Installing a Peel and Stick Wallpaper Backsplash

Well, hello there. It’s been a while, and a lot has happened since I last posted, which I’ll talk more about in just a sec. But first, I want to show you my new wallpaper backsplash that I am just absolutely in love with. Isn’t it just grand? In my humble opinion it looks amazing even though it’s a very budget-friendly peel-and-stick removable wallpaper. So let’s talk about putting wallpaper in a kitchen.

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Let me just first start off by saying that everyone, and I do mean everyone, told me that I’d be nuts to wallpaper my kitchen. I get it. You hear the word wallpaper and horrific visions of prepping, pasting, and (God forbid) peeling it off the walls pop into your head. There’s also the issue of having wallpaper in a kitchen where you have to contend with food and beverage stains. Needless to say, you wouldn’t think wallpaper is the best material for that type of setting.

So, why did I decide to go with removable wallpaper? Well, the first reason is that we needed a budget-friendly option. I quit my teaching job this year due to COVID concerns and our income has taken a bit of a hit. We were waiting to do tile, but we were just kind of living with an unfinished kitchen in the meantime. We also were not going to be able to visit family for Christmas this year and I wanted to have a more finished kitchen to make our Christmas at home a bit more comfortable and cozy.

I did a bit of research, and determined that removable wallpaper would be a perfect solution. First, it’s definitely within our budget. We did the entire backsplash for under $100. Second, it’s actually perfect for a kitchen. It’s vinyl so it just wipes clean. Finally, it can be a temporary solution if we ever want to do tile or another type of backsplash.

I was all in but Michael needed a bit more convincing. I told him that it would be one less project that he’d have to finish, and that pretty much sold him on the idea.

Planning and Prepping for Peel and Stick Wallpaper

Hanging removable wallpaper is a pretty simple DIY project, but there are some tips that make the process even easier. First, it seems obvious, but make sure you purchase a quality wallpaper. There are a lot of brands out there with varying price points and conditions. Some are basically cheap contact paper. You definitely don’t need to go with the most expensive option, but I’d try to go with a reputable brand. I love the RoomMates brand as I’ve used them before to create a wall mural on my son’s nursery wall, so I ended up going with them. When in doubt, make sure to read the reviews.

To make sure you get enough wallpaper, you can use the following steps. First, measure the length and width of the area you want to cover in inches. Multiply the two numbers together and divide by 144 to get the square footage. Divide that number by the square footage of each of the rolls you plan on purchasing. So if one roll covers 20 square feet, you would divide by 20. Then you should multiply by 1.15 and round up to a full roll to make sure you have some excess (which you will need).

I also would recommend ordering all the rolls at once. I did have to order one roll a couple months later than the others and I did notice a color difference in that one roll. It worked out for me though because I was placing it above the cabinets and the slight difference didn’t stand out. Still, I’d order them all at once if you can.

I ended up doing the entire installation on my own, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to have someone around to help. I also lucked out by choosing a simple scandi damask pattern that was incredibly easy to align. I had actually picked out some more colorful options but Michael was afraid they’d be too busy so we went with something more subdued. It’s a lot of grey and white but I’m painting a fun color on the other walls and will hopefully add a more colorful window treatment. Plus, I can always switch it out fairly easily, which is pretty great.

Most wallpapers work best when applied to clean, smooth walls. I washed my walls with a Simple Green cleaning solution and allowed them to dry for 24 hours before starting the wallpaper. I also removed all of my switch plates before starting.

You also are going to want to get a wallpaper tool kit. I went with one of the cheapest ones on Amazon and that was perfect. It comes with a number of tools, but I found that I mostly only used the blue felt-covered smoother and the craft knife (pictured below). Still those two tools are essential. The felt-covered smoother is the best thing to press the wallpaper against the wall and up behind narrow gaps between the cabinets or countertops and the wall. You can really press on it and the wallpaper won’t scratch or stretch.

Hanging the First Piece of Wallpaper

Alright, so let’s get real here. I’m about to tell you what you should do when hanging the first piece of wallpaper, and then I’ll tell you what I actually did.

Ideally, you want the wallpaper to bend around the corner of the wall, so before starting your first piece, you need to measure in from the corner and mark the wall at a point that is shorter than the width of your roll. Then use a level to draw a vertical line on the wall at that measurement. This will be the line that you use to align your first piece on the flat wall. The next piece will be aligned using the first piece and it will bend around the corner. Then you will carry on like that until the entire area is wallpapered. Now, what I actually did was to just start at end of my cabinets where I had a bit of door molding that I could use to align the first piece.

Once you know where you want to place your first piece, you then need to unroll and hold the wallpaper up to the wall and cut it leaving about 2 inches extra at the top and bottom. I then peel off the backing just at the top of the piece and carefully line up the edge of the wallpaper first. When I’m happy, I start smoothing it from the top down, removing the backing as I go. I may smooth by hand first and then go over it again with the smoother. I then use the smoother to push the excess wallpaper behind the cabinets, cutting any extra using my craft knife, if necessary.

Hanging Peel and Stick Wallpaper

For the next roll, you need to line up the pattern at the side edges. Unroll the next piece of wallpaper, holding it up to the first and making sure that the patterns align. You’ll probably have a lot more excess at the top or bottom. Cut this piece, making sure to cut off the larger excess while leaving a little excess at the top and bottom. Apply it the same way you did the first piece, lining up the edge first and then smoothing from top to bottom. If you have a long strip you’re applying, this is where it would come in handy to have a friend help.

You are going to continue like this using the previous piece of wallpaper to line up the next. It starts to get a little tricky when you encounter windows or other obstacles. In those instances, I would just apply the roll normally, but then cut off excess as I was smoothing it on. Luckily, the peel and stick wallpaper is fairly forgiving. There were instances when I had to peel it off and reapply, and it was fine.

Frequently Asked Questions About My Wallpaper Backsplash

So, I get a lot of questions about my wallpaper backsplash. Everyone wants to know if it actually cleans well, and it really does. In fact, it’s amazing in terms of cleaning. I love pomegranates but I still haven’t figured out how to peel them without my kitchen looking like a crime scene. With the wallpaper, I simply wipe down the wall with a damp cloth and it looks just like new. It really is awesome.

I’ve also been asked if wallpaper is safe to apply around a stove. Well, technically they are not supposed to be applied so close to the stove. We do plan on replacing them with a piece of metal in that area. For now though, we have had no problems with them. We just keep an eye on them when we are using the burners closest to that wall.

I also get asked about durability and so far so good. The wallpaper has stayed up and I haven’t had any problems with it warping or it losing adhesion. Do I think it’s a long-term solution? Maybe not, but I think you could use it for a number of years before replacing it. If you like to switch up your style occasionally, this might be a perfect solution. If you just want to be done with the space, then maybe consider something more permanent.

Overall, I’m incredibly happy with my choice to wallpaper my backsplash. We will probably add tile at some point, but this is a perfect solution in the meantime. It’s inexpensive, fairly easy to apply, and beautiful, so give it a try if you’re on the fence. What have you got to lose?