Do you have a craving for change? Has the renovation bug been bothering you?
We all want to freshen up our home every now and again. But we don’t always have the budget or time for a full scale, tear down type renovation. If that is the case, wall stickers can be your answer. These decorations can spice up the appearance of any room.
RENOVATING YOUR WALLS
The walls cover such a big surface area in your home that it plays a massive role in the aesthetic of any room. That’s why they are typically a vital part of any renovation.
There’s a whole bunch of reasons why you should redo your walls. Do they look the worse for wear? Are they faded or damaged? How do they fit in with the style of the room?
Or are you just bored with the appearance?
Besides all of these reasons, it can help you to increase the value of your house if you’re planning to sell.
Here are a few of the most popular options for redecorating your mobile home walls:
Painting
Wallpaper
Changing paneling
Tiling
Drywalling
Stencils
And of course, wall stickers!
WHY BUY WALL STICKERS?
So what exactly are wall stickers? And why should you get them?
Wall stickers refer to a variety of decor that you can stick to your wall. They are often self-adhesive for easy application.
If you struggle to find them, they are often called decals, wall art, wall tattoo, or wall graphics. They are usually made from vinyl.
Now and again, people confuse wall stickers for wallpaper. One of the main differences between them is that paper is made from other materials, is mostly not self-adhesive, are made to cover entire walls, and are generally more challenging to hang.
Let’s look at the primary benefits of wall stickers:
Inexpensive
Self-adhesive
Quick to apply
Easy to remove
Can be removed without causing damage
Easy to clean
Possible to mix and match
Great to cover smaller spaces
Variety of designs
TYPES AND DESIGNS
Wall stickers are a type of decoration that you can really have fun with. There are hundreds of variations that you can give a try.
Besides this, you don’t have to stick with just one. Why not mix and match the decals? This way, you can create an even more interesting effect. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
Here are some of our favorite types and designs for wall stickers:
Tile decals
Typography
Textured stickers
Stone or brick face decals
Small stickers like dots or hearts
Natural designs like trees
Flowers
Borders
Your kid’s favorite cartoon or movie characters.
Glow in the dark decals
Stickers that you can write on and erase.
Maps
Shapes
Chalkboard
Mirror
Silhouettes
Custom designs
All of these different designs usually come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
For example, you will typically find the brick and stoneface type stickers in blocks which allows you to cover larger surfaces neatly. On the other hand, cartoons can be small or big, but their shape will follow the contour of the character.
So you can choose the one that is perfect for your place.
TIPS FOR CREATING AN AESTHETIC WITH WALL STICKERS
There are so many ways you can go with such a wide range of options at your fingertips.
You could use them as accents to the rest of your decor. In this case, they will probably only cover small areas. For instance, use borders along your walls to separate your wall into two sections. You can paint the two parts in different colors.
Otherwise, you can use it as the centerpiece of a room. There are stunning stickers that are definitely eye-catching.
A third option is to use them as a pattern all over your walls. Small stickers like dots or stars are ideal for this.
Pro tip: If you want your sticker to really stand out, try to use contrasting colors. In other words, stick light decals on dark walls and vice versa.
Remember that they aren’t as permanent as most of the other options for wall covering. Luckily, they are much easier to remove and to replace. So, don’t stress too much about making a choice on how to use them and which to choose.
You can change them as your taste shifts.
THINGS TO DO BEFORE BUYING
Before you rush into buying the decal that you’ve set your heart on, consider these essential aspects.
MATERIAL
First, off you should ask what was used to make the sticker. As we’ve said, manufacturers make most wall stickers from vinyl. They can then cover these with several finishes like chalkboard or metallic.
Alternatively, some manufacturers make their products with non-PVC fabric-like materials. One benefit of these is that they are more reusable and less likely to tear.
APPEARANCE
Secondly, it’s crucial for you to decide on the design you want. Try to consider how it will fit into the style of the room in terms of the color and theme.
Let your imagination run wild.
TEXTURE
Wall stickers can add another fantastic dimension to your room if they are textured. Playing with textures is undoubtedly in style.
The most attractive decals with textures are probably the stone-faced ones.
THICKNESS
Next, you should probably consider how thick you want it to be. Many people would prefer their decals to be as thin as possible. But thicker materials could work better with other designs. For example, 3D brick decals.
ADHESION
You also want to look into how the products stick. Find out more about the application process as well as how effective the glue is.
HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
Ask the manufacturers how long it will last. If used indoors, most stickers last between one and three years. Alternatively, outdoor usually lasts one to two years.
SAMPLE
It can be a great idea to test whether the sticker will stick on your chosen surface by trying a sample or a small one first.
SIZE
Lastly, make sure that you check the size and how it will fit on your wall.
