Amazing Table Upcycle With Wallpaper

6 Materials
$30
1 Hour
Easy



My friend Wendy's dining table was looking battered and in need of some love. It even had a great big dirty iron mark on it. The table was the focal point of her lounge dinner and used not just for eating at, but her and her boys also did use the table for art and crafts. We decided to upcycle it with wallpaper just like she did with her garbage bin (see it here).

Wendy's decor style was mid-century modern so she wanted to revamp the table with something to fit that decor.


She also wanted to something bright and cheery. That's when we decided to wallpaper it.

When you have decided what wallpaper to use. You have to think carefully how the wallpaper pattern will match up.


Wendy's table was more than one roll of wallpaper wide. 2 widths of wallpaper would have been enough to cover the table. But that would look odd.

We decided to use 3 strips of wallpaper one central full width and then 2 half widths either side. This worked best with the pattern we had chosen.

Measure your 3 strips of wallpaper carefully. I found the most accurate and best way to cut the wallpaper was with a rotary cutter and mat.

Using a brush paste your 3 strips of wallpaper with wallpaper paste and then fold and put to one side whilst you paste the table.

Paste the table top with wallpaper paste, and leave for a couple of minutes.

Whilst the paste is still tacky carefully lay your middle strip of wallpaper onto the table top. Using a wallpaper smoothing brush carefully brush out any air bubbles.

Then repeat with the wallpaper strips either side. Carefully match up the pattern and trim any excess.


We let our wallpaper go over the side edges of the table and wrap underneath slightly for a neater look.

Even though the wallpaper is wipeable we applied 2 coats of varnish to provide extra protection from daily wear and tear.

I think the table looks fantastic in Wendy's living room. The Romo wallpaper she has chosen matches her decor really well. Her table certainly looks much better than before.


Table tops aren't the only things we have wallpapered you should check out the wallpapered kitchen backsplash we also did.

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Claire at Pillarboxblue
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  • Katen Katen on Oct 14, 2022

    Varnish or polyurethane? Is varnish food grade?

  • Jaswan Jaswan on Oct 15, 2023

    So how do you remove it? Especially with the couple coats of lacquer you applied? You said your friend changed it twice because she wanted a change in pattern... but how was it removed? Thank you-

  • Cortney Cortney on Oct 15, 2023

    Love this! Any advice for working with a round table?

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