Wall Stamps Are the Cutest (And Cheapest!) Way to Update Your Room—Here’s How to Do It
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If you love the look of wallpaper but are less in love with the cost (or the idea of installing it yourself), you don’t have to give up on your dream room design! Luckily, there’s another way to get the look for less: wall stamping. This DIY paint technique allows you create a repeating pattern with paint and a stamp or stencil, and can quickly turn a plain wall into something interesting, unexpected, and packed with personality—all inspired by the look that traditional wallpaper provides at a fraction of the cost. Today, we walk you through how to wall stamp so you can create a DIY wallpaper-inspired look you’ll love.
It’s such a versatile DIY, too, that you can completely customize to match your taste. You can pick out your colors, pattern, the scale of your print, and the layout of your design for a truly a one-of-a-kind look. Best of all? It’s one of the most simple DIY projects you can do at home, and you can even get it done in a weekend or less! If you’re looking to give your room a cool pick-me-up with wall stamping, keep reading to find out more about how its done, where to find the best wall stamps, and some inspiration to get you started.
What is Wall Stamping?
Wall stamping is, well, pretty much what it sounds like! You apply paint to a stamp, then press the stamp onto the wall in a repeated pattern to mimic the look of wallpaper. You can do DIY wall stamping with just about any pattern you can think of, from flowers to sailboats, stars, birds, and more.
Carefully-measured and leveled rows will give you a more traditional wallpaper look, but you don’t have to be precious with it. Freehanding can make the design feel hand-painted, which also looks very elegant.
We mentioned wall stenciling before, which is slightly different, but gives a similar result. With wall stenciling, you secure a stencil to the wall, typically with painters tape, and then use a small brush to paint through it and transfer your design.
Where Do I Find Stamps for This DIY Wallpaper Hack?
Craft stores, art supply shops, and Etsy are all great places to hunt, but you can also find them on marketplaces like Amazon. Large, flat stamps with clearly defined designs are the easiest to use for a project like this.
Remember to go a little bigger than you would for a typical craft project (these are going on the wall after all!). And if you do want it to resemble wallpaper, be sure to pick a design that will look good repeating. When in doubt, order a few to test them out before going for it. Here are some pretty ideas to get you started on your search:
How Much Does It Cost to Stamp a Wall?
This DIY is extremely budget-friendly, as your biggest expenses will be the stamp and paint. If you have leftover paint at home from another project, you’re in luck! But if not, you’ll likely only need a quarter gallon of paint or more depending on the size of the room and the complexity of the stamp.
Rubber stamps can range from $2.50 to about $20 or more, depending on the stamp design you purchase, the size of the stamp, and where you purchase it from. Bonus: Because these stamps are reusable, you can use them again and again!
How to Wall Stamp
The technique is simple, just a little bit time consuming—but it’s also so worth it. You may have the urge to rush through it, but try and be patient! Take your time with the prep work here, because measuring at the beginning can save you lots of time later on.
What You’ll Need
- Wall stamp
- Interior paint
- Small paint tray
- Painters tape
- Level
- Measuring tape
- Drop cloth
- Pencil
- Artist paint brushes
Step 1: Clean Your Wall
This step isn’t thrilling, but it is important! Just give your wall a quick wipe down with mild dish soap and water to remove dirt and dust, which could keep the paint from adhering to the wall properly. If your walls are in bad shape, you may also want to give them a new base coat before stamping.
Step 2: Plan Your Pattern
Measure the width of your stamp and decide how much space you want in between each print. Then, figure out where you want your pattern to begin. Starting near the center of the wall can help you create a balanced design that looks great in the most visible areas, especially if you’re working with a repeating pattern.
Use a laser level to evenly place the stamp, and using a tape measure and pencil, lightly mark where each stamp will go. You don’t need to draw the entire wall, but it helps to mark off reference points throughout.
If you’re doing more of a freehand approach, you can skip the grid—but you’ll still probably want to map out where you want to start and end.
Step 3: Test Run
Before you hit the wall, practice on a piece of paper. This will tell you how much paint and pressure to apply to get the look you’re hoping for. Nobody likes drippy blobs ruining their design!
Step 4: Add Paint
Pour a small amount of paint onto a paint tray or paper plate. Then, use a small brush or foam roller to apply a thin, even coat of paint to the stamp. It may be tempting to dunk the whole stamp in, but this can lead to messy prints with too much paint.
For stamping purposes, less is more. It’s easier to add in small details later than it is to fix messy smudges or drips.
Step 5: Stamp!
It’s go time! Now that you’ve applied paint to your stamp, line it up with the most central part of the wall, where you’ve made your mark. Press it to the surface using firm and even pressure (no wiggling or rocking!). Then, pull it away and take a look. If the impression is too light or too heavy, don’t panic! Those little variations are what give it character. Now, add paint and do it again…and again…and again!
Step 6: Touch-Ups
With hundreds of impressions, a few are bound to be less than perfect. That’s okay! In places where details didn’t quite print, you can use a small artist brush to freehand the missing pieces. But, again, those imperfections are what make it look interesting, so don’t feel like it needs to be perfect.
Grab Your Stamping Supplies!
More Wall Stamp DIY Inspiration
Our associate social media editor, Heather, recently did her own wall stamping in her baby’s nursery—and it turned out so cute!
Likewise, the craze has taken social media by storm recently. Here are some of our favorite Pinterest ideas we’ve seen as of late.
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Erica Finamore
Erica Finamore is a writer and editor with more than ten years of experience telling stories about homes, travel, food, and everyday living. Most recently, she was the Home & Travel Director at Real Simple, where she shaped design features, curated gift guides, and helped bring the brand’s annual showhouse to life. She’s also worked with HGTV Magazine, Food Network Magazine, and InStyle. When she’s not writing about inspiring spaces or dreamy destinations, she’s probably out walking her dachshund, Leslie Knope, or scrolling Facebook Marketplace for vintage art finds.
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