The task of attaching a paste-required mural to your own wall can seem like a daunting task, but the following instructions will teach you how to install a paste-required of your very own and add personality to your walls! Most paste-required murals are made of vinyl. Click here to read up on how to install a peel-and-stick mural, and here if you're installing a prepasted (traditional) wallpaper.
Here's what you'll need to install a vinyl wall mural:
- A mural
- Permeable adhesive
- Bristle brush roller, paint roller, or pasting machine
- Limitless Walls Squeegee, wallcovering brush, or plastic scraper
- Yellow cellulose sponge
- Pencil (do NOT use pen--ballpoint or marking)
- X-Acto or other sharp knife (if multiple panels or irregularly-shaped walls)
- Level (recommended)
- White mildew-killing primer (recommended)
- Protective topcoat (recommended)
We strongly suggest having this mural installation be a multi-person job, so find an extra pair of hands!
How to Install a Wall Mural on Irregular Walls:
- To compensate for irregular ceilings, measure the difference between the starting point and the highest point on the wall. Note that difference with a pencil on the first (or only) panel of the mural.
- Using a knife, cut the mural to fit.
Pre-Installation Preparation
Note: Mural must be stored at a temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 48 hours before installation. Also, you must use a pencil to make marks on the wall or on the back of the mural--a ballpoint or marking pen could bleed through the mural.
- Clean the walls. Remove all previous wallpaper or any loose paint.
- Make sure the walls are dry. Walls that are wet when the mural is applied have the potential to produce mildew over time. After making sure the walls are dry, wipe down the walls with Lysol, bleach, or any safe product that will curb the growth of mildew.
- At this point, we recommend adding a layer of white mildew-inhibiting wallcovering primer. We recommend Zinsser Shieldz Universal Wallcovering Primer. This will provide a uniform, neutral surface for pasting the wall mural to the wall and will prevent mildew from growing.
Adhesive Application
- Find a high quality permeable adhesive. We recommend Roman ECO-888 adhesive or Zinsser SureGrip 122 adhesive.
- Turn the mural over so the front is on the ground. Pour the adhesive onto the back of the wall mural.
- Use a bristle brush roller, a paint roller, or a pasting machine to evenly spread the adhesive on the back of the mural. Make especially sure that the adhesive reaches the corners of the mural.
- Once the adhesive is evenly spread and the mural is still face-down, fold top and the bottom edges of the mural so that the edges meet in the middle of the mural, edges pasted down.
- Let the mural relax, or "book" for 10 minutes. Booking allows the adhesive to penetrate the wall covering, allowing a stronger bond and strengthening the seams in the vinyl or other material.
Applying to Surface
Note: Line up patterns in a multi-panel mural by examining the panels at eye level, do NOT line up panels based on the edges of the murals.
- Unfold the mural, placing the top of the mural on the wall. Use a level to determine that the mural is straight. Shift the mural slightly to be straight, if necessary.
- Using the Limitless Walls squeegee or equivalent, smooth out the top of the mural.
- Continue pressing the mural to the wall with the squeegee from the center of the mural out to the sides. Make sure there are no bubbles in the mural.
- Quickly remove any adhesive on the front of the mural; it will leave a white residue if not cleaned. Use a cellulose sponge with clean water to remove the adhesive. Immediately blot dry with a lint-free cloth.
- Use a soft bristle brush to clean any adhesive from the ceiling or baseboard.
- In the weeks after installation, make note of any potential moisture infiltration.
If you are only installing single panel mural, you are done! If installing a multi-panel mural, here are a few extra tips on how to install a wall mural with multiple panels.
How to Install a Wall Mural with Multiple Panels
Note: Do NOT butt seams -- placing the panels so that the edges touch. All of our murals are printed with a two-inch overlap.
- Repeat the Adhesive Application and Applying to Surface steps for additional murals. Note the two-inch overlap. Panel #2 will slightly cover the first panel (and so on for additional panels).
- If you wish to decrease seam visibility, you may perform a double cut.
- Find the center of the overlap. For example, if there are two inches of overlap between the panels, the center is one inch in.
- Using a sharp knife, cut through both layers of material beginning at the top of the panels. Cutting all the way down without lifting the blade will help ensure an even cut.
- Once the entire cut has been made, pull off the excess material. To pick up the excess material underneath the top layer, you will have to peel back the top layer, remove the material, and re-smooth both layers of material.
- Repeat for as many additional panels as necessary.
After reading this and learning how to install a vinyl or other paste-required wall mural, you will be able to do it yourself!