beadboard wallpaper cabinets tutorial

05 August 2009

Update 9/22/09: Rhoda is also having her beadboard wallpaper party today that I'm linking my laundry room cabinets and tray to. Go see what everyone else is wallpapering :)

Basically, I just followed Rhoda's wonderful, precise directions:
I measured to fit the inside of the cabinets (I would leave a little room on the edges because it seems to expand a tiny bit when it gets wet)

I used one of the lines in the beadboard that was closest to the measurement I needed so I could cut as straight as possible:

This worked wonderfully, because the holes that were drilled were not the size I needed, so I just papered right over them:

I just got them wet for about 30 seconds in the sink, let them sit for a few minutes (I guess it's called booking??) and then flattened them out onto the cabinet (I didn't even prime or sand the cabinet before papering) and smoothed them out with my hands. No special tools required! I let them dry overnight,

The next day, I primed them, then painted them Rustoleum Heirloom White (you can buy it in the quart cans next to the spray paint at Home Depot) with a roller brush. Spray paint would work too, but I had this left over from my hall cabinets:

Poked the knob through the bottom hole, put the hardware back on, and there we have it! Simple, painless, and beautiful! It gives the cabinets such a custom look:


A few notes:
Lowes has some paintable wallpaper, but in my opinion it doesn't look like real beadboard. I had it in my project pile to use, then I saw Rhoda's and the wall doctor stuff looks so much better. Back to Lowes it went! Spend the extra ten dollars on the Wall Doctor brand wallpaper. I got mine from the Home Depot, but you can also get it at Graham & Brown.

Some of you have asked about using it in high traffic areas, or on kitchen cabinets, and I would hesitate because it's kind of a foamy texture that hardens up a bit when you paint, but look what my nail can still do to it

I have pictures of my boys running their cars over it and decided it wouldn't do well in our kitchen...

BUT think of the other possiblities: look at what moonkat99 over at the Garden Web forums did to her ceiling, y'all! It's gorgeous!

Here it is before:
And after: who would ever know it's wallpaper??

I've got a few more projects in mind for my big ol' roll of leftover wallpaper :)

It's DIY day over at Kimba's!

DIY Day @ ASPTL


67 comments

  1. looks lovely!! I can't wait to get my hands on some of this!! ;)

    Do you think that it would go over texured walls okay, or would the texture show through? I have zero experience with wall paper and never thought I'd want to try it, but this stuff looks A-mazing!

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  2. I love it! I need to get some for the back of a dresser-I was going to buy the real stuff, but this looks like it would be better. Thanks for the tip!

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  3. What a good idea to use that bead board wallpaper on cabinet insets. It looks wonderful.

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  4. Oh My goodness....I had no clue there was beadboard wallpaper. I just redid my cabinets but we just put actualy beadboard on the cabinets. Im posting updates about it on my blog if you would like to see what ive done :)

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  5. That wallpaper is amazing. Thank you for sharing - it turned out beautifully!

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  6. Now I am so sad that I already finished painting my laundry room cabinets. This would have looked so good! Maybe in a few months I'll have to re-do them again. ;)

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  7. i really love this, it turned out great, you made a good job outta it

    so enjoyed my inspiring DIY visit here today...now I'm looking for that wallpaper here in Australia, not holding out any hope though...

    Sarah

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  8. I want to use it to cover the horrible faux oak cabinet in my bathroom. I read somewhere that the Lowe's stuff was not pre-pasted and I am gathering from your post that the Wall Doctor beadboard wallpaper is. I KNOW that is the way I want to go! Your post gave me a great idea on how to do the cabinet fronts. Thanks so much!

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  9. Still loving this! It looks so awesome! Thanks for the tip on high traffic areas, we are getting ready to do our cabinets and I was thinking about this! I can't wait to see what you do with it next!

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  10. you guys are REALLY tempting me with that stuff! LOL What an easy way to make over your cabinets!!

    ~TidyMom

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  11. Thanks. I've been thinking about this since Rhoda did it. Now I know I'll DO IT.

    Question- Do you have to prime it or can you just use your regular paint?

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  12. It looks fabulous!!! I'm racking my brains now trying to figure out where I can use it!!!

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  13. Wow! It looks great, such a nice little detail in your room. I really want a bead board backsplash in my kitchen.

