Step 1: Prepare for application.
First things first: unpackage your wall decal and choose your location. A little measuring might be in order to ensure that your assembled design will fit in the intended space. Wipe your wall with a dry or slightly damp cloth to ensure it’s clean and free of any dust. If your design needs to be nice and level, lightly trace a straight line on the wall with a pencil. Once you’re fully prepped, you can start the application process.
Remember: do not apply wall decals to freshly painted surfaces! We recommend waiting at least 2-3 weeks to allow paint to “cure” before application.
Step 2: Stick the top of the decal to the wall.
Although it might be tempting to peel the whole wall decal from the sheet and try to stick it on the wall in one go, we highly recommend taking a slow and steady approach to reduce bubbles, creases, and other frustrations. Unpeel approximately one to two inches of the top of the decal away from the liner, and carefully press it to the wall as shown above. Make sure the entire top makes contact with the wall, and is pressed smooth and flat.
Step 3: Smooth it out!
To continue the process, you’ll want to do exactly as shown above. Slowly peel the liner away from the wall decal, pulling straight down, while smoothing the sticker out on the wall. This is where it would be helpful to have a second set of hands: one person can smooth while the other peels down the liner.
Work slowly in small sections to smooth the decal to the wall. If your wall sticker gets crooked or you spot an air bubble, slowly peel the decal from the wall, then re-smooth. Remember: because wall decals are removable and reusable with no damage, you can peel the decal away and re-apply as many times as you need to.
Step 4: Keep smoothing…
The further you go, the easier the process will become. Keep slowly peeling down the liner as you smooth out the decal on the wall. In the event of a bubble or crease, simply pull the decal from the wall and re-apply. If you miss a bubble or air pocket on the way down, don’t fret: you can still smooth these out at the end.
Step 5: …and finish!
When you reach the bottom of your wall decal, you’ll find it easiest to stick one bottom corner to the wall, then smooth from the applied side to the non-applied side, peeling the liner away as you move. Don’t worry about bending or pulling on the wall decal too much, since the stickers will keep their shape on the wall no matter what you do with the liner.
If your decal has several large parts, repeat this process with the additional pieces until you’ve assembled the full design. Once you’re finished, give yourself a pat on the back (and say thanks to any helpers)! If you spot any bubbles, you can grab a credit card and use it to gently push them to the sides, where they’ll eventually disappear. If your design is crooked, simply peel it away from the wall and start over. Once you’re satisfied, take a few photos, call the family over to see your handiwork, and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
What if I want to remove my wall decal?
If you’re dealing with a large, single piece design, removing it might seem a little daunting. Just work slowly and carefully and you’ll find that there’s nothing to worry about! First, unpeel the ends, and then with one corner in each hand, slowly but firmly peel the decal away from the wall. Don’t pull too hard or fast: tugging on the design could result in creases or slight stretching.
Once the design has been removed, you can either reposition it on the wall, stick it back on its liner, or place it somewhere else. If you’re moving it to a new spot, try to follow the application process listed above; you won’t have a liner to peel away, but it’s best to grab a second person who can hold the bottom of the decal away from the wall as you smooth it out from top to bottom.
Do you have any tips of your own for quickly and easily applying a giant wall decal? Let us know in the comments—if you have a really good one, we’ll add it to this post!
Discount Wallcovering 