by Craig | Apr 7, 2021 | Wallpaper installation
So you’ve heard a lot about wallpaper these days. Why should you consider it fo your Toronto home?
There are many advantages to choosing wallpaper for some walls in your home, especially if you have the work done by a good installer.
What about the drawbacks?
“I’ve heard that wallpaper is difficult to remove, so although I’d like to wallpaper, I’m just not sure…”
This is a common concern that I hear about wallpaper. I fact, I’ve had my fair share of wallpaper removals that have been extremely time consuming. Why is this? In all likelihood the walls were not properly primed. The walls need to be primed either with an oil primer or a specific wallpaper primer in order for the walls to be protected when the wallpaper is eventually stripped. If the incorrect primer is used chunks of paint and plaster will come off when the wallpaper is removed, resulting in a lot of patchwork to make the walls smooth again.
Therefore, when selecting a wallpaper installer it is critical to make sure that they will prime the walls with the appropriate primer. If this step is done, when it comes time to remove the wallpaper and redo the walls, damage will be very minimal.
What are the advantages of choosing wallpaper over paint?
Design
There are far more design possibilities with wallpaper than with paint. If you can think of a design that you want on your walls, chances are that you can find a wallpaper that will fit the bill. Even if you can’t find a wallpaper that you like, there are places that will print a custom mural, making the design possibilities limitless.
Pattern
There are painters that can do striped walls, stencilled walls and other decorative techniques. However, for intricate patterns it’s hard to beat wallpaper. The 
patterns can be extremely intricate, far more so than a decorative painter can achieve.
Texture
This is where wallpaper really shines. Different levels of gloss in the design, different textures, rich velvets, woven materials such as grasscloth and silk, beads and glitter. It’s amazing what can be done! Pictures don’t tell the story here, textures really shine at different angles and in different lights.
If you’re new to wallpaper it’s okay to start small…
How about doing an accent wall in a bedroom, maybe a powder room? These are areas where you can have a touch of pattern, with wallpaper a little goes a long way!
So, if you’d like to liven up your walls with some wallpaper, why don’t you book a quote? We’d love to Transform Your Home With Lasting Beauty!
by Craig | Jun 9, 2018 | General posts, Wallpaper installation
Wallpaper can be difficult to remove sometimes. Sometimes it does damage to the walls when it’s removed. In these cases can we wallpaper over the existing wallpaper in your Toronto home?
In most cases the answer is yes, if certain steps are followed so that the new wallpaper adheres properly to the surface.
First, Let’s see if the existing paper will come off…
It’s best if the existing wallpaper can be removed. If not, there are 2 layers of paper that have to be stripped the next time that the walls are either painted or papered.
At CAM Painters we have various tips and tricks to remove wallpaper so that it can be done in the most efficient manner. So it’s worth at least exploring removal.
READ MORE: How do I remove wallpaper in my Toronto home?
Is the existing paper smooth?
If the existing wallpaper has a texture, that texture can show through the new wallpaper. A heavier wallpaper can hide the texture of the previous wallpaper, so it’s helpful to choose something that’s a little thicker.
If the texture is very pronounced, it’s better not to take any chances and to strip the current wallpaper. With the help of some useful tools, like a steamer and putty knife, the wallpaper should come off quite easily. Sites like https://www.raise.com/coupons/home-depot can help you make a saving on DIY tools if you don’t have any appropriate tools already. These savings are also great if your planning to do other renovations in your home too because it means the money saved can go towards better quality products like paints, wallpaper or furnishings.
Is the existing wallpaper sound?
If the existing wallpaper is starting to lift at the seams or is bubbling, this could cause problems with a subsequent layer of wallpaper. Therefore, it’s best to remove the existing wallpaper if possible.
Here are the steps we take to install new wallpaper over existing wallpaper
- Any lifting or bubbling sections of wallpaper are cut out; We want to make sure that we have a firm base to work from.
- The existing wallpaper is coated with a high quality wallpaper primer.
- A visual inspection is done to the walls. Once the primer dries, bubbles can appear and seams can lift which were not apparent before. We want to make sure that we have a sound base to work from.
- If any lifting wallpaper was removed, these areas need to be spot primed.
- Any areas of wallpaper that have been removed need a thin layer of drywall patch to make the wall smooth and even.
- Once dry, the drywall patch needs to be spot primed.
