Why is my wallpaper bubbling?

[K-Rod]

Hi all,

I'm after some advice or suggestions with regards to wallpapering please.

I recently decorated my bedroom but left the end wall blank so I could wallpaper it and have a feature wall. The wall previously had wallpaper and lining paper which has been stripped off and the wall sanded and washed.

The wall itself is the original skimmed wall so it's not new plaster.

I've papered several walls and ceilings in my time so it's not a new skill. However something isn't going right with this wall. The paper is "paste the paper" and the first strip went on with no problems however the following 2 strips have all bubbled up. The paste was applied evenly with no dry patches or lumps and when I hung the strips they looked perfect i.e. no visible bubbles. However after only a few minutes bubbles (of varying sizes) started to appear.

I wasn't happy with the 2nd and 3rd strips so I've removed them. After some Googling I've used the leftover paste, thinned it and coated the remaining wall which I believe is called "sizing". This was left to dry overnight.

Today I mixed a new batch of paste and first applied a coat to the wall, then pasted the paper and hung this. Again, it went on fine and looked smooth but again in a matter of minutes it bubbled up.

What could be causing this?
The only other things I can think of would be to paint the walls with some diluted emulsion or to use lining paper, however I'm worried that lining paper will just suffer the same fate as the wallpaper.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions please?

Thanks in advance, K-Rod.

 

[madder]

Hi K-Rod,

I have found that sometimes wallpaper bubbles while it is drying, but, if it has been applied correctly, it should pull back in before it dries and it should be fine. It could be that simple if it is, as you say, something you are well capable of doing?

I presume you checked for air and pushed any potential air out as best you could? So if it lifts a little afterwards into a bubble, it should drop back down as it dries.

 

[misterhelpful]

Have let the paper soak for the specified amount of time before hanging? I f not, it could still be expanding when on the wall.
It's also important to mix the paste with the correct amount of water for the type of paper you have, otherwise, the way it is absorbed can cause this type of problem.

 

[joe-90]

How are you Mr Hapless? Long time no see. How's the shoulder?

 

[footprints]

I assume you are using proper paste the wall paste.

Like madder says some papers vinyls in particular often bubble after a few minutes, as a rule they dry out ok with good ventilation. I have only had one room that did not dry out ok (that was a paste problem) as it's paste the wall you don't need to worry about soaking time.



I suggest you hang a length only paste the wall (as it's been pasted twice before try not to get it too thick), walk out leave the door ajar and don't look again untill the morning with luck you will find the bubble fairies will have come in the night and taken them away!

Good luck,
footprints

 

[dcdec]

Nice to see you back on the forum MR H.

Bubbles normally dry back but wont if the bubbling is caused by misses on the paper when pasting

 

[K-Rod]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Misterhelpful you hit the nail on the head. I wasn't leaving the paper long enough to soak up the paste before hanging it. I left it for 10 minutes before hanging and they've gone on more or less perfect and no bubbles!

The last wall I did was "paste the wall" hence the paper goes straight on with no waiting about so naturally I did the same this time.

Cheers guys.