What Is Peelable Wallpaper?

An attractive option for renters or those who change their minds often, is peelable wallpaper. If you can’t possibly entertain the idea of putting up anything on the walls that have a semi-permanent quality, then a peelable wallpaper may be an excellent, low maintenance choice for you.

Peelable wallpaper, also called temporary wallpaper or renter’s wallpaper, consists of a vinyl face, and a paper based adhesive backing. Installing peelable wallpaper is the same as other wallpaper types, except there’s no need to apply paste to the back. The real difference between peelable and traditional dry papers (also called strippable), is found in the method used to remove it.

Traditional wallpaper adheres to the wall with a very tight bond, thanks to properly prepared walls and strong adhesive paste. Removing this wallpaper entails scoring and soaking it with soapy water or a remover solution, then peeling back large chunks, and scraping any stubborn bits left. This process, although so much easier than the wallpaper of decades ago, can still take a little bit of time.

Peelable wallpaper comes off very easily in comparison. Unpeeling an entire room’s worth of wallpaper usually takes less than 30 minutes. The only extra step you’ll have to deal with is anything left behind on the walls. While the top vinyl coating comes off during the process, some of the adhesive may be leftover on the wall surface.

Removing this part of the peelable paper is not difficult though. Follow manufacturer instructions — but typically you should be able to remove this leftover adhesive with a damp sponge or soapy water. Sometimes you may have to use a wallpaper removing solution.

Don’t be tempted to leave the leftover adhesive on, even if it’s not noticeable. If you’re renting, you’ll want to make sure the walls are in the same condition as they were before you wallpapered. If you’re replacing peelable wallpaper with new wallpaper, your walls need to be clean, smooth, and primed or sized.

One really nice thing about peelable wallpaper is that most of it is reusable. So, if you tire of it being in one room, you can move it to another room. Or, you can give your wallpaper away to friends or family once you’re done with it.

It’s reusability will be somewhat dependent on the quality of the peelable paper you choose, however. The use of peelable wallpaper has become a popular design element option in the last few years. As such, there seem to be plenty of manufacturers popping up everywhere offering peelable paper at retail stores that don’t necessarily specialize in wallpaper, or even home decor.

To enjoy the easiest installation, removal, and reuse, make sure you purchase a peelable wallpaper that is thick and durable, and not too cheap. Shop around and compare peelable wallpaper pricing. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.