Hm. Alright, so this one didn’t go so well.
Here’s the thing: I really try to DIY pretty much everything I can when it comes to our new house. Things like floor installation and plumbing repairs, sure, I leave to the experts…but when I can wield a screwdriver, I generally do wield a screwdriver. Or a paintbrush. Or whatever.
Back in August, when we moved in, one of the first things I noticed that bugged me was the wallpaper in the nursery (pictured above before we moved in our furniture; you can see the “After” here). I mean, I really liked it (and still do)…but it seemed to be sort of peeling up at the seams, as if it had been sloppily installed, or as if the room had been subjected to a ton of damp heat (which it probably had been, seeing as the place sat empty for two whole years before we bought it).
This, to me, seemed like a no-brainer: buy wallpaper glue, apply, and pat self on back.
Except…it didn’t work out so well. I went and bought SureGrip Seam Repair, and then took the Home Depot guy’s advice and used masking tape to hold down the wallpaper seams after I applied it.
This, as it turns out, isn’t a great idea. And did I spot-test whether or not the wallpaper would come off with the tape before applying it to each and every seam in the entire room?
I did not!
Sigh.
And then a few weeks ago I decided to steam off the wallpaper in our bedroom. You know, just for fun. (Or because I set up the humidifier too close to the wall by accident.)
Arrr.
But I learned my lesson, and I did not use tape!
Unfortunately it still didn’t work out so well. (Right now Kendrick is reading over my shoulder, having not yet seen the results of my patch job live, and grumbling.) The wallpaper didn’t lay down quite flat, and my improvised seam press (a rolling pin) did not work at all, leaving a small (but visible) gap between the two pieces.
So I didn’t do that great a job here. But the lesson is twofold: 1) Even when a repair seems deceptively simple, it behooves you to Google around for extra tips if you’ve never attempted it before; and 2) Screwing up happens. I mean, honestly: besides the whole “money-saving” thing, making the effort to handle home repairs yourself is the only way that you can learn and get better. And besides, you know what happens if you screw up? Nothing. Except your wallpaper looks a little crappy. And if that’s the worst thing that happens…that’s a pretty good day, in my book.
