If you’ve followed the removable wallpaper trend, you know that it’s become a popular DIY trend. Almost everywhere you look, there’s someone talking about how they installed their wallpaper with no experience. Seeing all these newbies showing off their installations can have you thinking that you, too, can also hack the wallpaper installation. After all, so many other people have done it and outlined the steps for a successful installation. We are not in any way saying that you cannot DIY but before you start buying wallpaper, here’s why you should consider hiring a professional installer:
Should You Hire an Expert?
DIY has made it easier for us to learn a few more practical skills that make managing our homes much easier. But should you take it as far as installing peel off wallpaper? While removable wallpaper eases wallpaper installation, applying it to your wall may be more complex than it seems. Sure, you no longer need to make a paste or spend hours ensuring that you do not make a mess. But even so, there’s still work that goes into it, which gives professional installers the following edge over DIY:
Time Savings
Suppose you want to install floral pattern wallpaper in your kitchen. Do you know where to start? Removable wallpaper DIY-ers make it look like all you need is to peel the wallpaper from its backing and stick it to the wall. It’s a much more intricate process- there’s a lot of measuring and cutting that takes place. So, even before laying the first wallpaper, you will have prepped the wall and measured and cut the wallpaper. Then you will smooth it, peel it off to account for any errors, and gradually lay it over the wall. It takes time, which is why most people prefer professional installers. These experts have been at it long enough and know how to cut back on the time when installing the paper. Besides, they also advise you on selecting the right wallpaper for your wall, which saves you time spent on guesswork.
Money Savings
You might feel like hiring a professional might be too expensive, considering that you can DIY the project. But here’s what you may not have considered- hanging the paper requires several tools. Some of these are simple, and you may even have them in the house. These include sponges and tape measures. But what about smoothing tools and levels? Do you have these? If you don’t, you will need to dig into your pocket and go to the hardware store to arm yourself with them. That’s just one part of the task- you will also need to learn how to use the said tools to get the best use out of them.
With a professional installer, the tools are part of the charges. So, you do not need to invest in any tools. Besides, they come with high-quality tools that work better than what you would get in most stores. They also know how to use the tools and won’t damage your walls trying to master how the tools work.
High Quality
You could be one of the lucky few people who try DIY-ing wallpaper installations, and the process goes by without a hitch. But if you read reviews about most DIY jobs, you will realize that they can be pretty frustrating. Why? It’s a lot of trial and error because you don’t know much: how much wallpaper to buy, how much to cut, where to measure from, and how to smooth the paper to avoid air bubbles. All this guessing can be very frustrating. Plus, even though the wallpaper installation does not involve paste, it still has an adhesive, and warping is common. So, ending up with an oddly laid paper is always a possibility.
Besides that, the wallpaper may not look smooth. Keep in mind that you will be staring at this installation for the next decade or so. So, if it has air bubbles and some creases, that will be your visual for a long time. Why not hire a professional who will ensure that you don’t have to look at an unsightly wallpaper for years? They will complete the job fast, and you will be thrilled to show off the results to your visitors.
Professional Experience
Wallpaper installation does not only come down to laying the paper on the wall. Instead, it also encompasses the prep and cleanup work, which makes it complicated. Otherwise, anyone could lay the paper on the wall, and the result would be perfect. But what happens when you do this without prepping the wall? Or when you use the wrong type of wallpaper for your wall type? Experience enables professionals to gauge just how suitable a paper is for a wall. Moreover, they also embark on the following activities:
Prepping the wall: Professionals will clean the wall in preparation for the installation and remove any old wallpaper. If the paint requires a touchup or de-glossing, they also do this to ensure that the paper sticks to the wall. Their work also extends to repairing cracks, filling in gaps, and eliminating any barriers on the surface. By the time they finish cleaning the wall after preparing it for the wallpaper, they increase the chances of the wallpaper adhering to the wall.
Without this work, you can still stick the wallpaper. But it would look off and probably have bumps and air bubbles inside. Plus, it would probably peel off the wall before its due date, which would be a loss to you. The question you must ask yourself before installing the wallpaper yourself is, ‘do you know how to properly prep a wall?’ Also, can you tell which wallpaper works for your wall?
Did we mention that you don’t need to clean up after a professional crew? That’s the beauty of having someone else handle the task. The team will show up, do their work, and once you are happy with the results, they will also clean up and leave the room in perfect condition. Can you now see why hiring a pro makes more sense?
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