Once these steps have been done, we’re ready to hang wallpaper, just like a normal wallpaper installation!
READ MORE: How much does it cost to wallpaper a room in my Toronto home?
So, if you have existing wallpaper on your walls and would like something new, there are a couple of different processes that we can use. These options are discussed with our clients and we can move forward based on what is both most durable and most cost effective.
So if you’d like to Transform Your Home With Lasting Beauty why don’t you book a quote?
by Craig | Mar 29, 2018 | Wallpaper installation
You’re in love with wallpaper, however, many older Toronto homes are plagued with uneven walls. Many renovations and DIY projects have left corners less than square. Plaster walls can look a little lumpy and humpy in parts. What’s a homeowner to do? Can wallpaper still be installed?
Yes it can! Here are some guidelines that will make it look it’s best….
Here’s how to see if your corners are square
An example of a geometric pattern
Get a straight edge, the longer the better. If you hold it in the corner, you’ll be able to tell if the wall curves in or curves out.
Next, get a level and place it in the corner. This will show you if your corners are level.
If the corners are both straight and level, congratulations! Any wallpaper that you choose should look great once installed.
If your corners are not square or level:
Try an accent wall
The problem with uneven corners is that in order for the wallpaper to be level both going into the corner and then level going out of the corner, the paper can’t match all the way from top to bottom. However, if you’re just wallpapering an accent wall you eliminate this problem.
Be aware of the pattern that you’re choosing
Geometrical patterns can be problematic when dealing with uneven corners. Uneven corners are highlighted because it’s very obvious that the pattern doesn’t match.
Paper with a lot of background space
Abstract papers can work well, because the match isn’t as obvious.
Papers with lots of background space can work well, as well.
Always use a top-notch wallpaper installer
With experience comes tricks of the trade. An experienced wallpaper installer knows how to make your wallpaper look it’s best. They can arrange the pattern so that the effect of uneven corners are minimized.
So if you’d like a quote for your wallpaper installation, why don’t you book a quote? We’d love to Transform Your Home With Lasting Beauty!
by Craig | Jul 29, 2017 | Interior Painting, Pricing/Value, Wallpaper installation
Are your children scared of going down in the basement? Do you jokingly call your basement a dungeon? Are you in desperate need of basement waterproofing bel air md? If you own an older home, chances are you have dark panelled walls in the basement.
Dark walls, combined with small basement windows and limited light make for a really dark living space! How can you make your basement more light and inviting? Here are a few ideas
Install more lighting.
Add a few more fixtures, whether that means installing pot lights, galvanized ceiling lights, or just using brighter bulbs in your existing fixtures. If you’re in the market of looking for new types of lighting for your basement, or in other darker areas of your home for that matter, then a small floor lamp can be a good choice in giving you and your family a sufficient amount of light. Just remember that if you’re not familiar with fitting lighting, always consult with a professional. You can find an example of a professional lighting company at: https://hometeamelectric.com/city-page/twentynine-palms/ but you may need to search for other companies closer to you.
Rip out your old walls and install drywall
Obviously the best solution for your basement walls is to install new drywall, this give your home the most up to date look, however, let’s weigh the pros and cons:
Pros: You end up with smooth painted walls
Cons: It’s both the most expensive and the most time-consuming option
Paint your panelling
Did you know that you can paint that dark panelling in your basement? What’s involved? First you’ll need to make sure that the surface is clean. Use a primer that offers good adhesion, one of our favorites for this application is Sherwin Williams Extreme Bond Primer, or XIM UMA both of which are designed to stick to glossy and smooth surfaces such as panelling.
Pros: Very economical and you can paint it whatever colour you choose
Cons: You still have the ridges from the old panelling
Wallpaper your panelling
Once your panelling is primed you can have wallpaper installed over the top of it. In general, thicker wallpaper will work better in this situation that a thinner wallpaper would because the thicker paper hides surface imperfections better.
Pros: You don’t have to install new drywall to achieve smooth walls
Cons: The panelling needs to have been installed properly in the first place. If there are bumps, especially where the panels join, this could show through the finished product.
In conclusion
There is hope for your dark dungeon-like basement! If you’d like to paint or wallpaper your panelled basement walls why don’t you book a quote? We’d be happy to transform your basement with lasting beauty!
by Craig | Jun 18, 2017 | Wallpaper installation
At CAM Painters we can install wallpaper in unique and interesting ways, maybe you’ll get some wallpaper ideas for your Toronto home!
