You’ve seen it everywhere – In your friend’s house, at Lowes in the décor aisle, on your favorite influencer’s Instagram feed (I may have posted a few…). Peel and stick wallpaper is a fun and easy way to add some flair to your home without the long-term commitment of standard wallpaper, but it is worth it? Does the quality stand up next to reputable, premium wallpaper? Will it stay on the wall? Will it damage the wall when I take it down? These are all valid questions that I get from my clients all the time. And I get it. Wallpaper can be so confusing! But don’t you worry. I’m going to fill you in on all the pros and cons of peel and stick wallpaper.
Why should I use peel and stick wallpaper?
The first question to ask yourself is: Why do I want peel and stick wallpaper instead of standard wallpaper?
Is it because it’s easier to install and easier to remove? Are you afraid the standard wallpaper will get damaged? Do you feel it’s usually cheaper than the normal stuff? These are all valid thoughts. Let’s dive right in!
Here are some cases where peel and stick wallpaper is the perfect thing for you to use:
You’re looking for something temporary .
If you want a temporary wallpaper option that will be easier to remove later, then peel and stick is a great choice. Most reputable brands like York Wallcoverings, NuWallpaper, and Spoonflower will come off the wall easily. That means no steamers or scrapers required, and no glue residue will be left behind. With any peel and stick wallpaper, you always run the risk of having some paint peel off the wall. When this happens, it usually means that the paint on the walls was sprayed on thin, it’s a flat sheen, or the walls were not primed well. Either way, it won’t damage nearly as much as a standard wallpaper with glue might. And if it does damage it, it’s nothing that a little spackle and touch up some paint won’t quickly fix.
You want a fun wallpaper design.
If you own an AirBnB, then you’ll want to decorate it with a fun wallpaper that gets noticed. Something I’ve heard from many designers and investors is that the crazier the designs, the more money they make on their rentals (especially here in Nashville). When you’re looking for a colorful, vibrant pattern that is washable, peel and stick is the way to go! One of my favorite websites to shop for vibrant and fun patterns is Spoonflower. They even have matching fabrics to go with the wallpaper! But what about those wild bachelorette parties that always book your place? If you’re worried about the paper getting damaged, be sure to keep the scraps or buy a little extra that you can use to patch any areas with later.
You need wallpaper that can hold up to a 3-year-old.
Everyone knows that a kid’s room can get messy. That’s why peel and stick wallpaper can be great for a nursery or a playroom. That way there is no harm done if a little paint or marker gets on the wallpaper. Believe it or not, most peel and stick wallpaper is washable. So that makes it the perfect fit for an area that has a risk of getting a bit messy. And in the end, remember that it’s just a big sticker. Which is why we recommend keeping those scraps so that you can repair any areas by sticking a new piece over a damaged area.
Your walls are painted with flat paint.
Do you have flat paint on your walls? Well that’s perfect for peel and stick wallpaper! That’s because it works great on walls with flat paint. And if you have satin paint, then be sure to use a higher quality vinyl peel and stick. Trust me. You’ll be happy that you did.
When is peel and stick wallpaper not a great idea?
Satin or semi-gloss paint and peel and stick wallpaper don’t mix.
After installing hundreds of peel and stick wallpaper rolls, I can tell you that the few times my clients have had an issue with the paper not sticking is when they had satin or semi-gloss paint on the walls. Oil based paints will also create an issue. That is because peel and stick wallpaper does not like any type of sheen. If you do have these types of paints on your walls, you can still use peel and stick wallpaper. Although, you will need to prime them first. That just means painting on a primer and letting it dry before you install your wallpaper. I like using Kilz or Zinsser Bulls Eye water based primer. Just be sure you don’t buy any oil based primer!
It’s a steamy room.
If you are trying to use peel and stick wallpaper in a bathroom with a shower that creates a lot of steam, then think again. Steam and peel and stick wallpaper do not mix. That is because the steam will activate the sticker adhesive in the paper which will make it peel off the walls. In bathrooms, I always recommend standard wallpaper that you glue to the wall for longevity purposes.
Your vents point directly on your wallpaper.
If your heat and air vents blow towards the wall you want to wallpaper, then think twice about using peel and stick. I hate to tell you this, but the air will cause the wallpaper to not stick for very long. If you have this problem, then see if you can install new vents that direct the airflow away from the wall that you are wallpapering.
BONUS TIP: Contact paper and peel and stick wallpaper are not the same thing.
It’s labeled as ‘Contact Paper’ then just don’t do it. Contact paper is great for drawers or the back of bookcases, but not for walls. Be careful before you buy it! But if you are looking for contact paper for your drawers, here is one that I love.
Where can I buy wallpaper from?
Now that we have discussed when and where not to use peel and stick wallpaper, let’s talk about where you can buy it. There are many places where you can buy peel and stick wallpaper from, both in person and online. These are the places that I like to use, and also a few that I like to stay away from.
