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You are here: Home / DIY Upcycling / How To Use Wallpaper To Decoupage a Table Top

How To Use Wallpaper To Decoupage a Table Top

31st May 2017 by Claire Armstrong 46 Comments

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My friend Wendy’s dining room table is not just for eating on, she and her sons also paint and craft on it. The table is well used and as a result full of scratches, marks, and even a great big dirty iron burn. It was time to do a decoupage table top revamp.

Wendy wanted a bright and colourful look for the table with a mid-century modern vibe to fit in with the rest of her decor. The best way to achieve this was to decoupage the tabletop with some designer wallpaper.

Get A Designer Look: Decoupage Furniture With Wallpaper

Upcycling with wallpaper is a great alternative to painting a table top. Lots of wallpapers come with a special wipe-clean coating. There are loads of fantastic bright and colourful designs to choose from to give you a unique piece of furniture.

Also when you tire of the decoupage table top it is so easy to strip the wallpaper off and change the design.

We have used wallpaper to decoupage loads of things around the home. Form wallpapered mirror frames, to the kitchen bin, a kitchen splashback even our stairs are wallpapered with a Marimekko design.

decoupage tabletop with wallpaper

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What you need to decoupage table top with wallpaper

  • Wallpaper – You will not need more than a 1/4 of a roll of wallpaper. The wallpaper used for this table was Romo Makela Quince and oversized poppy design with a mid-century modern feel.
  • Wallpaper paste and bowl for mixing paste.
  • Wallpaper paste brush
  • Wallpaper smoothing brush
  • Rotary cutter and mat
  • Metal meter ruler
  • Wallpaper scissors
  • Crystal Clear Indoor Varnish

How to decoupage table top with wallpaper

1.. The first thing to do is to make sure that the top of your table is clean, dry, and dust-free.

Table top before

2. The next part is the most tricky part of wallpapering a tabletop, measuring the wallpaper. Unless you have a particularly skinny table, the table top will be more than one wallpaper roll width wide.

The table was in fact 2 wallpaper widths wide. However, because of the way the wallpaper was patterned we cut 3 widths of wallpaper. To make sure you didn’t notice any difference in the way the pattern matched up.

What patterned wallpaper you use will affect how you cut the paper to fit the table. I find a smaller busier print is easier to pattern match.

 Top tip: Center your wallpaper roll in the middle of the tabletop and measure the length. Using a rotary cutter and mat cut the wallpaper.
 

3. For the next step, you will need to work out the measurements of the 2 strips of wallpaper eaither side of the middle strip. Carefully make sure that the pattern of the wallpaper matches up with either side of the center strip.

These 2 strips would be as wide as the centre piece. Make sure that you allow for an overlap over the edge of the table. The wallpaper can be trimed at the end. It’s better to have too much wallpaper then not enough.

Measureing the wallpaper for tabletop decoupage
measuring wallpaper for tabletop

4. When you are happy with the 3 strips of wallpaper you have for the tabletop. Make up the wallpaper paste to the instructions on the packet.

Then using a wallpaper brush paste the back of your wallpaper. Fold over and leave to one side for a couple of minutes.

pasting the wallpaper

5. In the meantime also paste the table and leave for a couple of minutes. This will provide an extra key for the wallpaper.

pasting the table for a key

6. Next, lay the middle strip of wallpaper on the top of the table and carefully move into position so it is in the centre. Using a smoothing brush smooth out the wallpaper and remove any air bubbles.

Laying the wallpaper on the table

7. Then, take the second strip of pasted wallpaper and lay it on the table next to the middle piece carefully lining up the patterns. Trim off any excess width with wallpaper scissors and wrap the wallpaper around the side edge of the table.

Again smooth out air bubbles with a wallpaper brush.

triming excess paper from tabletop decoupage

8. Then, repeat with the final strip of wallpaper on the other side.

Leave the wallpaper a few hours to dry. Then, to provide extra protection to your table, coat the decoupage table top with 2 coats of crystal clear varnish.

Top tip: Make sure that you use crystal clear varnish and not just clear varnish. As clear varnish can leave a yellow tinge. Infact I recommend testing the varnish on a scrap piece of wallpaper first to make sure it doesn’t yellow the wallpaper decoupage tabletop.