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  14. I love the cabinets. They look fabulous. My husband and I are going to be building and purchased some used cabinets. I can't wait to transform them.
    Oh thanks for sharing that ceiling I was wanting to do that in our kitchen when we build.
    Blessings

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  15. Looks fabulous!!! Now that my mom knows how to wallpaper, I just night ask for her help someday. :)

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  16. That looks awesome! What a huge difference. Thanks for stopping by my blog - you're right those are the same numbers you used. I spent about 15 minutes trying to create circle numbers in Word until I remembered, "Didn't I see a font like this on a blog?" Thanks for the tip on free fonts!

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  17. I know, don't you love how easy this stuff is to work with?? I have more plans for it too, just got to get all my supplies together. I'm really going to do it on my bathroom walls in at least 2 baths & add chairrail. And I knew it would look fab on a ceiling, that pic proves it. If I wasn't so afraid of neck pain, I just might try that too in my tiny bath.

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  18. Love the cabinets! thinking of using it on my ceiling in the FROG!

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  19. I have been wanting to try this since I saw it at Rhoda's. I bought it thinking I might use it on my kitchen cabs and entry but now I am afraid it won't hold up. I will play with it in a less trafficked area first. Your's looksgreat.

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  20. I love the new and improved cabinets!
    In my opinion, beadboard (real or wallpaper) always looks so fresh and fabulous. Great vision!

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  21. this is soooo genious! I cant wait to have a new house where I can paint my cabinets and add this detailing!!! :)

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  22. I just love that stuff!! Your cabinets and ceiling look fantastic! Thanks for the tutorial. I need to take a look around for some of my own wall paper. :o)
    Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

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  23. This looks so pretty! Love it! :)

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  24. Unbelievable!!! Thank you so much!
    ♥ Jen

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  25. Wow, I LOVE it!! I love the ceiling idea, too. Your laundry room is fabulous!! :)

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  26. I saw some of this on clearance at Home Depot this past weekend.

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  27. I love it!! I just bought some of this stuff at Home Depot last week and I'm just all aflutter about where to use it - so many ideas, so little time! This is a great idea though - thanks for sharing! :)

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  28. What a great idea, I love how it turned out! My hubby used real beadboard when doing my in-laws bath this summer but this looks very real! Cindy

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  29. I think if I had your laundry room I would be much better at keeping the laundry done! Who knew a laundry room could be Beautiful? :)

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  30. PERFECT! and as usual, great advice! Is doing laundry fun now? :)

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  31. I am heading to my mom's to redo her kitchen next week, and I am going to see what she thinks of this idea. Actually, I am hoping she'll let me put it around her island, rather than on the fronts of the dors. I love the way this stuff looks so real.

    Thanks for the advice. I think it looks so great. You did a wonderful job.

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  32. very, very nice! i am pondering what needs a little beadboard around here. if i put it on my wall, do you think it would look believable?

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  33. Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this wall paper. I've been wanting to bead board my kitchen and breakfast room ceilings, but it can get a bit expensive for the area we have. This will be perfect!

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  34. Hello Melissa - thank you so much for this great tutorial! I've been wanting to do this and judging by your positive experience, I just might try it!

    Blessings,
    Marie
    http://emmacallsmemama.com

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  35. Love it!!! I didn't know they made wallpaper like this!

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  36. I just love this! It looks so good.

    Sharon

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  37. I'm so glad I saw your wallpaper ..I can't wait to get some and do my kitchen cabnets ... If I only had the time. :^(
    It looks sooo great.
    Hugz ...Betty

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  38. Melissa, that is such a great tutorial. I saw this at Rhoda's too, and was so impressed. Your laundry room looks fabulous!! And I can't believe how great the wallpaper looks on a ceiling. I am going to have to remember that idea too...thanks for posting it! :)
    Carrie

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  39. They are SO MUCH easier than I thought, but wallpaper still makes me a little nervous. You have sure made me tempted though! That ceiling is to.die.for. Gonna go visit her next.

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  40. I just used the same thing in my bathroom on the cabinet. I will post pictures as soon as I am done. I wanted to use this in my kitchen as well, but after trying it out I have decided against it. It is not durable enough to handle the wear and tear in the kitchen. It does look exactly like beadboard though.

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  41. This stuff is amazing! I'm determined to find somewhere in my home to use it!

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  42. You did an amazing job! Love it! I'm definitely trying it in one of our bathrooms. Sounds like a winter project to me! :)

    Roeshel

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  43. C-U-T-E! I love how it really added character to your cabinets. I read that on Rhonda's blog, too and I am glad to see it here also, thanks for the new tips and pointers. That porch ceiling would be a great project, that turned out stunning, too. ~ Robyn

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  44. that's impressive... I've never seen that before... and the end result is amazing... love it.

