Wacky idea for unsightly wardrobe doors

malcindebt

In the adults bedroom we have 2 built in wardrobes. They were originally alcoves, but when whoever refurbished the house some 30 years ago, they converted them into wardrobes. The doors on them are unsightly, glossed, veneer doors (with probably 20 layers of gloss on them).

Ok wacky idea. I want to cover them with wallpaper, such as this.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9255308&fh_view_size=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_sort_order=1&fh_sort_by=_price_rrp_min&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3C{9372013}%2fcategories%3C{9372032}%2fcategories%3C{9372139}%2f_colourMoodMIF%3E{all}%2fstyleStyle%3E{damask}&fh_refview=lister&ts=1247173137203&isSearch=false

How would I stick the wallpaper to the doors, I assume paste would not work.

Any help appreciated.

dander

never tried it, but I would give the doors a really good sanding down - perhaps a wire brush or wire wool would get the surface keyed. Then use a border paste - one of the ones that comes ready mixed that are designed for sticking on top of vinyl papers. I reckon that would probably do the job.

JohnMac_3

malcindebt wrote: »

In the adults bedroom we have 2 built in wardrobes. They were originally alcoves, but when whoever refurbished the house some 30 years ago, they converted them into wardrobes. The doors on them are unsightly, glossed, veneer doors (with probably 20 layers of gloss on them).

Ok wacky idea. I want to cover them with wallpaper, such as this.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9255308&fh_view_size=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_sort_order=1&fh_sort_by=_price_rrp_min&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3C{9372013}%2fcategories%3C{9372032}%2fcategories%3C{9372139}%2f_colourMoodMIF%3E{all}%2fstyleStyle%3E{damask}&fh_refview=lister&ts=1247173137203&isSearch=false

How would I stick the wallpaper to the doors, I assume paste would not work.

Any help appreciated.

Might be just me, but I couldn't really think of any reason why normal wallpaper paste wouldn't stick, so I asked the god of google, and he say no as well ... odd though, as I'm sure I used to wall-paper my doors with AC/DC posters

Gotta say, I do agree with Dander though. I'd give it a good sanding down and have a go, though maybe I'd add a bit of nice, narrow moulding tacked around the external of the rectangle of wallpaper for 'decorative' purposes.

No, not to keep the wallpaper stretched taut across the door and stop the edges from lifting. That would be cheating.

Also, have you considered nipping to the timber merchant for a few sheets of the thinnest ply-wood they sell, with a grain that you like, and tacking that over the entirety of the doors? Then decorate over your new veneer with some nice timber moulding that, as luck would have it, just happens to cover the tacks you used to hold your new veneer in place.

Then stain or paint to taste.

I do like your idea of the wallpaper better though. I hope it works for you.

dander

Oh, I like where you are going with the moulding round the edges of the paper idea, Johnmac, cunning move! Extending that kind of idea you could also try something like uphostery braid and and upholstery tacks or something like that around the edges as an edging feature.

malcindebt

Thanks for the replies.

The universal opinion is to sand the doors down first, so that's the first job.

Instead of border adhesive (which can be quite expensive simply because they call it border adhesive) could I use PVA, which can be bought relatively cheaply in a large tub.

dander

I would guess that you could, but I would just be a bit wary of making sure the paper has a chance to stretch. Perhaps prime the door itself with a coat of pva, then add a spot of water to the pva that you put on the paper so there's the moisture to let the paper stretch, then give it plenty of time to soak in before applying the paper. I just suggest adding water because I'd be a little worried that if you leave neat pva on the paper for the soaking time it might just start to dry. But someone may be able to say that's not true.

Doozergirl

That wallpaper is going to get a lot of wear from opening the doors. If you think about the scratches a car gets behind the door handle?

It's going to need varnishing at the least and then I'd question how good it would look at that point. It's a nice idea but I don't think it will have any longevity.

malcindebt

Doozergirl wrote: »

That wallpaper is going to get a lot of wear from opening the doors. If you think about the scratches a car gets behind the door handle?

It's going to need varnishing at the least and then I'd question how good it would look at that point. It's a nice idea but I don't think it will have any longevity.

Already thought of that.

I have some very nice handles that I got as a job lot when I fitted the kitchen a couple of years ago (Got 40 handles for £15 off Ebay). I also have a friend who's job is making those protectors that go behind door handles, and he has made some from clear perspex for me. You know the things, they are about 4" wide 10" long and go behind the door handle. He's also said he can make a kick plate from the same stuff should I need it.

As the doors are in our bedroom, and the kids are not allowed in there there shouldn't be that much need to varnish the paper.

I do understand your concerns however.

I would guess that you could, but I would just be a bit wary of making sure the paper has a chance to stretch. Perhaps prime the door itself with a coat of pva, then add a spot of water to the pva that you put on the paper so there's the moisture to let the paper stretch, then give it plenty of time to soak in before applying the paper. I just suggest adding water because I'd be a little worried that if you leave neat pva on the paper for the soaking time it might just start to dry. But someone may be able to say that's not true.

If I sanded and PVA'd the door, could I not then just use walpaper paste?

TomsMom

We did this at our last house, on the door to the loft room which was pretty well used, and there was a ball (push) catch rather than a doorknob you turn or a lever.

OH sanded down the gloss paintwork on the door, used normal wallpaper paste and papered. He did actually use some dado rail around the edges of the door to match the dado rail on the hall/stairs/landing (old house, in keeping with character) and after 5 years it was still absolutely fine.