The back wall of a bookshelf
This is a great idea to jazz up a drab bookshelf. It’s a very good idea if you have limited material. For example, the wall behind this shelving was done with one double roll of wallpaper.
The Wallpaper Faux-Backsplash
If there’s an area of your kitchen that you have cabinetry and you wanted to dress up the wall in between the upper and lower cabinets, why not use some wallpaper? It’s best to use it in an area where there isn’t a lot of moisture or grease, which would be more suited to a tile backsplash. Here’s a pantry area in a kitchen where we used wallpaper as the backsplash and it looks fantastic. You can’t get tile that looks like this!!!!
Once again, we did this installation with one double roll of standard sized wallpaper.
A Powder Room Accent Wall
Once again, if you only have one double roll of wallpaper here’s a great idea; why don’t you do an accent wall in your powder room? Accenting the vanity wall can be a great way of adding some p
op and visual interest to an otherwise boring powder room. Your guests will be delighted as they sit around, doing what people do in powder rooms, facing a cavalcade of colour and design!
A Fireplace Accent Wall
A fireplace is a place for the family to gather around, in fact, it’s a focal point of many homes (well, before TV anyway). Why not make it even better with some wallpaper? When choosing a wallpaper, make sure to pick something that reflects you as an individual, perhaps something like geometric wallpaper will be to your liking. The installation shown was done with one roll of grasscloth and it turned out great, the client was very pleased.
A Bedroom Accent Wall
This is a great way to add wallpaper to a bedroom. Generally and accent wall in a bedroom takes 2 to 4 double rolls of wallpaper, depending on the size of the wall. But the right wallpaper really makes a difference. The photo here was done with 2 double rolls of wallpaper.
READ ON:
Need more wallpaper ideas?
Just ask, we’ve done a lot of wallpaper installations and are happy to share our ideas. In fact, why don’t you book a quote? We’d be happy to transform your home with the beauty of wallpaper!
by Craig | Dec 23, 2015 | Wallpaper installation
So you’ve decided to have some wallpaper installation in your Toronto home, that’s great! Wallpaper is an outstanding way to introduce some texture and pattern to your walls.
As you’re going through the process of selecting paper and a reputable wallpaper hanger to do the installation there are a few questions that you should ask.
First, will your wallpaper installer provide resources to help you with selecting your wallpaper?
There are 17 distinct groupings of wallpaper. Additionally, you can custom order wallpaper through many paint stores or order online from many sources. As such, the choices can be very overwhelming.
CAM Painters works with some very talented interior designers who can assist you in the selection of the perfect wallpaper. We would be happy to refer you to them and rest assured, you’ll be in good hands.
CAM Painters is able to assist you in calculating how many rolls of wallpaper you’ll need for your installation. You don’t want to buy too many rolls, and at the same time you definitely don’t want to not have enough to complete the installation.
Next, is your wallpaper installer fully insured?
CAM Painters has both full WSIB coverage and liability insurance. This gives you peace of mind in the unlikely event an injury happens in your home or any accidental damage happens in your home.
Lastly, does your installer have experience working with a variety of different papers?
There are many different varieties of wallpaper and each behaves a little different.
There are 2 types of wallpaper:
- Pre-pasted wallpapers, which have the paste already incorporated into the paper.These can be installed either by soaking in water to activate the paste, or by applying an activator to the back of the paper.
- Unpasted wallpapers, which require a wallpaper paste. These wallpapers are installed either by pasting the wall or by pasting the roll. Non-woven papers are generally installed by pasting the wall. Woven papers are generally installed by pasting the back of the roll, folding it over on itself (also called booking the roll) and left to sit for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
An experienced installer will adjust his or her installation methods based on the weight of the paper, humidity in the air amongst other factors.
CAM Painters has been installing wallpaper since 2003. We have installed many different types of wallpaper including flocked velvet, 52″ vinyl, grasscloth, silk weave and other more standard wallpapers.
So, for a great way to add texture and pattern to your walls, think wallpaper installation for your Toronto home. And for Toronto wallpaper installation book a quote with CAM Painters and Transform your home with lasting beauty!
patterns can be extremely intricate, far more so than a decorative painter can achieve. 
