Call it bling for the eyes, or an easy fix for the do-it-yourself type of home decorator, but decorative wall decals, are a way to create maximum impact in your home on tight budget.
Decorative Wall Decals - Not Just for Kids
Immediately when one thinks of wall decals, the image of a children's sticker book come to mind. In a sense, that is not too far from the basic concept of what wall decals are in reality. What they are not is clownish, childish, or impossible to get rid of when once applied.
Decorative wall decals come in breathtaking beautiful designs from actual scenes to bold, one-object designs. Graphic and geometric forms and even words are available. Literally, these designs are wall art. They make an immediate impact on a space, serving either as an anchor from which the room is designed around, or as subtle underpinning to accentuate the theme of the room.
Wall Decal Designs
There are numerous sites devoted to selling wall decals. There are amazing designs to choose from - from a tree with its leaves blowing in a high wind, to pop art flower petals and silhouettes of objects and people. There are some stunning designs for all the rooms in your house from kitchen to nursery, living rooms to bedrooms and beyond!
Some of the most interesting sites are:
- Wall Words - http://www.wallwords.com
- The Surface Store - http://thesurfacestore.com
- Wall Tat - http://walltat.com
What Decals Are and How to Apply
Most decorative wall decals are made of a very thin vinyl. This gives them a smooth, painted on finish and adds to the illusion of the decal being a natural part of the overall design.Wall decals primarily come in a self-adhesive, peel and stick designs. There are, however some wall decals that use a dry rub technique in order to apply them.
Decals are not just for walls, but are also used on certain types of flooring, glass, wood, and metal. Their limits are bound only by your imagination and decorative flair. One small note of design caution - the impact of a well-chosen and placed decal can be transformative. Unlike wall borders of the 1980's, you do not need to wrap an entire room in them. Less is more when it comes to decals.
Application is relatively easy. You will need the following:
- A ruler, yardstick, or measuring tape
- A pencil, marker
- Plastic device with a straight, flat edge - a plastic scraper or credit card
- The decal
Your decal comes pre-cut. You will have figured out the height and width of it when you placed your decal order.
Your first order of business is to look at the space you have chosen for your decal to go. Make sure the surface is clean and free of dust, marks, and general grime. If need be, clean the surface and let it thoroughly dry.
Never place a decal on a freshly painted wall. Make sure the paint has had time to cure. Curing can take place over one to two weeks, as the paint bonds to the surface and adjusts to the environmental and atmospheric conditions of the room. Some paints on some surfaces take longer to cure, remember to ask the expert where you bought your paint.
Next, make sure you measure twice and mark once where on the surface you want your decal to go.
Most decorative wall decals come with three layers to them.
- The transfer paper
- The decal itself
- The paper backing to the decal
Carefully remove the transfer paper. Then place the decal against the surface. Using your plastic card or tool, you can start to press out air bubbles as you press the decal against the wall. Work from the center of the decal outward towards the edges.
You finish by carefully peeling away the paper backing. You can take your plastic edge and smooth out any leftover air bubbles by lightly going over the decal.
Reverse the Process - Removing the Decal
Decals are easy to remove. The removal process requires time and patience. Generally, all you need to do is slid your fingernail under an edge of the vinyl. Slowly begin to peel the decal straight back. Do not peel the decal up - you are peeling in a sideways motion.
You may notice an outline left by dust, time, and ever sunlight fading the paint around the decal. A fresh coat of paint easily can fix this. Please remember that while decals are removable, they are generally not repositionable. Once you remove your average decal, you will not be able to re-stick/re-apply them again.
