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Textured wallpaper transformed these battered unloved little bedside tables.When deciding on how to make a pair of little brown battered, beaten and bruised bedsides beautiful:) the first thing I thought of was textured 3D vinyl wallpaper. I love the look of this on furniture because I feel it gives the piece a look of carved decorated timber without much effort at all. I have a few tips and I have also put a link to a video which documents the whole process but in saying that I'm not an expert and I just go with the flow to see what works and what might be an issue.
Materials
- A pair of old bedside tables
- Textured wallpaper
- Patterned wallpaper
- PVA glue
- Sugar soap
- Parfix Multi-Purpose Wood filler
- Calcium carbonate
- Mistint sample pot size
- Zinsser Water based primer
- Zinsser Oil based primer
- Blitz beeswax
- Dishcloths
- Lint free cloth
- Rubber floor protectors and grips
- Craft coasters
Tools
- Orbital sander
- Paint brushes
- Scissors
- Drill
- Screwdriver
- Fine sanding block
- 80 grit sanding paper
- Small utility knife
Steps
Step 1
Deciding on which piece I wanted to transform. I chose these a lil bit worse for wear solid timber brown bedside tables.
Step 2
Originally, I was going to sand all four drawers, but I changed my mind. The first step was to measure, position and drill the hardware holes.
Step 3
Using my trusty to sugarsoap to thoroughly clean the drawers. I spray with water to wash any residue off.
Step 4
I wanted the textured wallpaper on the sides of both of the drawers and also on the front of the drawers so I measured the panels and cut to size.
Step 5
I used PVA glue to apply the pieces to the drawers and sides of the tables. It was important to wipe over the paper and smooth out making sure there were no air bubbles or creases. When applying the glue, I made sure the panel was covered carefully to the very edges to prevent future peeling.
Step 6
I had to use wood filler to fill some holes at the top but went berserk and applyed it to the whole panel. The idea behind this was to fill in the grooves in the timber and make it one smooth panel. I wouldn't do this again I don't think because I had to sand back extremely hard, exposing the timber. This created a problem with tanin bleed through when I painted.
Step 7
I decided to use an oil-based primer to cover the tannin bleed. As I was selling this I wanted to be sure there was no danger of marks coming through the paint.
Step 8
I did the leave the glued wallpaper to dry overnight as I always sand the edges so that they appear seamless and blend into the timber. It needs to be completely dry and hard so there is no danger of the paper tearing. As these drawers were shaped I decided to slice off some of the paper just so it was easier to remove any paper hanging over the edge. I don't wrap my paper around the drawers, I just place it on the front hence the need for the sanding and smoothing steps.
Step 9
I make my own chalk paint and normally use talcum powder but all baby powder now is using cornstarch which doesn't work as well. Calcium carbonate can also be added to the paint to make chalk paint so I bought some of this and added it to my paint. I buy mistint paint pots for $2. The great thing about this is the price but also I come across colors I wouldn't think of using myself but are so beautiful!
Step 10
I used two coats of paint in total but had to put three on the top as when I sanded it, it went screaky. I applied some pretty wallpaper to the sides, applied the handles and floor protectors, waxed for protection and made some cute little coasters that I always sell with my pieces. The result was so pretty and such a stretch from where I started!
Wow @daniknight4! What a super-cool project! I'm really lovely these upcycles utilising textured wallpaper. It adds such a unique look to the piece.
Your instructions are fantastic, and I trust they'll be ever so helpful for anyone wanting to replicate your project or try something similar.
Thanks so much for sharing, and well done!
Mitchell
Hi @daniknight4
I love your wallpaper technique. This is an excellent method to use on those furniture sets that have a difficult surface to recover. Plus, it's a great way to add texture to an existing piece. It's definitely getting added to my bookmarks.
Eric
