Since moving into our home in July we’ve never really had a comfortable place for guests to stay to spend the night. We really needed a single room for family to rest so when Photowall asked if I would be interested in a collaboration I jumped at the opportunity.

I knew the guest room would be the perfect place to add an accent wall using wallpaper and shiplap. Photowall carries thousands of options from murals to patterns and prints for artwork.

I decided on the Rose in Winter Spruce. I love the shades of green and the abstract floral print. I also ordered a wallpaper kit which came with everything you need to install it.

We started off installing the shiplap paneling. We bought this at Lowes for $40 per 4’x8′ sheet and had them cut it down to 4’x4′ sheets. This way the only cutting we would have to do would be adjustments for our uneven walls (old house problems!) and around outlets or vents.

Shiplap Panel Installation

First step to an easy installation and professional looking end result is the preparation work. It is important to install these panels on a flat wall. They are rigid and do not bend easily. The method of attaching them is a little forgiving, but not if you have large bulges or lumps in the walls like we did. In the picture below you’ll see we had to cut out part of the plaster to help make the wall flat enough that the panel would sit flush.

Make modifications as needed to correct the surface of your wall. Luckily this is the only spot we had to cut out.

Next using Liquid Nails Paneling and Molding Construction Adhesive or a strong construction adhesive like Loctite PL Premium glue the wall paneling to the wall. You will need a caulk gun to apply the glue to the wall.

The directions say to apply the glue in a zig-zag pattern one inch from the edge of the panel. I had marked the edges of my panels on the wall and glued directly to the wall. I applied a generous blob around any divots in the wall so when I pressed the panel to the wall it would squish the glue and spread out.

While the glue dries you can use a brad nail gun to hold the panels in place. I have the Ryobi ONE+ 18V 18g Cordless Airstrike. Nail all round the edges and a few in the center. I put 3-4 on each end and wherever I saw there was movement when pushing on the paneling. It helps to have a second pair of hands to hold the panel in place.

Make sure your brad nail gun’s setting are allowing the nails to countersink themselves in the paneling. They should sink just below the surface of the paneling so you can fill in the holes an paint over them

To fill in the holes you can use joint compound or spackle. I used DAP DryDex Spackling Paste because I had it available, it dries quickly, and its easy to sand. It applies pink and when it’s dry it will turn white. Sand with a sanding sponge and wipe the dust off with a microfiber cloth. The paneling is already primed so once you feel like all your nail holes have been smoothed over it’s ready to be painted.

Wallpaper Installation

Prep Work

Remove any nails, hooks, or other obstacles from the wall, and fill in any holes or cracks with spackling paste. You can use a sanding sponge and a tack cloth or damp cloth to remove any dust or debris.

Collect Materials

You will need a level, pencil, razor blade, paste and smoothing brushes, seam rollers and straight-edge scrapers for setting paper in corners. You can purchase this kit from Photowall during checkout or you can buy a similar kit from Amazon.

Cut Wallpaper Panels

Each section of panel has been pre-cut for you based on the measurements you provide during the ordering process. Simply cut along the cut lines as marked by scissors on the roll.

Mix Paste

Each roll of paper comes with a packet of paste. Using a clean bucket, mix paste according to the directions on the label.

Apply Wallpaper

While you wait for the paste to set up prepare to install the fits panel. Using a level mark a vertical line on the wall with width of one wallpaper panel. Using the paste brush apply the paste to the wall starting with panel #1 from left to right. Cover about 2″ over the line to ensure you thoroughly coat the seam.

Gently place from top to bottom the wallpaper to the pasted wall. Using your smoothing brush, push out any air bubbles from behind the wallpaper. Install the next sheet using the same instructions and then roll the seam.

Trim Excess

Trim and touch up. Once all of the wallpaper is hung, use a straight edge and a sharp utility knife to trim away any excess wallpaper around the edges. I cut the excess as I was applying the wallpaper to the walls because it was easier to ensure the ends were adequately glued to the wall before the paste dried.

Finishing Details

To finish the wall off, I decided to add trim at the top of the shiplap panels and a crown molding at the ceiling. Cut to size and use a brad nail gun to secure the trim pieces to the wall. It is best to paint before attaching to the wall.

And that’s it! With a little bit of patience and the right tools, you can easily install wallpaper in your home. Whether you’re looking to refresh a single room or transform your entire home, wallpaper is a versatile and affordable way to add character and style.