Does (paper) wallpaper go bad?

July 30, 2007 9:28 PM

Does unused wallpaper expire?

Mr. Nadise and I bought some wallpaper for a bathroom about six years ago, and we haven't quite gotten around to installing it yet -- yes, we're Master Procrastinators.

Assuming the wallpaper's not dreadfully out of style by now... is it still fine to use, or do we have to suck it up and toss it out after all this time? Anything special we should look for to determine whether or not it's ok? Does it matter if the original cellophane packaging has been on or off all along?

posted by nadise to home & garden (7 comments total)

No, my parents replaced a section I had ripped off the wall in my room several years after the fact.
posted by brujita at 9:38 PM on July 30, 2007

Wallpaper does not "expire"... In fact, "vintage" (i.e. OLD) wallpaper is a popular design choice... Go ahead and use it (making sure to follow the proper wall-papering procedures) and enjoy!
posted by amyms at 10:21 PM on July 30, 2007

I have a roll of 17-year-old wallpaper left over from my childhood home that I plan to hang pretty soon (HA HA HA). It's fine.
posted by astruc at 10:49 PM on July 30, 2007

It's probably fine. Unroll the paper on a flat surface and notice if it seems crinkly or cracked. If it looks fine then it is fine. Wall paper that goes out of style eventually comes back in style, especially if it looks kind of trippy. Happy papering.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:59 PM on July 30, 2007

"Does paper expire? "
No.

(well, unless moisture and/or organisms got to it.)
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 1:37 AM on July 31, 2007

The most important thing in a wallpapering job is to make sure the wall surface and the paper surface are as clean and free of defect as possible. This prevents bubbling and peeling later.

Just unroll a bit, and check the backside texture. If it feels crumbly and nubbly, then condensation and insects have been devouring the glue side. You can still use this paper, but you'll have to sand it with a very fine grit sandpaper, and apply it with wallpaste to make sure it adheres evenly.

(I'm not a paper hanger, but my uncle is.)
posted by headspace at 8:07 AM on July 31, 2007

Thanks for the advice, all! I'll paper with reckless abandon (according to the instructions, of course).
posted by nadise at 9:45 PM on July 31, 2007