How to Cover Walls with Fabric

Dress up your boring all-white walls and add texture to your room by putting fabric on walls. This is a great alternative for those that love the look of wallpaper, but don’t want to commit to the tedious task of installing it. With fabric walls, you won’t have the concern of torn wallpaper, and the removal process is much simpler than that of wallpaper. Fabric on walls looks elegant, and adds an usual texture to any living space.

Choosing wall fabric –

Any type of fabric can be used for fabric walls. If you are looking to cover walls with fabric in a high-traffic area, you will be wise to invest in a heavy-duty fabric. Otherwise, any type of medium-grade fabric will work just fine. If you’re decorating on a budget, choose a wall fabric with little to no pattern repeat. ‘Busy’ prints will require more fabric and will be take more time to hang. You can also hit the clearance aisles, or ask about fabric that has been discontinued to save a little money.

Taking measurements –

Before you can buy fabric or cover walls with fabric, you’ll need to take precise measurements of the area you plan on covering. To do to this, follow the steps listed in this article, ‘How to Measure for Wallpaper’. To make the task of placing fabric on walls a little easier, draw a rough outline of the room and write each measurement in the appropriate spot.

Trimming the fabric –

Lay out the fabric and measure the lengths of the cuts you will need. Be sure to allow for any pattern repeat. You’ll also want to add in 1″ to each measurement for trimming purposes. Label the back of each fabric strip (in pencil) indicating where each one will need to be installed – this will help speed up the process once you begin.

Supplies needed to cover walls with fabric –

– Wall fabric (cut into workable sections)
– Starch (Linit Starch)
– Plastic drop cloths
– Paint roller
– Paint tray
– Pushpins
– X-Acto Knife and several new blades
– Wallpaper brush
– Sponge

Follow these steps to cover walls with fabric:

STEP 1 – Wash the walls thoroughly beforehand to remove excess dirt. Allow to dry.

STEP 2 – Cover the flooring with the drop cloths.

STEP 3 – In the corner of the room, use a plumb line and mark a level line to ensure an even hang. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! If you don’t use a plumb line, your entire wall fabric will look uneven and give the appearance of a ‘leaning’ room.

STEP 4 – Pour starch into the paint tray and dip the roller into the starch. Roll the starch directly on the wall in the area where you will be adding the first strip of fabric.

STEP 5 – Quickly grab your first section of wall fabric and even it out with the mark from the plumb line. Begin working to add the entire sheet of fabric to the wall, smoothing as you go. The fabric will start to soak into the fabric, which will help hold it in place. Once you get the wall fabric in place, use pushpins to help hold it until it adheres to the wall completely.

STEP 6 – Smooth out any air bubbles with the wallpaper brush.

STEP 7 – Reload the paint roller with starch and roll over the fabric again. You want to really saturate the fabric, but not so much that the starch drips. Be liberal in your application in the seams to keep them from spreading apart.

STEP 8 – Use a clean sponge to wipe off any excess starch and remove the pushpins.

STEP 9 – Trim the excess wall fabric from both ends using the X-Acto knife. As soon as you notice the blade begin to dull, replace it with a new one to keep your cuts smooth.

STEP 10 – Repeat steps 4 – 9 while hanging all the other strips of wall fabric. Remember to carefully match any pattern repeats as you cover walls with fabric.

Related articles from Jennifer Wagner:

The Beauty and Functionality of Fabric Ceiling Treatments

How to Measure for Wallpaper

A Beginner’s Guide to Removing Wallpaper

SOURCE:

Personal knowledge and experience

Jennifer Wagner – Yahoo! Contributor Network

http://www.amazon.com/Linit-Classic-Finish-Liquid-Laundry/dp/B002UTOK46