I live in an old home and many times the plastered walls have cracks in them. Here is an alternative if the cracks keep showing up soon after you paint. I "papered" my walls in brown paper and rosin paper that have been painted.
I wanted to go with a copper theme and have always wanted an elegant bathroom so I took pieces of brown craft paper and tore them into irregular pieces, saving some of the ones with a straight edge for where the ceiling and the wall meet. I then crumpled them all up very hard and then semi smoothed them out so that you could clearly see the wrinkles in them.
I used a sponge brush and brushed on copper leaf paint on some, barely touching the surface of the wrinkles and then used gold spray paint on others. Let them dry (doesn't take long at all) and then apply them with wallpaper paste. The wall should be sized first.
I already have a claw foot tub and my kids inserted a sink into a dresser that I faux painted and applied copper paint stenciling. I had rough plastered walls so the roughness of the walls added to the dimension of the treatment. My curtains are copper colored and I made a shower curtain with some copper color in it and put copper colored beading on the edges. I painted the bottom of my claw foot bathtub brown.
By Elaine from Belle Plaine, IA
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The walls in my bathroom were not in super good shape when I bought my 100 year old house, they had the old bumpy type plaster. After several attempts at painting, I finally came upon a solution.
Do I need to prime the wall first if I am using the brown paper bag technique and do I put anything on top of the bags to seal the wall or coat them like a glaze or something?
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I want to do the brown bag wallpaper treatment on my wall. Can I use wrapping paper instead?
By Cindy
I think wrapping paper would be too flimsy to use for a wallpaper treatment, but you don't have to use brown paper bags either. You can buy brown craft paper in large rolls at places like Office Depot. Do a Google search for "brown craft paper" to find out where else you can buy it.
They sell brown kraft / craft paper just about everywhere, including dollar stores (although you can get a bigger roll elsewhere).
Yes you can. I did my bathroom using this method and some copper paint and gold paint. I get many compliments on it.
Sorry, I thought you meant craft paper not wrapping paper. I got mine at Walmart but I think the $1 stores have it too.
The use of paper bags from different stores makes a great effect, they are slightly different in color. I did this in a large living room and did the top half, the bottom have was wood paneling.
I am currently looking to brown paper bag the walls in my living room. Can you tell me if you can do this procedure over existing wallpaper?
I have never seen it done on walls, but a long time ago, I saw it done in a small ice cream shop in Old San Diego. The worker would tear the pieces in "flagstone" irregular shapes, then slightly brown the eges. This let him overlap the piece on the floor already, for a "random look". which he glued down.
Sounds interesting! Please send pictures of the end results. Tx. Jann
I don't know specifically about brown paper bagging, but I do know that you can wallpaper over wallpaper, as long as it isn't vinyl or some fancy flocked stuff. I would think you could glue the brown paper right overtop of the existing wallpaper, using whatever glue you intended to use.
For anyone who is contemplating brown paper treatment over existing wallpaper, I have found it to be easier to lose the wallpaper. It does not adhere to the wallpaper.
Thanks so much for the feedback, I do appreciate your help! Project is still in process.
I used this technique in my entry. There were over 4 layers of old wallpaper. I chose to remove because they were lifting. If your wallpaper is in good shape, it should be ok. But I'd suggest sizing it first.
Can I put brown paper on my walls before wallpapering them? I have some walls that that paneling on them, and it shows through the paper.
You can, but having bought a house where stuff like that was done, I strongly do not recommend it. It is a nightmare to get it all off and the brown paper can attract silverfish. Actually, I am anti wall paper completely for that reason, but that is me. The brown paper just makes it worse.
If you have to so something to paneling, painting and stenciling seems to be the easiest and less troublesome for making changes in the future.
Post back what you decide!
I would fill in the grooves with caulk or putty, and smooth out.
Paper bag/wallpaper is not the best choice! Your home improvement store has a great line of spackle/caulk fillers that would be great for filling in spaces,cracks and holes!
Can you use construction paper or even a wallpaper picked up at a thrift store for brown bag wall treatment? I can't find colored paper, only mauve and brown. I want green. What bond paper is acceptable.
Also, it was mentioned about Draw Tite. I can't find it anywhere and the address given is non existent. I do however see that others have found it. I have five cats and a parrot and need to know if the Draw Tite is odorless. Also there is another product called Gripper. Anyone familiar with that? If so is it comparable to the Draw-Tite?
I am also confused (normally lol) about the edges? Do I overlap around the corner? I know I will have a zillion more questions, but for now, please help.
By kali from RI
You can tear pieces of brown paper or red rosin paper and spray paint them to get the color you want. First crinkle the chunks and then spray. I did my bathroom in a copper and gold and get many compliments on it. This is a portion of the wall that I did.
Hi Laniegirl,
I have been in awe of the work you did on this wall. Actually by accident I clicked on the wrong thing when I was saving it to my pics and it is now the background on my computer. lol.
Can you paint over it? Will that seal it? I love the texture it gives the wall, but am not fond of the brown. I am wondering if I can paint it a color I want?
I have seen it painted twice--once was a black wall in a restaurant, and a former coworker had a wall that she painted a deep red. I am not sure what type of paint she used, however it looked good.
It is possible to paint over wallpaper, provided that it isn't peeling in any spots.
We are replacing the shower, shower walls, and floor in one of our bathrooms. Looking around it is going to cost more for the shower walls than the oversized tub/shower we want, because of the odd size. I am wondering if the paper bag wallpaper is water tight enough to be used "in the shower" as the walls. I want to do the floors that way also. So, I guess what I'm asking is, can I do the floor and the walls "inside" the shower, without danger of water damage?
By Angie from Modesto, CA
No, it would not be waterproof. But, they do make a waterproof shower panel that they sell at lowes and home depot.
You can water proof the paper for the walls of the shower but anywhere the water will linger you can not.
BUT....you might be able to use clear exopy for the floors and go up the sides a bit. The install the drain screen.
I'm looking for Paper Illusion wallpaper in a light color. This is the tear, dip, and apply type of paper. Any help appreciated. TY
Do you put the paste on one side or both sides of the paper?
By Juanita T. from Junction City, AR
You would only put paste on one side, so it would stick to the wall.
I covered one of my kid's room walls with brown kraft paper. Though it looks good, since it is a kid's room (boys), something looks missing. The curtains in the room are of a dark green color with gold leaves. Can someone please suggest what can be added to this wall to make it look good of a boy's room.
By R from India
Hi - it would be very helpful if you could add a couple of photos.
I bought my home with one of the bathrooms done in brown paper bag; I love it. But above the shower it got wet and part of it is coming up, how do I fix it? And how can I clean a spot on the wall?
By Tina P. from KY
I just wanted the most up-to-date information and instructions for the brown paper bag wall treatment. I have walls that have groves, dips, and I don't want to hassle with all the drywall stuff. I think this is an awesome way to make your walls look like they were done by a pro, and very expensive. Thanks in advance for your help!
By Marjorie
I did my office walls using this technique (brown paper bag wallpaper) two days ago. What do you suggest as far as using as a stain to give it more depth and also, (the biggest question) what do you seal it with? You mentioned thinned varnish. What do you thin your varnish with? My walls look great so far, but they really need to be finished. Thanks so much!
By Carrie
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Makes it look like a leather or suede look. It's fantastic and if there is a spill or a piece is damaged later you can just add a piece.
