How to accomplish Paper bag walls?
by
Smfsprout
+2
I've seen and love the looks of the paper bag floors. Does anyone know how to accomplish this same look on the walls?
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Hi, Here's a how to video that may help!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqnCdl4PHCI
Have fun!
Hello Smfsprout, I also saw the video you are referring to and really liked the end result. I'm sure it takes some time and a lot of patience. You will need enough paper bags to cover the entire wall. You will also need a lot of glue that you have diluted with water. Rip your shopping bags into small pieces and crinkle them up. Glue them to your wall. When you have a small area done, apply more glue on top. I think it's the same process as decoupaging. Make sure there are no blank spaces. After it has dried, seal it. If you can, take a picture and post it on Hometalk. I would love to see it. Good luck.
Oh, my goodness. My mother-in-law told me about how her family, during the Depression, could not afford wallpaper or much paint. To help insulate the walls, they covered them in newspapers. (Paper bags were only for penny candy.) Back then, the newspaper office would give you a bundle of old papers for free. They would make a paste of flour and water, paint the wall with it, and paste on overlapping layers of newspaper. When they needed to, another layer or two would go on.
To do a wall with paper bags is very similar. Cut or tear large bags into mostly large pieces, not using the bottoms. You can iron the paper, fold and unfold it, or wrinkle the paper and then smooth it out. Prime the wall, then use Gesso (or a white glue and water paste). Let the Gesso layer get tacky by drying about 5-10 minutes, then start adding the paper bags pieces, overlapping as you go. If the Gesso gets too dry to hold the paper, paint on some more, but the wetter this layer is, the longer it will take to cure. When you finish covering the wall with paper, paint the whole wall again with Gesso, starting at the beginning. Let the wall dry at least 24 hours. If it is the least bit damp, give it another day. After that, you can paint the wall any color you like. I suggest chalk paint or another slightly textured paint. Best wishes😇
A friend of mine covered her uneven plaster bathroom walls with tissue paper, using a similar process. They look fabulous!