Wallpaper on fiberboard: simple and complex methods of sticking

Although applying wallpaper to fiberboard (Fibreboard) may appear simple, there are a few unique difficulties involved. Because of its porous surface, fiberboard—which is frequently used as wall sheathing—needs to be carefully prepared before wallpapering. If the wrong method is used, the wallpaper may not stick correctly, which could cause bubbles, peeling, or other problems later on.

We’ll look at both basic and sophisticated techniques in this guide to make sure your wallpaper adheres flawlessly to fiberboard. Knowing what to do and how to do it will help you achieve a smooth and durable finish, regardless of whether you’re looking for a quick do-it-yourself fix or a more involved approach. Everything you need to know to change your walls will be covered, from surface preparation to adhesive selection.

These pointers can help make wallpapering much easier, even if you’ve never done it before. You don’t need expert assistance to give your place a brand-new look if you have a little perseverance and attention to detail. Let’s explore the best methods for wallpapering fiberboard to make sure your project turns out well.

Problems

There are, as they say in Odessa.

• Fiberboard (aka hardboard) is extremely hygroscopic. It will safely absorb the glue applied to the wallpaper; if so, you can count on reliable adhesion using the traditional sticker method.

Furthermore, hardboard is prone to warping after it has become saturated with water. Inconsistent moisture levels will cause the material covering the walls and/or ceiling to spread out in waves.

• Seams between fiberboard sheets will be visible under thin wallpaper. The swollen ends of the sheets will be doubly noticeable: when moistened, the linear dimensions of the hygroscopic material change unevenly. Thick textured wallpaper, however, will partially hide the unevenness of the base.
• Finally, let’s remember about the method of attaching hardboard. Nails or screws, right?? And often non-galvanized. Each of them will, after a short time, become the center of an untidy rust stain.

Every issue mentioned is amply illustrated by the photo.

Solutions

So, considering the aforementioned, how do you adhere wallpaper?

Painting

A layer of soil between the wallpaper glue and the base would totally solve the issue of the glue’s excessive water absorption while also preventing the fasteners from rusting. The particle "would" is appropriate in this situation because conventional deep penetration primers on hardboard shouldn’t be applied.

Recall the composition of them. We are attempting to avoid contact with the water that makes up the majority of the soil’s volume.

However, alkyd primer or paint (like the widely available and reasonably priced PF-115) works well for our needs. After making a few small changes to the glue’s composition, they will apply a thin, water-impermeable film to the fiberboard and fasteners. This film’s matte surface will guarantee suitable adhesion quality when the finishing coat is applied.

In reality, there are just two things to note in the instructions:

1. Paint the surface of the fiberboard with alkyd paint. Better – white: we need the base not to show through the wallpaper. It is advisable to paint in two layers; special attention is paid to the fasteners and seams.
2. Add PVA glue to the wallpaper glue (CMC or starch – it does not matter) at the rate of 500 milliliters per bucket.

The seams are the only issue that remains to be fixed, as the wallpaper will reveal their relief. How should one proceed?

Puttying on the mesh

Plan "B": puttying the whole hardboard-covered surface. It is obvious that there will be no discussion about the cheap gypsum putty’s dependable adherence to the fiberboard’s surface. A dead end?

Two resources will be useful to us:

• Already familiar to us PVA glue.

Purchasing an enormous package of glue is more cost-effective.

• Fine-mesh plaster fiberglass mesh or fiberglass.

How can you manually prepare a surface for wallpapering?

1. Prime the surface for gluing with undiluted PVA. The price of the glue is low – from 50 rubles per kilogram, so there is no need to worry about excessive costs. You should not dilute PVA with water: we are trying to minimize the deformation of the hardboard, not increase it.
2. Cover the surface with fiberglass mesh or fiberglass. The glue can be applied directly on top of the fiberboard material applied to the surface: through the pores it will reach the base.
3. We putty on the mesh with gypsum putty (Fugenfüller, ABS Saten, etc.).d.). The optimal coating thickness is about a millimeter; if you do not have much experience in finishing work, it is easier to apply two or three extremely thin (“for tearing”) layers.

Gypsum puttying on a fiberglass mesh reinforcement reinforcement.

1. We sand the inevitable flaws.
2. We prime the base with a penetrating primer.
3. We glue the wallpaper with regular wallpaper glue.

Note that, as an added bonus, the wallpaper will be simple to remove when we undertake our next renovation. All you need to do is moisten them with water; entire sheets will come off the base with little difficulty.

Priming with drying oil

There is one disadvantage to the prior surface preparation technique. Only the front of the hardboard will be shielded from moisture; a room with excessive humidity will still cause the board to distort.

A drastic method, hot impregnation of fiberboard with drying oil on both sides, is used even during the wall cladding finishing stage.

There are two ways to complete the task:

1. The drying oil is heated in a water bath and applied hot.
2. The surface impregnated with cold drying oil is heated with a building hair dryer, halogen spotlight or any other heat source.

Fiberboard can be impregnated with drying oil to make it resistant to moisture.

Our material will no longer be afraid of high humidity or direct contact with water after the drying and polymerization of the drying oil. But a drying oil-treated surface is not the ideal foundation for putty; PVA will adhere to it quite poorly as well. Here, how should wallpaper be adhered to?

Concrete-contact, an adhesive primer enhanced with quartz sand, will save the day. Sand will make the polymer base sufficiently rough for any plaster to lie on while still maintaining dependable adhesion to even the most difficult surfaces.

Numerous varieties of adhesive primers for quartz.

The further finishing technology is largely unchanged from the previous iteration:

1. After the primer has dried, the surface is puttied. Unlike finishing on plasterboard, the seams do not need to be reinforced: fluctuations in the linear dimensions of the hardboard after impregnation will be minimal, regardless of temperature and humidity, and the wallpaper will hide possible cracks.
2. The dried putty is primed with acrylic penetrating primer. After it dries, you can proceed to the actual gluing of the wallpaper.

Using wallpaper on fiberboard can be easy or difficult, depending on the technique you use. Standard adhesive techniques can be effective for those seeking a straightforward solution, provided that the surface is adequately prepped. This entails priming, cleaning, and making sure the fiberboard is flawless and free of flaws.

More steps, such as using specialized adhesives or lining paper to reinforce the surface, may be required for more complex methods. When working with uneven or porous fiberboard, these methods are especially helpful in producing a more polished and long-lasting finish.

The success of your fiberboard wallpapering project ultimately comes down to thorough planning and selecting the best technique for your particular circumstances. A more attractive and durable wall covering will come from taking the time to do it right, regardless of whether you choose a straightforward or more involved method.

Although applying wallpaper to fiberboard can seem simple, careful planning is necessary to guarantee a smooth finish. Whether you’re a novice do-it-yourselfer or a seasoned renovator, this article will walk you through both basic and more complex techniques to help you achieve results that look professional. You’ll discover crucial pointers and techniques to make the process go more smoothly, from priming the surface to selecting the ideal adhesive and hanging the wallpaper.

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