Loews and Home Depot
Lowes and Home Depot both have a small selection of peel and stick wallpaper in store, but don’t worry, they have a ton more online! Lowes even carries the Property Brothers line of wallpaper, which is a decent quality and also has some cute print options. These big name stores are also your best bet if you need to return any of the unopened leftover rolls. It’s also great if you’re not sure if you will like the print or colors in person. Lowes and Home Depot will take any returns, so you can buy online and return in store. Easy as that!
Amazon
Amazon is also a great resource for peel and stick wallpaper, just stay away from the brand called ‘Haok’ – it’s just cheap contact paper. Some brands that are cost effective but still a decent quality are Nextwall, Roommates, and Tempaper. There are many more out there, but these are the only ones I can speak to personally.
Walmart
They sell a lot of the same brands you will find on Amazon. Of everything you can find on their website, I would recommend NuWallpaper over the others.
Direct from the Source
When I can, I like to shop online for peel and stick wallpaper directly from the company who produces it. My top 4 are York Wallcoverings, Spoonflower, Wall Blush, and Love vs. Design. More on that below!
Watch out at Home Goods or TJ Maxx!
Any time I have seen ‘wallpaper’ here, it’s nothing more than contact paper. As I told you above, contact paper is not great for your walls. But go ahead and add it to your bookcase, girl!
Which peel and stick wallpaper is the best?
Not all peel and stick wallpaper is created equal! After years of trying different brands and seeing the difference in quality between manufacturers, these are the top four wallpaper companies that I like to shop with.
York Wallcoverings
York Wallcoverings makes some of the best peel and stick wallpaper that I’ve ever seen. You can shop directly on their website, of you can shop their store on Amazon. Remember that you don’t need to be a designer to shop direct! York Wallcoverings also partners with various designers to create the most beautiful wallpaper prints. Some of my favorites are by Magnolia Home and Candice Olsen. This is my top recommendation for great quality, great price, and great print options. If it’s good enough for Joanna Gaines, then it’s good enough for me!
Spoonflower
Spoonflower is a unique shopping experience that I love! All prints on their website are designed by independent artists who get a portion of the sale when you buy their print. Here’s how it works – The designer creates the print and uploads it to Spoonflower. You shop on Spoonflower for the print you love. You order that print on your choice of standard wallpaper, peel and stick wallpaper, curtains, pillows and more. Then the artist gets a percentage of the sale and Spoonflower manufactures/prints the wallpaper and ships it directly to you. The peel and stick wallpaper from Spoonflower is a great quality vinyl. It’s very easy to install for any DIYer. The paper is made with a ½” overlap to make installation easy, but that overlap is visible up close. In my opinion, I don’t typically notice it that much (it’s more noticeable with solid/darker prints), but it’s something to keep in mind if a visible overlapped seam looking up close to the wall is going to bother you.
Wall Blush and Love vs. Design
Wall Blush and Love vs. Design both offer a high-quality vinyl similar to Spoonflower, and the prints are super cute for kid’s rooms in particular. They are both small businesses, which I love to support. Love vs. Design will even allow you to customize your own wallpaper with various color options available for each print. These options also come with an overlap, but again, I really don’t mind it.
Budget friendly wallpaper options
For those of you who have a tighter budget, here are the best bargain wallpaper options.
NuWallpaper, Tempaper, NextWall, and Roommates. These are not the worst options (i.e. contact paper), but they also aren’t the best. I guess you could say these are great ‘bargain basement’ options. The quality of the paper is much thinner, and it will stretch and bend more as well, making installation a little more difficult. But, if you’re wanting the most cost-effective option, these brands are your best bet at $25-$35 per roll.
What tools do I need to install peel and stick wallpaper?
Now that you have your wallpaper selected, here are the tools you will need to make the job easier. You can also find a list of tools I like to use as well as wallpaper ideas on my LTK.
Laser Measure
Get yourself one even if you don’t install any wallpaper! This is the #1 used tool in my business by far (I actually own 4 of them!). The laser measure will help you measure any distance up to 65’ long without using a tape measurer – all you do is click the button! If you don’t have a laser measurer, a tape measurer will also work.
Laser Level
This is an absolute life saver! It’s so important to get that first piece perfectly straight, or it will throw off every piece after that. Here’s a great one to get started with.
Smoothing Tool
Some brands (like Spoonflower) include a smoothing tool for you. Don’t worry if they don’t send one though. You can grab one for a few bucks on Amazon.
Pencil
You’ll need a pencil to mark the location where your first strip needs to go on the wall. Pro tip: You’ll use the width of the wallpaper minus ½” to compensate for crooked walls.
Scissors
No mystery here… it’s to cut the paper. Need I say more?
I hope this information was helpful (and hopefully not too overwhelming). There are so many options out there when it comes to peel and stick wallpaper, and there is equally as much conflicting information! Ultimately, do whatever is best for you. It’s your house; you make the decisions. Ignore everyone else’s comments or opinions. Peel and stick wallpaper is meant to be FUN and not pretentious. Plus, who wants to deal with glue anyway!?
I hope you enjoy this blog, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more DIY and wallpaper content! Happy wallpapering!
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