Mid Century modern update with decoupage table top using wallpaper.  Step by step tutorial.

Wendy’s battered old table looks like new with its fresh decoupage tabletop. The wallpaper she chose really compliments her mid-century modern decorating style. It still amazes me what a difference a bit of wallpaper can make.

She has enough wallpaper left over to make a wallpaper lampshade to match.

DIY tutorial on how to decoupage a table top with mid century modern wallpaper.
Create an new look with a decoupage table top with wallpaper.

Wallpaper is not the only material that can be used to upcycle tabletops. I created a piece of Marimekko wall art by decoupaging a table top with paper napkins. I also transformed a boring IKEA table into a map table with a gift wrap decoupage.

How to decoupage tabletop with wallpaper

Filed Under: DIY Upcycling, Marimekko Tagged With: decoupage, decoupage table top, dinning table, furniture, furniture flip, mid century, modern, poppy wallpaper, romo, table flip, table top, wallpaper

Previous Post: « How To Make A Denim Patchwork Chair
Next Post: How to Make a Unique Marimekko Bench »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maria V Oliver

    18th August 2020 at 1:36 pm

    Great project. Beautiful wallpaper. Where can I get it. Thanks

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      19th August 2020 at 10:35 am

      Thank you. I got it from wallpaperdirect it’s the Albany Shangra Larange.

      Reply
  2. Cara

    12th January 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Nice idea!
    Your friend really needs to lower her artwork though, it’s all hung way too high. Art should be hung at eye level, centre of the piece should be at 58″ high. Meanwhile, the light fixture should be hung 30-34 inches above the dining table. (And she shouldn’t loop the cord, looks too messy.)

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      12th January 2018 at 5:03 pm

      Thank you, I will pass on your suggestions.

      Reply
  3. Val

    15th September 2017 at 8:03 pm

    Lovely idea, especially as it’ll be relatively easy to get off in the future for a change of paper maybe. Can I ask if you sealed it as my table gets lots of use daily and things get spilt etc. I wouldn’t want cup circle stains on it etc.. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      16th September 2017 at 11:37 am

      Thank you. Yes the table was sealed with a varnish, a couple of coats. That protects it from everyday ware and tear.

      Reply
  4. Doober

    7th July 2017 at 3:00 pm

    It’s cute but I would have added trim all the way around the edge of the table.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      7th July 2017 at 8:06 pm

      Thank you, and thanks for the suggestion.

      Reply
  5. lisa

    30th June 2017 at 11:36 am

    Great idea! I have been looking for an easy way to cover kitchen table so I can finally get rid of the tablecloths! Not ready to buy a new table and don’t have space to tackle a messy refinishing job. How would you remove the wallpaper if you wanted to change pattern?

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      30th June 2017 at 2:01 pm

      With a little coaxing, the wallpaper should peel off relatively easily when you want a change. My friend has a wallpapered table in the kitchen that she has for a few years now and it still looks great.

      Reply
  6. Susanne

    18th June 2017 at 2:39 pm

    Such a creative makeover!! I love that bold pattern you picked 🙂 Thank you for joining us at Create and Celebrate!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      18th June 2017 at 8:56 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  7. Sam - Raggedy Bits

    12th June 2017 at 1:11 am

    Such a clever idea Claire! Love how it totally brightened up your table!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      12th June 2017 at 6:11 am

      Thank you Sam!

      Reply
  8. Jen

    8th June 2017 at 4:18 am

    What a cool idea. I’ve never thought to do that. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      8th June 2017 at 10:18 am

      Thank you, it works really well.

      Reply
  9. Marla

    7th June 2017 at 2:46 pm

    What a great idea to repurpose an old table and make it look new again. It looks great. Shared on twitter & pinned! Congratulations on being featured on #WasteLessWednesday blog hop. Have a healthy, happy& blessed day!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      7th June 2017 at 8:07 pm

      Thank you so much, and thanks for all the shares.

      Reply
  10. Grandmas House DIY

    6th June 2017 at 8:31 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this with us at the To Grandma’s house we go link party! You will be featured tomorrow morning on my site when the new party starts!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th June 2017 at 9:55 pm

      That’s awesome thank you!

