How to make natural wallpaper paste & recycled wallpaper

Make Natural Wallpaper Paste & Recycled Wallpaper

242
STEPS
TOOLS

Gather supplies

Gather supplies

Add alum to flour. Mix.

Add alum to flour. Mix.

Add water slowly, mixing until you get the consistency of heavy cream.

Add water slowly, mixing until you get the consistency of heavy cream.

Make a double boiler by putting a bowl into a pot with a couple of inches of water. (I realized I needed to take it out to mix in the water in after taking this photo)

Make a double boiler by putting a bowl into a pot with a couple of inches of water. (I realized I needed to take it out to mix in the water in after taking this photo)

Warm the mixture, stirring constantly until you get the consistency of gravy. Be careful not to let it burn!

Warm the mixture, stirring constantly until you get the consistency of gravy. Be careful not to let it burn!

Pour into a jar. This will keep for a couple weeks in the fridge.

Pour into a jar. This will keep for a couple weeks in the fridge.

Add 10 drops of clove bud oil (less than 1 ml) and stir in. This acts as a preservative when the paste is on the walls. Also, gives you soothing aromatherapy while you work.

Add 10 drops of clove bud oil (less than 1 ml) and stir in. This acts as a preservative when the paste is on the walls. Also, gives you soothing aromatherapy while you work.

Rustle up a paint brush and your "wallpaper" -- in this case a weathered old book of Russian fairy tales.

Rustle up a paint brush and your "wallpaper" -- in this case a weathered old book of Russian fairy tales.

Separate the pages and make some decisions about which sides you want to use.

Separate the pages and make some decisions about which sides you want to use.

Apply the paste to the back of the paper, and smooth onto the wall with something flat and smooth-- a piece of trim, a credit card-- to get rid of bubbles.

Apply the paste to the back of the paper, and smooth onto the wall with something flat and smooth-- a piece of trim, a credit card-- to get rid of bubbles.

Work around corners.

Work around corners.

Wait till paper is dry before trimming, to avoid tears like these.

Wait till paper is dry before trimming, to avoid tears like these.

Ta da!

  • 1.0c Flour
  • 3.0tsp Alum
  • 1.0ml Clove bud oil
  • Water
  • Paper