Wallpapering a room is a great way to transform your living space and add your own personal touch to your home. With countless styles, patterns, and colors of wallpaper out there, there’s practically no limit to the decoration options available with wallpaper. But wallpapering isn’t an instant process, and you need to make sure that you give your wallpaper plenty of time to dry after putting it up. So exactly how long does wallpaper take to dry? If you’re wallpapering your house, you need to make sure that the wallpaper gets the appropriate time to fully dry. Wet wallpaper is at risk of peeling or even ripping, and can leave your walls uneven. Allowing it to dry properly will help you avoid this risk and get you the most out of your decoration. This article will take you through how long it takes different types of wallpaper to dry, so you can know exactly how long you have to wait. We’ll also teach you some handy tips to speed up the drying process so you can enjoy your freshly decorated home as soon as possible!
How Long Does Wallpaper Take To Dry?
There isn’t an exact length of time that it takes wallpaper to dry, and it can take anywhere from 2 to 7 full days to completely dry depending on several factors. These factors include the style of wallpaper that you’re using, the size and ventilation of the room that’s being wallpapered, and even the weather where you live. While there are plenty of things that can influence your wallpaper’s drying time, most of the time you’ll need to give your wallpaper a minimum of 2 to 3 days of drying time. There are ways you can speed up the drying process, and the best way to let your wallpaper dry properly is to give it the right conditions. Let your wallpaper air-dry naturally in a well-ventilated room. Leave windows open wherever possible, and avoid touching it to prevent creating indents in the adhesive. You should also move any furniture or similar items away from the walls to give the wallpaper space to breathe.
DIFFERENT WALLPAPERS, DIFFERENT DRYING TIMES
One of the biggest influences on your wallpaper’s drying time is, well, the wallpaper you’re using. Different styles of wallpaper dry at different speeds, and some wallpapers will take far longer to dry than others. Factors like the wallpaper’s material, thickness, and quality can affect how long it will take to dry. This means that, while some wallpapers will only take a couple of days to dry, others can take up to two weeks to properly dry and set! In general, thicker and more textured wallpapers will take longer to dry than thin, smooth ones. This is because they are heavier and denser, which requires more adhesive for them to fix to the wall. Their thickness also means that it takes longer for them to air dry.
Thin wallpaper, meanwhile, requires less adhesive and dries far quicker in the air. While thick wallpaper can take upward of a week or more to properly set and dry, thin and light wallpaper can finish drying in just 2 to 3 days, which is just the case for all wallpaper material! The adhesive can also play a part here; vinyl-based wallpaper adhesive, for example, dries much faster than traditional cold water wallpaper paste. Clay-based adhesives are a good middle-ground - they dry more quickly than paste, but not as quickly as vinyl adhesives so you have a chance to position the wallpaper correctly.
Why Does Wallpaper Need To Dry?
- As mentioned earlier, there are several problems that can come up if you don’t let your wallpaper dry properly. Wet wallpaper is far easier to rip and damage; this can easily happen when moving furniture around or even just from being touched and can leave you having to replace an entire section of the wallpaper before it’s even had a chance to dry.
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It’s also more likely to peel if disturbed, meaning you’ll either have to fix it later on or extend the whole drying process. Touching wet wallpaper can also leave dips and bubbles in the wet paste below, causing it to dry unevenly. This doesn’t just affect the texture of your wallpaper but also leaves it more open to damage in the future.
- While decorating your house is fun and exciting, it’s important to give your wallpaper the right amount of time to dry to prevent any issues. Being patient will make sure that you get the most out of your wallpaper and avoid any damage or blemishes.
How To Dry Wallpaper Faster: Tips And Tricks
Sometimes, you just can’t wait two weeks for your wallpaper to dry, and you need it to be finished faster. This can’t always be helped, but there are plenty of things you can do to cut down on the drying time of your wallpaper in most cases. Here are some of the best tips you can use to make your wallpaper dry faster!
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Keep The Room Well-Ventilated - Because you’re letting the wallpaper air-dry, you want it to get as much fresh air as possible. Open any windows inside the room you’re wallpapering, and try to keep doors open as well to improve the airflow throughout your house.
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Use A Dehumidifier - Ventilation won’t always help, especially if you live in a damp or humid area. This will extend the time it takes for your wallpaper to dry, but you can fight the humidity by putting a dehumidifier in the room. This will reduce the moisture in the air to help the wallpaper dry more quickly.
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Use A Portable Heater - This is a similar trick to the dehumidifier and is another easy way to dry out your wallpaper faster. Be careful if you’re doing this though, as you can damage the wallpaper if you put the heater too close!
Final Thoughts
Wallpaper can take anywhere from a few days to more than a week to dry, depending on several factors such as the wallpaper you choose and the ventilation throughout your home. No matter how long your wallpaper takes to dry, it’s important to give it all the time it needs so you can get the most out of your decorating. So now you know how long it takes wallpaper to dry - as well as some ways to speed it up - all you have to do now is get to decorating! Have fun!
Scallop Decor Wallpaper design used in the project: Rainbow Scallop Wallpaper
For more scalloped decor like this one - visit our Scallop Wallpaper collection!
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