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  45. Hey Melissa-Did your sister ever make it to the hot seat with Regis? -I've been trying to watch each time it's on. Has she been on the air yet?

    Want $80 worth of items and only spend $20 out of pocket? Read all about how you can do it too It's Just a COUPON - How much can you really save?
    and it's the last day for entering the give-a-way--and it's Photography art-Check it out!!

    Cheri
    Its So Very Cheri

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  46. Thanks for posting such great photos of the wallpaper and mentioning that it dents easily. I saw it on Rhoda's blog too and think it's the perfect thing for a spot in my kitchen that doesn't get too much knocking into. I'm definitely going to order a roll now that I've seen your pretty makeover!

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  47. I just used the same stuff on my kids bathroom cabinet. It looks great, but I have changed my mind about using it in my kitchen. It is way to soft to put up with the wear and tear in a kitchen. In fact, I have already dinged it on one of the cabinet doors.

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  48. Awesome Melissa!! LOVE these cabs!!

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  49. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post! We're looking at redoing some of our bathroom cabinets, and this would be PERFECT. By the way, I LOVE your blog! Such an inspiration to the do-it-yourselfer-challenged, such as myself. :D

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  50. HELP! I applied this exact wallpaper under an existing chairail molding in our living room, and three days later IT IS ALL COMING OFF!!!

    I followed instructions exactly, included how to wet the prepasted paper and let it sit for 5 minutes. I pressed gently to remove air bubbles, and daubed the excess glue off with a rag as instructed on the directions that came with the paper.

    Looked great! Very satisfying! Bragged to friends that they were going to love! Discovered today that whole strips are pulling away from the wall.

    Why is it that when I want to remove wallpaper I can't, and when it is supposed to stick, it won't?!!

    Any thoughts?

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  51. Anonymous~ you didn't leave an email, so I'm hoping you're reading this...
    What a pain! The only thing I can think of is that your surface wasn't ready~was it already wallpapered?? I haven't had any problems...

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  52. Your cabinets truly do look very custom after the application of this amazing wallpaper! Don't ya just love this stuff? One of the big advantages of it can be applied to areas that bead board would be too thick for. As they say, "best invention since sliced bread", imho. :)

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  53. LOVE your laundry room!!! So cute!

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  54. A tip to the person who had the wallpaper falling down.

    Did you by any chance put it up over laminate/ panel walls??

    I just recovered 2 of those stack-a-shelf type wardrobe closets and it started to come off, fall down, peel away. My advice is to use a spray adhesive. So far... so good. (so far... day 3 today)

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  55. FYI - $7/roll less at Lowe's than at Home Depot and it IS prepasted!

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  56. Wow! I had no idea this even existed. I had just told my husband the other day that when we do new cabinets I'd like to do beadboard. Great to know! Thanks!

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  57. Hey,

    This is a question for the webmaster/admin here at www.blogger.com.

    Can I use part of the information from this blog post above if I give a backlink back to your site?

    Thanks,
    Alex

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  58. Great thoughts you got there, believe I may possibly try just some of it throughout my daily life.

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  59. Wow, love it! I really have been thinking about ways to afford bead board, now  I can do it in all the places I would like. Thanks so much. Love your blog.

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  60. melissa*320 sycamore1/8/14, 6:05 PM

    Thank you, Brandi! Lowes has improved their bb wallpaper now that they sell in the stores...it's just like the Home Depot one that is online. Good luck!

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  61. Can i ask what you spent on the roll of paper? The lowes here has like, one roll and is 50bucks. just wondering if it's the same one. and why did you chose to not use the paintable one, is it not as good? thanks =) laura

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  62. melissa*320 sycamore1/18/14, 9:15 AM

    This one: http://www.lowes.com/pd_314368-37364-19739_0__?productId=3104163 It should only be around $15 a roll

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  63. i realize this is an old post, but i don't think I've seen it before.  your laundry room is beautiful. i love the beadboard on your cabinets. i love the way your home is decorated. you have such a great eye.  thanks so much for sharing your tips for hanging the wallpaper too and where to buy.

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  64. Mary Nicholson1/18/14, 1:47 PM

    My son put beadboard wall paper in our breakfast room below the chair rail and it looks great.  My question is I would like to put it below a chair rail going up the stairs; is there a paint that could be used on it to make it harder so if something bumps against it, it wouldn't dent?

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