The Wallpaper from Hell

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My first project of 2024 finds me updating my hallway with board and batten wainscoting and peel and stick wallpaper treatment at the top. My go to for wood trim treatments is always MDF as I find it so much easier to work with but, gosh, has the price of MDF inflated! Like I was shocked! But I found a decent dealt for 2"x8' mdf at Lowe's and this determined the size boards I would use for my wainscoting. 

Often I have a basic plan in my head of what I want to do but this project found me all over the place. I bopped between painting the hallway and doing a focal point wall for the entrance, then I thought about board and batten with stencil for the top. Don't get me started on my plan for the board and batten! But ultimately, the price I found for 2" at Lowe's made my decision and I went for it with no particular install plan in mind (which is pretty typical of how I roll!). 

Since I usually worked on this project while I was home alone, I chose to use the traditional miter box. Figured it would be harder to cut off a finger that way!

Since I am NOT a math person, I did not calculate spacing but I put 10" in between each board. Too make it even easier, I made the length 4' so I could cut each 8' foot trim in half. While it didn't work every time, it worked the majority of the time. Chalk it up to an old house and uneven walls!

After cutting, I taped each board in place and used the level to make sure they were not crooked. I then used a brad nailer to secure them to the wall but only after I 'dry fitted' the whole wall section.

Isn't brad nailing fun!

This is the end result. I was a little worried how it would look with the 3" baseboards but love it honestly!

After installing the trim, I caulked it wherever there were gaps (and yes, there were some!), then I painted the caulk and MDF trim with the base wall color.

Any general caulk will work. Tip: I soaked the tube in hot water to soften the caulk which helps to squeeze it evenly out of the tube. I then took a artist paint brush, dipped in warm water, and ran it over the caulk. This will result in smooth seams.

I had been eyeing this wallpaper for a few months and absolutely LOVE the pattern. That said, it is apparently available through different wallpaper sites but not sure if the manufacturer is NUWallpaper for all but it was HORRIBLE!

I cannot say enough bad things about this wallpaper and the time and effort it has taken me to install and make it look right. The wallpaper (I used 9 rolls and every roll was bad) was rolled with lots of wrinkles in the wallpaper that were closed to impossible to flatten. After installing, lifting it and stretching to smooth it out multiple times, FINALLY the wrinkles would start to flatten!

This is an example of the wrinkles. Some rolls were worse than others.

But, I am nearing the end and still, despite the issues I had (like my step stool collapsing, my incorrect measurements due to a rough pattern repeat, I finally am nearing the end. Would I do it again? Probably not but still, I LOVE it!!

Since I previously had repainted the hallway, and walls are not textured, I used the wall for the recessed part, added the MDF, caulked and painted MDF with the wall color to all blend seamlessly together as one.

As soon as I recover from this project, will find me refreshing our bathroom.

Quick pic of our bathroom. Read more about the original update here.

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