What would you use to decoupage onto a ceiling with?

[kirstenmonster]

Hi there, I am planning on decoupaging the ceiling in my bedroom and am wanting to use something that I will be able to change (remove) in a couple of years.  I was thinking regular decoupage paste, but don't know if that will come off very easily.  Wallpaper paste would be the other obvious choice.  Does anybody have any experience with this?  I am afraid of damaging the plaster on my ceiling if I don't use the right stuff. Thanks for any advice

[kirstenmonster]

nobody?

[Ayn]

Hi there .. ookay this is probably not what you want to hear... but... if your ceiling really is 'plaster' (I'm not sure what that's actually called but usually, though not always, it's the kind with the slightly rough or bumpy-pointy texture to it) .. then whatever/ however you stick or paste something onto it, most of it is bound to come off too.

That said...
You might try experimenting first in a un-obvious corner with a few small tacks or pushpins or something else with a sharp end that's fairly thin & fairly short.
If the ceiling stuff doesn't crumble or break or fall off, maybe you could tack posters or other large pieces of paper up there.  I'd kinda suggest you not use a lot of tacks or pins real close together, though  because that could weaken the plaster & cause it to crumble.

Maybe someone else will know a better way to decoupage or otherwise decorate a 'plaster' ceiling... ??


Btw, I 'have' seen (& even lived with) perfectly-flat-surfaced ceilings that were actually painted with regular acrylic or latex paint just like regular wallboard.. er, in fact that's exactly what they were, lol.

If that's what you happen to have in your room, then first be sure to use a high-quality *primer* -- the kind used for wallpaper -- & follow the can directions exactly.
Then you could try using ordinary wallpaper paste with 'some' assurance that it'll come off okay later on.
That's still not an absolute guarantee, though, because we're not talking "wallpaper" -- are we -- ? I'm assuming it's some other sort of paper(s) with which you want to decoupage.

Also, I don't really know how clear wallpaper paste dries -- sorry, never looked underneath my wallpaper once it was up, heehee -----  so I don't know what it would look like 'on' the decoupage, as one would usually do.
Have no idea what else you might be able to use -- but remember that too might negatively affect the 'strippability' of the decoupage later on.

[DaBunny]

I moved into a house with a recently new wallpaper border of pooh around the room that became my office. It took FOREVER to get it off and the reaching and scoring and scraping was not a pleasant experience. Even if you use wallpaper paste on you ceiling, it is NOT going to come off easliy in a few years time. The only wallpaper I had no trouble getting to come off in the house was a wallpaper border in the kitchen (above the cabinets) that was about 15 years old.

[kirstenmonster]

Thanks guys, I'm just having a tough time deciding what to do with this.  I know for a fact all my walls are plaster, my home is 111 years old this february and every wall here is plaster.  they're all in good condition.  I like the primer idea.  Has anyone had any luck using regular liquid starch to get things to stick?  that seems like it would be easier.  Or maybe I should just grow some cajones and use regular decoupage paste.  What ever I try I'll have to post the results when I'm done.  I was planning on putting up cut/torn up images from art books and calendars so I'll have all sorts of Dali and Escher and the like everywhere.  I'd love to put up my Joe Coleman stuff but just can't bring myself to tear up my fancy autographed books.

[Ayn]

Hi again, kirstenmonster -- not sure which "primer idea" you're referring to, because mine was only for a ceiling that's regular wallboard not bumpy-rough-pointy ceiling plaster. 

Btw -- you say your ceiling & walls are plaster, but you 'might' actually mean 'stucco' (??.. could depend on where you live), which is a bit different from the more-modern stuff we call ceiling plaster.

At any rate, if you're juuust dying for a change/ANY change, lol -- well, even today's usual ceiling plaster can be painted, and so can stucco.  Just needs a special type of paint; any DIY home improvement type store or paint store can help you out with that.

As for any type of wallpaper, decoupage, etc --
y'know, if you actually OWN this house, then of course you could try anything you like, any way you want to do it, and future potential buyers can either like it or lump it, lol.
No kidding, we've known plenty of people who decorated the way they wanted to; some had problems selling, but others didn't.  Kind of depends on the 'tone' of the region & the neighborhood (e.g., artsy & progressive, traditional/conservatve, whatever). Also depends of course on the general tone of the market in which one happens to be trying to sell (buyer's market or seller's market).

Just me personally, okay, I nevvver do anything decor-wise unlkess I know beforehand it can be changed readily & easily ... because of the way 'I' am, never mind some unknown future owners.
I tend to get quite bored quite easily and am always wanting another & another & another change, you see.
So by now I know better than to try anything that isn't virtually 'guaranteed' to come off, for example...!

[d]

Toothpaste. Plain old white toothpaste will hold things to ceilings and walls. Even when dry it washes easily with warm soapy water. I have also used Elmer's/school glue and it also washes easily. I use it like Modgepodge and have never had a problem removing it. Good luck and happy crafting,d

[kirstenmonster]

I asked my aunt who wall papers/strips wallpaper as her profession, she was telling me as long as I had a latex paint down first and there were no waterspots or water damage it should be fine to use regular wallpaper paste.  It should come off fine.  I was just jittery because this is the first thing I will do to my house (besides when we had to put an entire kitchen in because the house was used as an antique store/bed n breakfast before with no kitchen) and I didn't know if it would harm the plaster any.  According to you guys and anybody I ask it seems like the general consensus is to just use wallpaper paste.  So...  Heres to me growing the cajones to get it done soon...  Thanks so much guys for your help.