Try this easy homemade wallpaper paste recipe with simple step-by-step instructions and photos to make the job quick and affordable.

Homemade Wallpaper Paste

While redecorating my laundry room I discovered an old wallpaper border I loved, but I had no paste. I wanted the project finished—a tidy laundry room was long overdue—so I looked up a homemade paste recipe. It turned out to be fast, inexpensive, and effective. The ingredients cost only pennies, and the paste worked perfectly for hanging my border.

Homemade Wallpaper Paste Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon alum*
3 cups water

Instructions: Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl. Gradually add 1 cup of cold water, stirring or beating to remove lumps. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and add the remaining 2 cups of water. Stir constantly over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture becomes thick and stiff, then remove it from the heat and stir in the alum. Let cool before transferring to an airtight container. Stored properly, the paste will keep for several weeks. If it firms up over time, loosen it by mixing in small amounts of warm water until you reach the desired consistency.

*Alum is used as a preservative and can be found in the spice aisle, often labeled as a pickling ingredient.

How to hang wallpaper:

Prepare the work area by covering the surface with plastic or clean white paper—avoid newspaper because the ink can transfer. Use a brush or roller to spread the paste evenly on the back of the wallpaper.

“Book” the wallpaper by folding the pasted sides together so the adhesive can activate without drying out.

Let the folded wallpaper rest for about five minutes to let the paste set and penetrate the paper.

Unfold and hang the wallpaper on the wall, smoothing out bubbles and aligning patterns as you go. Trim excess material and wipe away any paste residue gently with a damp sponge. The result can look surprisingly professional, and in my case the border matched my chocolate-brown walls perfectly—making laundry a bit more enjoyable!

Tip: I had stored this wallpaper for over 15 years, and some edges had creased in the box. To hide those lines, I filled them in with a matching crayon or marker—this simple fix blended the creases away.

Making your own wallpaper paste is economical and straightforward. Even if you need to buy alum, the cost is still far lower than a large tub of commercial paste. Give this recipe a try and enjoy a refreshed space for just a few cents. —Tawra