At the risk of sounding absolutely insane, and most likely causing the raising of an eyebrow (or two), I’m here to tell you today that it’s not a myth- you can indeed wallpaper a floor! 

 

Thanks to DesignYourWall.com for partnering with me on this project.

Renting as a concept, is great.

It gives you the freedom to live wherever you choose (within your means), you dont have to worry about the cost of general house maintenance and it’s also much cheaper (and easier) to get on the renter ladder than it is the property one.. yada yada (I could go on, except this is a post for another day…) .

There is however, one slightly annoying clause to renting though… and that is the in-ability to decorate how you want. It might feel like your home, but you dont ‘own’ it.

Paint a dark feature wall … know you’ll have to paint it back.

Hang a picture… holes will need to be filled in.

Re-tile the bathroom …  that’s a crazy idea, let’s not carried away now!

New flooring just coz… erm that’s a big no!

Or rather, kind of pointless.

I mean I’m sure there are landlords out there who will be thrilled at the thought of you shelling out on new flooring, as you are essentially adding value to their house , but realistically speaking, unless you’re earning quite a few dosh (and if you are, put that money into saving for your own house!) it’s kind of out of the question .

FIY I’m not talking at you by the way, I’m talking about myself here. Yes I’m the crazy girl who wanted to change her flooring.

It’s kind of hard to photograph, but the flooring in my mini porch entrance was dark, had a million scratches and just generally looked dull and gloomy

 

 

I really wanted to give the whole area a freshen up, but didn’t feel like what I had in mind would match the floor. Replacing the laminate was a no go…

 

 

So.. guess what? I decided I would wallpaper it.

Yup you heard right. Wallpaper it!

And it’s not the first time either. A few years back I did the same thing to my rather ugly kitchen linoleum floor – and loved it! I’ve since moved from that house ( I can tell you now it was a total breeze to pull up), and I’ve been itching to try it again!

Just about the same time I was turning over wallpaper sources in my head, I was approached by a Wallpaper company based in  Los Angeles, called DesignYourWall.com. I liked that they had in-house designers for a more customised approach and together we worked to create a gorgeous print for my floor.

Heres another sneak peek.

 

 

MATERIALS NEEDED TO WALLPAPER A FLOOR

This post contains affiliates for your convenience, see full disclosure here

• Wallpaper (contact paper)
• Old card
• Xacto  Knife
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Floor varnish (clear Polyutherane)
• Paint stick stir
• Paint brush or floor varnish cloth applicator
• Sandpaper

 

A FEW THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU WALLPAPER A FLOOR

• I wouldn’t really advice large spaces for this concept.  The smaller the better i.e. Utility room,  toilet, bathroom, porch (foyer)etc.
• Ensure the flooring surface is flat and smooth before applying the wallpaper covering i.e fill in any imperfections with wood filler or sand if needed.
• I actually used a wallpaper with an adhesive backing in this tutorial. Its known as contact paper in the US but here in the UK  we often refer to it as Fablon or sticky back Vinyl.  If you are using standard wallpaper without a sticky back, you’ll need PVA (modpodge glue) or wallpaper glue to stick it down (see my previous post)

I think that’s it.. so lets get down to the nitty gritty!

UPDATE: MY HONEST THOUGHTS ON WALLPAPERED FLOOR – 2 YEARS ON! COME READ ABOUT IT HERE

 

STEPS: HOW TO WALLPAPER A FLOOR

HERE’S THE VIDEO TUTORIAL!

 

And here are all the steps!

 

1.Clean your surface well before applying the wallpaper (contact paper)

2.Measure and cut out the length of wallpaper you need. I admit to not completing this step initially as DesignYourWall had sent the exact fit for me (although slightly larger)

 

 

3. Peel back the backing of the wallpaper bit by bit and line it up against the edge of your floor. Use the other hand to  smooth out the paper with the card as you go. If you find air bubbles appear just lift the contact paper back up and smooth it out again.

4. Once the paper is in place, use an xacto knife and/or scissors to remove excess wallpaper and  neaten up the corners and edges.

 

 

5. Optional: Give the floor a light sanding with 220 – 280 fine sandpaper.

6. Vacuum up at any residue/dust.

 

 

7. Finally the floor needs to be sealed. Open a can of clear polyurethane and stir well. For best results, use a floor pad ( I used a paint brush) and apply it to the floor with long, even strokes. Let the floor dry for approximately four hours between coats.

(If you’re a UK reader, here is the exact source for this floor varnish)

 

 

You need at least 3 coats for a good seal. Make sure to leave the floor for at least 48hr to cure before moving in furniture. If in doubt, follow the instructions on the back of the can!

 

Here is the floor, 3 coats later

 

 

Furniture in – including the bench I made earlier this year and done!

 

 

Didn’t I tell you it was super easy!!

 

Here are some more pretty after shots of this entrance makeover.

I’ll be writing another post in a few days with a few more pictures and sources for some of the decor I used, so watch this space!

UPDATE: YOU CAN ALSO GET MY HONEST OPINION ON THIS FLOOR – YEARS ON HERE

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the Video

 

***This post was sponsored by DesignYourWall.com – you can visit their online store to browse all their fabulous wallpaper, mural and contact paper selections. I only partner with brands I LOVE and think you will LOVE too!  All ideas, photos and opinions are 100% my own

 

 

 

 

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