DIY designer Galey Alix knows her way around a home makeover. Her popular Instagram and 2023 HGTV series Home in a Heartbeat are proof. But when it comes to peel-and-stick wallpaper, she says even experienced DIYers make one common mistake.
“The biggest mistake—which I myself am guilty of from the first wall I hung—is not doing a slight overlap of each piece,” Alix tells Country Living.
After launching Home Depot’s top-selling designer-led peel-and-stick wallpaper collection, Alix says she’s learned exactly why that step matters.
“Because peel-and-stick isn’t glued to your wall, it can start to expand and contract over time as you experience seasonal temperature changes,” she explains.
“If you don’t overlap your seams, a perfectly aligned seam can slowly separate over time and expose the wall underneath.”
Luckily, the fix is simple: overlap each strip by about 1/8 inch.
Beyond overlapping seams, Alix says a few other installation habits can dramatically improve the final result—especially for first-time DIYers.
Cut Wallpaper Panels 4 Inches Longer Than Your Wall
Alix recommends cutting each wallpaper panel about 4 inches longer than the wall height, leaving a 2-inch overhang at both the top and bottom.
“This gives you enough slack to cleanly cut each piece against your ceiling and baseboard to ensure a perfectly straight line,” she says.
If You’re a Beginner, Avoid Repeating Patterns
“If this is your first time installing wallpaper, I don’t recommend starting with a repeating pattern you need to perfectly line up,” she says.
Instead, she recommends grasscloth, woven, or simple striped designs that don’t require perfectly matched seams.
“It will take a tremendous amount of guesswork out of the process so that you can focus on learning the basics.”
When Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper Is—and Isn’t—the Best Choice
Peel-and-stick wallpaper requires no glue, making it cleaner to install and easier to remove. “I can confirm my wallpaper can be removed in seconds with no damage to your underlying paint or walls,” Alix says.
But because peel-and-stick wallpaper isn’t permanent, it doesn’t perform as well in high-humidity spaces, like bathrooms with mirrors that fog up regularly, she warns. Powder baths, however, are typically fine.
Peel-and-stick wallpaper is best for:
- Renters
- Nurseries or playrooms that may need updating as kids grow up
- Temporary updates or rooms you plan to redesign within the next five to 10 years
Traditional wallpaper, on the other hand, is messier to install and more labor-intensive to remove.
“You have to coat the wall and every piece in wallpaper glue,” Alix says. “But the upside is that it’s a more permanent solution.”
Traditional wallpaper works better for:
- Humid bathrooms
- Long-term homes
- Permanent installs where you want wallpaper that lasts 10-plus years
For more wallpaper tips, watch Alix’s full “How to Hang Peel & Stick Wallpaper” tutorial on Home Depot’s YouTube channel.
Terri Robertson has been an editor and storyteller for more than 20 years. As Deputy Digital Editor at Country Living, she curates daily newsletters and has found a niche writing about odd corners of the internet and people embracing American life off the beaten path. She’s passionate about gardening and nature, writing about everything from super monarchs to supermoons. She also contributes to Country Living’s entertainment coverage, including HGTV stars, popular TV shows, and music. Terri began her career proofreading Southern Living cookbooks—a first job befitting an English major with a childhood penchant for reading her mom’s cookbooks—and went on to edit many food, garden, and lifestyle titles. She later worked for the University of Alabama’s marketing and communications division, capturing the stories of students and faculty. Returning to lifestyle media in 2017, she covered local arts, culture, and business news in Birmingham, Alabama, for Bham Now and later served as digital media manager for Flower magazine, a luxury home, garden, and lifestyle publication, before finding her home at Country Living. She and her husband live with their four cats in Birmingham.
