep on repeating until all strips are successfully layered over the table.

You should also trim or cut the extra width of the wallpaper with the use of wallpaper scissors.

Step 7. Dry the wallpaper

After the process of layering the strips over the table surface has been completed, you should leave the table as it is. Let the wallpaper air dry. Keep in mind that it will surely take a few hours.

Once it has successfully dried, it is finally ready with the decoupage of on wallpaper on it. And, your newly decorated table is ready to use!

Final Words,

There is no doubt that you can also paint over the surface of an old piece of furniture for making it look colorful and bright. But using the technique of the decoupage with wallpaper is the best alternative to the paint.