We’re not quite pros yet…. but the wallpapering has been going really well. Despite our fears that the wallpaper liner wouldn’t be thick enough to mask the textured look of the OSB, we think it looks pretty darn good! It’s tough to convey the effect here without you seeing it in person, but let’s try:
Now instead of staring at OSB walls, we’ve got a relatively smooth surface that actually makes the house feel like a home! As you can tell I get pretty excited. So if you’re building with OSB and wondering how to finish the walls, this is a viable option. We’ll also be adding a couple layers of paint to make the finished look even better, which is possible since we’re using ‘paintable wallpaper liner’.
When we started wallpapering last week it was tricky to get the application of the paste/adhesive just right, and to handle large sheets of paper gracefully (or just not completely awkwardly). But with each piece of paper it gets better, and I’ve found this step of the building process to be fairly quick and rewarding. While Jeremy can vouch that I enjoy using the loud and powerful miter saw, sometimes it’s nice to have a quiet task that involves patience and precision.
Here’s a few important wallpapering tips that we’ve learned:
- Make sure you evenly cover the whole back side of the paper with adhesive, especially the edges
- Apply the paper starting from a straight and level line (if your house is on a trailer and not precisely level, match to the level of the rest of the house)
- Butt each piece of paper right up to the next and keep straight so that you’re level across the wall
- Have a partner that helps hold large pieces of paper, hands you tools, etc.
To finish the walls (except for the bathroom, where we’ll hang cedar), the next step is painting. I learned after looking through dozens of paint color samples that choosing one is so difficult because they are so similar that you agonize over trying to tell them all apart! Swiss coffee, polar white, eggshell cream, Vermont cream – there’s so many shades of off white. We’ll let you know next post which one we choose…
And then look forward to the next exciting step where we’ll be building our sleeping loft!
Go Tiny 
Looks good – I see you folding the wet sheet like a pro Laura!
Mmm, go for Vermont cream! Sounds delicious. The walls look great!
Great new epic sunset banner at the top.
Hello, I just stumbled onto your post. My boyfriend and his family built a house and used osb boards on the walls. We are wanting to cover those to make it look better. What wallpaper did you use? Did it hold up well? Any advice is appreciated!!!