BACKDEC 25, 2025
There are few home improvement moments more disheartening than stepping back to admire your new wallpaper, only to see it bubbling, peeling at the edges, or worse, completely falling off the wall. You’ve spent time and money picking the perfect pattern, and now it feels like the walls themselves are rejecting it.
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Hey, I'm Tyler from Casa, and I want to walk you through this. Don't throw in the towel (or the wallpaper brush) just yet. This is a surprisingly common issue, and the good news is that it’s almost always fixable. The problem usually isn’t the wallpaper itself, but the preparation or the environment.
Whether you're seeing loose edges, frustrating bubbles, or entire strips giving up the ghost, we can get to the bottom of it. In this guide, I’ll talk you through the three main culprits behind a wallpaper fail and give you a clear, step-by-step plan to ensure your wallpaper sticks—and stays stuck.
Before we can fix the problem, we need to play detective. Wallpaper adhesion is a bit of a science, and it relies on a perfect trifecta of conditions. If one of these is off, you’ll run into trouble.
The Wall Surface: This is the number one reason for wallpaper failure. You can’t stick a perfect sheet of paper onto an imperfect surface. If your wall is dusty, greasy, overly textured, or still has old adhesive on it, you’re creating a barrier between the new glue and the wall itself. A smooth, clean, and properly primed surface is non-negotiable.
The Adhesive Application: Wallpaper comes in two main types: pre-pasted (where the adhesive is on the back and just needs water to activate) and unpasted (where you apply a separate adhesive). Each has a specific process that must be followed. Applying too little paste, letting it dry out, or not activating it correctly will result in a weak bond.
The Room Environment: This is the secret saboteur many people overlook. The temperature and humidity in the room play a massive role in how wallpaper adhesive cures. If it’s too hot, the paste can dry too quickly before it bonds. If it’s too cold or humid, the paste can take too long to dry, leading to sagging, peeling, and even mold growth behind the paper.
Now that we know what we’re looking for, let’s get our hands dirty and fix this thing for good.
Think of this as your troubleshooting checklist. We’re going to start with the most likely problem—the wall itself—and work our way through each potential issue.
I can't stress this enough: proper wall preparation is 90% of the job. If you’ve already hung the paper and it’s failing, you may need to take it down and start this step from scratch. It’s frustrating, I know, but it’s better than watching your investment peel away.
What you’ll need:
Here’s how to prep your wall like a pro:
Once your wall is clean, smooth, and primed, you’ve created the perfect canvas. Now, let’s talk about the adhesive.
How you handle the adhesive depends entirely on what kind of wallpaper you're using. Check the product label to confirm if it's pre-pasted or unpasted.
Pre-pasted paper seems simpler, but it has a critical activation step that many people rush.
What you'll need:
How to activate and hang it:
With this type, you have more control over the adhesive, but you need to be methodical.
What you'll need:
How to apply paste and hang it:
You’ve prepped the wall and hung the paper perfectly. Now you need to ensure the environment is right for the adhesive to cure into a rock-solid bond.
How to create the perfect curing conditions:
If you've meticulously followed all these steps and are still facing adhesion issues, it might be time to call for backup. Some underlying problems, like moisture seeping through the walls or an incompatible paint surface (like high-gloss or oil-based paint that wasn't primed over), can require a professional eye.
Hiring a professional wallpaper installer typically costs between $3 to $7 per square foot, but their expertise can save you a lot of time and frustration, especially with expensive wallpaper.
Fixing peeling wallpaper is all about patience and process. By giving your walls the prep they deserve, handling your adhesive correctly, and controlling the room's environment, you can achieve a stunning, professional-looking result that lasts for years.
For more expert-led home maintenance guides, easy-to-follow DIY tutorials, and a direct line to vetted professionals when you need them, download the Casa app today. We're here to help you tackle any home project with confidence.
