Following damp repairs it’s usually better to use proper caravan wallboarding providing you are able to get a correct match with the original. For many, especially those with an older van, this is not possible due to the board being out of production or due to cost considerations. Spending a lot of money on an old van doesn’t make economic sense. This article is intended for those in that position.

Materials;

Clearly, number one is wallpaper. Use a good quality vinyl, you won’t need much so even an expensive paper can be considered. At this point I’ve got to hold my hand up and admit I managed to cadge an industrial quality paper which was 1.5 metres or so wide. The advantages of this were that it was wider than the caravan wallboards so that I was able to hang the paper and then trim it back to the width of the wallboards so I only had the original seams showing. Again, to be honest, once I’d refitted all the trim and the cushions, almost all my good work was covered up, so if you have to use standard width paper, I wouldn’t worry about it, take care and the seams should be almost invisible.

Paste. My preference is for B&Q ready-mixed paste or similar. This is intended for heavyweight papers and has excellent adhesive properties. Obviously this is more expensive that mixing it yourself but the advantages are no lumps and you can replace the lid on the tub and use it again later.

Tools. For applying the paste I used a three inch paint brush which was able to get into tight corners and was less messy that using a domestic paste brush. To smooth out the paper I used a scrap piece of 1.5mm plywood about five inches by three. This proved much better than expected; in fact I wouldn’t use anything else now given the choice. If you don’t have any scraps of this thickness try thin plastic or even an old credit or store card.

Application;

Make sure that the walls to be pasted are smooth and flat, preparation is all important for a good finish. If you leave small particles or lumps of filler they’ll show through the paper and spoil your good work. Wipe down the walls with a damp sponge or cloth to remove any dust. Then paint the walls with the paste to seal them and prevent the paste drying out too quickly when hanging the paper. Make sure you get plenty on and don’t forget the corners. Leave this to dry overnight.

When you are ready to start applying the paper, cut it to length or to the shape you require then wet the back using a sponge or small garden sprayer (not too wet!) then leave it to soak for a few minutes. If you are papering inside a cupboard, use some scrap wallpaper as a template. A good tip is that if you find it’s awkward to hold the template while you mark it, hold it in place with a couple of drawing pins, the wallpaper will cover the holes.

When hanging the paper, decide which order to hang each sheet carefully, using the straight edges of the paper to maximum effect. To explain this further, always paper from a straight edge on the ‘van (i.e. the side of a cupboard) into a corner where you can hide the cut edge using a trim. Having first wet the back of the paper, you can then paste the wall, this is less messy that pasting the paper. Carefully apply the paper, smoothing out the air as you go. If you don’t get it right first time don’t worry, peel it back off and re-apply. If you’ve cut the paper to fit a certain position always leave plenty of excess so you can trim it back when you’re happy with how it looks. Trim the edges with a Stanley knife or similar, I used a knife with snap-off blades so I always had a sharp edge ready if the cuts got a bit ragged (be careful with the broken off bits of blade). Leave the paper overnight for the paste to dry.

To cover the joints between the paper I used laminate worktop edging, it’s cheap and available in various colours. You can fix this to the wall using Evo-Stik or similar, I started this way but it was a touch messy so I switched to using a hot melt glue gun. For corners you can use wooden beading either as supplied or painted to match the paper. I had good results using plastic tile edging, I cut off the part designed to go under the tile and glued the edging into position. For specialist caravan trims I suggest EBay or follow the links on the Wizard’s excellent site.