CAN I USE WALL STICKERS IN MY MOBILE HOME?
This is probably the most critical question that you need to ask. These products are made with pretty strong adhesives. But this doesn’t mean it will always work.
You can apply stickers to a variety of surfaces. They will stick best to materials which are dry, clean, and smooth. So they should work on glass, mirrors, metals, plastic, fridges, doors, wood furniture, ceilings and so on.
Most walls in modern mobile homes are made from drywall. However, in the past, manufacturers mostly used materials like wood or vinyl paneling. Besides these, you will occasionally find walls with tiles or plaster.
Decals should stick well to most of these types of walls. But there are exceptions. Firstly, their adhesives don’t work effectively on rough surfaces. Neither will it stick to well to uneven, textured, or porous surfaces.
Unfortunately, this means that the decals won’t stick to grouting between tiles as well.
Also, avoid using them in spots are directly exposed to the elements, especially water. This can significantly decrease their lifetime. Therefore, you can use them in rooms like a bathroom but not necessarily in the shower.
Now let’s look at some possible solutions to the problem.
WHAT TO DO IF IT DOESN’T STICK?
Don’t despair too quickly if the wall stickers don’t stick well to your walls for one of the above reasons. There are a few things you can try. These measures aren’t guaranteed to work, but they are worth a shot.
It can help to apply pressure to the sticker for the first week regularly. Push it down several times a day, especially the spots which seem to be peeling away.
If the surface material is wood, you can sand it off and apply varnish. After the varnish has dried, the sticker might stick better.
Clean the surface with soap and hot water. The decals don’t adhere well to any dirt or debris.
When you want to stick it on the wall, make sure that the edges of the decal don’t overlap with the grouting. You should instead buy stickers which will fit entirely into an individual tile, or one that is large enough to spread over a few.
You could apply the decal to a perspex or wood cutout and then hang this on your wall. Thus, you will get more or less the same effect.
If the problem is an uneven or textured surface, spend additional time trying to smooth it over any of these bumps. You should try to get it to stick to as large an area as possible. But this could detract from its appearance. Overall, darker colors show the bumps less than lighter colors do.
However, if none of these measures work, you might want to consider getting some extra adhesive power. Use glue or double-sided tape to stick it to the wall. Unfortunately, this could damage your walls.
GUIDE TO APPLYING WALL STICKERS
All things considered, this is probably one of the easiest renovation projects you could complete.
It undoubtedly involves less work than effort than projects like painting and wallpaper. On top of this, it doesn’t require any special skills or knowledge. And luckily, it is self-adhesive. Therefore, it’s a great do-it-yourself project.
Here are the tools you need:
A bucket with hot water and soap
Two cloths, one that you will keep dry and another that you will wet
A squeegee or a credit card
Now we’ll look at the steps to applying wall stickers to your mobile home walls.
#1 SCOUT FOR A SPOT
First, you need to decide on the perfect place for your decal. Make sure that you check that the surface is smooth and even.
If this isn’t possible, don’t stress. As we’ve said, there are solutions for uneven walls, but they will take a few extra measures.
It’s essential to measure the area that you want to cover. It can always help you to write down the measurements.
#2 CHOOSE YOUR DECALS
Now you can choose the products that you want. Try to find one that will fit the look that you are trying to achieve. Also, decide if you’re going to use more than one.
Go back to your measurements to check whether your sticker will actually fit in this space. Otherwise, you will probably have to cut it down to size.
#3 CLEAN THE SURFACE
You need to make sure that the wall is clean. There shouldn’t be any dirt or grit.
Mix some soap with hot water. Take a sponge or cloth and wipe down the surface. You might need to repeat this several times.
In addition to this, wipe it down with clean water to get rid of all the soap. And dry the area.
#4 STICK IT!
Now you can apply the sticker. This part is usually simple. You need to peel it away from its backing and then just stick it to the wall.
Some decals work a bit differently. They have some kind of paper cover on the back and front. If yours works this way, you should remove the back first and place the graphic against the wall.
Then apply some pressure to the picture to adhere it to the surface.
Remember that the stickers won’t stick as well a second time around. So try to get it right on your first attempt.
#5 SMOOTH IT OUT
Finally, all that’s left to do is to make sure it adheres perfectly. You should smooth down the sticker’s entire surface. It can help you to run a squeegee over the decal or even something like a credit card. This way, you will be able to remove any potential air bubbles.
BEYOND THE ORDINARY
Hopefully, with the help of our guide, you will be well on your way to transforming your mobile home with wall stickers. With such a variety of decals available, you can create the aesthetic of your dreams.
The walls are certainly one of the most important aesthetic elements of your house. But it isn’t the only one.
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