      Reply
  11. Angie ~ ambient wares

    6th June 2017 at 12:28 am

    What an amazing idea, Claire! The design is just beautiful and so very clever! Pinned & sharing. Thanks for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th June 2017 at 5:59 am

      Thank you, it is Avery simple way to transform a table.

      Reply
  12. Julie

    4th June 2017 at 10:30 pm

    Now I feel so silly. I’ve been bunging a table cloth on our table for years as it’s in a much worse state than your friends table was. Now I know I could make it pretty with wall paper, sounds like a fabulous idea.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      5th June 2017 at 6:53 am

      Thank you, Julie. It works really well.

      Reply
  13. Helen at Pleasures of the NW

    4th June 2017 at 10:16 pm

    What a great idea! Thanks for sharing on the Pleasures of the NW’s DIY party!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      5th June 2017 at 6:53 am

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  14. Teodora

    4th June 2017 at 7:17 pm

    This is a nice project, I have just painted the chairs from the dining table, I might attempt to cover the table top with wallpaper. I used wallpaper to cover some plastic windows on our wardrobes and it looks rather nice. I love the pattern of your wallpaper!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      4th June 2017 at 8:27 pm

      Yes wallpaper is great for transforming furniture, I bet your wardrobe looks great.

      Reply
  15. Brenda Young @ UniqueJunktique

    4th June 2017 at 3:09 pm

    Beautiful wallpaper choice, love the color and pattern it’s just perfect for MCM and a really great tutorial as well! Thanks for sharing your project at #FridaysFurnitureFix!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      4th June 2017 at 8:26 pm

      Thank you very much!

      Reply
  16. Katy SkipTheBag

    4th June 2017 at 12:54 pm

    Wow! That’s really all I need to say, but I cannot believe how much of a difference this makes. It would have never crossed my mind to wallpaper a table, but it looks fantastic! The flowers really make the green chairs stand out. It almost makes me want to scour thrift stores and garage sales for tables I can do this to. I love it! Thanks for sharing at the #wastelesswensday blog hop!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      4th June 2017 at 2:18 pm

      Thank you, it certainly brightens the place up.

      Reply
  17. Debrashoppeno5

    3rd June 2017 at 2:16 pm

    This is a great idea. It adds color to the space, revitalizes the table and it will be easy to keep clean. You can’t do better than that.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      3rd June 2017 at 2:41 pm

      Thank you, yes it’s really easy to wipe clean.

      Reply
  18. Michelle

    3rd June 2017 at 7:21 am

    I never would have thought of using wall paper to decoupage a table top, but it looks so good Claire. Love the idea of how easy it is to change the look if you get bored. It just makes it so much more fun

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      3rd June 2017 at 2:41 pm

      Thank you, Michelle. I love using wallpaper on lots of things not just walls.

      Reply
  19. ReFab Diaries

    1st June 2017 at 12:03 pm

    LOVE everything about this refab! Thanks for such clear instructions. (visiting from #wastelesswednesday)

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      1st June 2017 at 12:56 pm

      Thank you so much. I try to show how simple it really is.

      Reply
  20. Mother of 3

    31st May 2017 at 11:48 pm

    What a fun idea! I love the idea of using wallpaper to re-purpose furniture. Pinned.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      1st June 2017 at 12:55 pm

      Thank you and thanks for the share.

      Reply
  21. Carol ("Mimi")

    31st May 2017 at 2:22 pm

    The table is so bright and cheerful, now! I think the new tabletop goes well with the artwork hanging in the room. It’s obviously a space occupied by creative people.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      31st May 2017 at 7:26 pm

      Thank you, it’s my friend Wendy’s table and yes she’s very creative.

      Reply
  22. Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled

    31st May 2017 at 12:24 pm

    Very cool, Claire! Total makeover of a plain table. Visiting from Grandma’s House party.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      31st May 2017 at 7:27 pm

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  23. Sandra L Garth

    31st May 2017 at 12:22 pm

    The tablescaper in me would love to do this on our dining room table. Better yet, I could just get another table and have at it. I hope to see this in our line up at Celebrate Your Story this week.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      31st May 2017 at 7:28 pm

      Thank you so much and I will be there.

      Reply

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