This article was formerly titled Uba Tuba Stripes on My Walls.

Many people already know about using kraft paper or brown bags as a wall treatment. I once did a nice leathery texture on my dining room walls with the technique. However, I wanted something different for my kitchen, and what I wanted was stripes, lots and lots of stripes.

Instead of using kraft paper, I decided to use shelf liner as an easy and inexpensive alternative. With a little patience in shopping around, I was able to collect several rolls of a striped liner in the color scheme I liked. The liner I chose is Grip-it Active Home Shelf Liner from their Uba Tuba Stripes line. Oddly, Uba Tuba, or Ubatuba, is a style of graniteClick to visit this external link, but the liner doesn’t resemble the granite design at all. The liner is completely non-adhesive and is of the thicker variety. The thickness feels like padding to the touch and adds a fair amount of both temperature and sound insulation to the walls.

The liner rolls come in 12″ wide rolls and are 84″ in length. For my small apartment kitchen (about 8 x 8 ) it took 4 rolls of liner at $4.98 each. That’s about the same cost as a decent can of paint.

The process

I applied the liner the same as one would with wallpaper, brown bag techniques, and fabric wall treatments. Staples and nails leave holes and velcro; hot glue and other sticky stuff (even plain contact paper) can rip a layer off walls. I used plain ol’ starch.

Liquid starch, as used in the aforementioned techniques, works as an adhesive, just without the wall-damaging tackiness. When applied to both the surface of the liner and the surface of the wall, it allows for some slip and movement of the liner for precision adjustment. Did I mention liquid starch is both cheap and easy to find? A large jug is no more than a few dollars. That size is more than enough for most wall projects.

1. I measured twice then cut once. I decided where my start and end points would be (my kitchen walls flow right into the dining room with no delineation) and determined where the more difficult areas would be for application. I cut each piece as I moved around the room using a T-square, a self-healing cutting mat, an X-acto knife, and a rotary wheel. A rotary wheel, or tracing wheel as seen in the image, is a tool used in sewing. For this project, I used it before cutting with the knife to create perforations in the liner. This made cutting with my slightly dull X-acto blade a breeze.

2. Starching the pieces. I applied a thin(-ish) layer of starch to the backside of each piece of liner using a standard paintbrush. I did the same for the corresponding section of wall, making sure not to get messy with lots of drips. I was careful to apply starch evenly, not skimping on near corners and borders. Any excess can be cleaned with a damp cloth.

3. Applying to the walls. Next, I rubbed each liner piece to the wall, smoothing out any air bubbles with a rolling pin. A dry paintbrush or wallpaper brush are better alternatives for thin shelf liner applications. During this step while both surfaces were wet, I ensured each piece was lined up well.

Before: Bare walls and kitchen prepared for work.

The results

I am more than pleased with the results of this project, and to date, it’s been nearly 18 month since my wall re-do. The liner surface wipes clean with nothing more than a damp cloth, easier than cleaning bare walls. Not one piece has slipped out of position and all corners and edges are completely intact, just as the day I first applied them to the walls. My kitchen still looks refreshed, but I would do this project again in an instant if I grew tired of the current pattern.

After: Liner applied to walls. CLICK to view larger version.

Tips, or What I Learned

1. Consider the pattern you would like to use. The striped pattern allowed for extra easy alignment of pieces next to one another. In the finished look, not one seam can be seen. Avoiding patterns that are fussy and highly detailed may be the best option.
2. Prepare to complete the task in full. A small to medium sized room doesn’t take an extraordinary amount of time, and the final result is something to stand back and be proud of. On the other hand, don’t be discouraged or concerned if you need to stop during the process. Starch is very forgiving, and since there is no adhesive on the liner, you are free to redo any piece or section at will.
3. Music calms the savage beast and makes more tedious tasks fly by like magic.