Best way to prepare MDF for wallpapering

[Bewdy]

Hi there any tips for wallpapering on to bare MdF? Do I need to use an MdF primer or I have seen others suggest pasting just the MdF and leaving for 24hours. Any thoughts from anyone experienced doing this? Ta

 

[misterhelpful]

The best bet is to prime, although you don't necessarily need to use a specific MDF primer. A regular oil based or even water based will do the job as you are papering it.
The reason for painting first is to seal the MDF which will allow the paper to slide easier on application and also to stop it absorbing all the paste.
Personally, I wouldn't paste the MDF first but it might be ok.

 

[TheDec]

One of the most important factors in good paperhanging is movement (slide), if it were me I would prime the mdf and when dry size with a thinned paste solution.

Dec

 

[Bewdy]

Hi thanks for the reply, what do you mean by size with a thinned paste, I know what a thinned paste means, just the term size? Thanks

 

[TheDec]

The term size is in your case when the primer has dried just brush on a thinned coat of your paste over it. This will greatly benefit your paperhanging by allowing the wallcovering to more easily slide into place, it will also give you more open time and make your task a lot easier.

Dec

 

[Bewdy]

Great, thanks for the tip!