Bathroom Remodeling 2 : Wallpaper

Browse any big box remodeling store and you’ll find a huge selection of wallpaper, with a healthy percentage being perfectly suited for bathrooms. Patterns range all the way from solid colors to muted designs to bold stripes and murals.

If you’ve never papered a wall before, you’re probably feeling a little intimidated. There’s no need to. Wallpapering used to be quite an adventure. First you had to tack canvas (sort of like cheesecloth) to the walls and ceiling, then mix the paste. After cutting the strips of paper to size, you laid it face down, spread the paste on the back and then applied the paper to the canvas. You frequently wound up with more paste and paper on you than on the wall! Today, most wallpaper is prepasted, so all you have to do is wet the back with a brush and apply the paper to the drywall surface.

There’s a little more to it than that, but it’s certainly within the capabilities of the average weekend D-I-Yer. And if you’re still worried, check out the big box retailers in your area. They frequently run free clinics on how to install tile, wallpaper and similar items.

Incidentally, if your house happens to have solid wood walls instead of drywall (and it will if it was built in the 1920s or 1930s), install a 1/8” thick sheet of tempered masonite over the wood and apply wallpaper in the same manner as you would over drywall.

Paint

Don’t want to use paneling or wallpaper? Then consider the old standby, paint. The possibilities are endless where color is concerned. Thanks to computerized color mixing, you can take a swatch of literally anything in and have it matched. A piece of fabric, the flesh of an avocado, even a particular color spotted on an ad in your local newspaper can be duplicated. Just realize that a small color sample may not provide a true indication of what an entire room that color will look like. Make sure that’s the color you really want before you have it mixed, because you won’t be able to return it if you change your mind.

As far as colors popular today, that’s hard to say. However, at the present time there seems to be a lot of light pastels such as greens, blues and yellows being used in bathrooms. It’s pretty much your choice, but keep in mind that darker colors tend to make a room look smaller than it really is, especially if it’s a windowless interior bathroom.

When selecting your paint, color isn’t the only decision you’ll have to make. The store will want to know whether you want a gloss, semi-gloss or matte finish. With the quality of paint out there today, it’s mainly a matter of preference. Gloss, as the name implies, is bright and shiny. Semi-gloss doesn’t reflect as much as gloss does. As for matte, also known as satin or eggshell, it has just a slight sheen to it. Generally speaking, gloss is the easiest to clean and semi-gloss somewhat less. Matte can be the most difficult, especially if a child takes a marker to it. However, washable matte finish paints are also available if you prefer that finish. Paints with a true flat finish are also available, but are not recommended if you’re looking for something reasonably easy to clean.

One advantage to paint is that if you can hold a paintbrush or roller, you can paint…even if you’ve never done it before. All you need are some quality brushes, a paint roller and a few refills, painter’s masking tape and a ladder or stepstool. Once again, don’t be afraid to ask for advice from a paint store or take one of those free how-to clinics. Finally, if you’re still afraid to slop on that first brush full of paint because you’re afraid you’ll ruin something, get a scrap piece of plywood or lumber and practice.

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