Best Removable Wallpaper

The short answer

• Short stay, or you want the easiest removal: peel-and-stick wallpaper.
• Longer stay, landlord agrees, and you want a more convincing finish: non-woven paste-the-wall wallpaper, which is designed to strip off dry.

Either way, start with one feature wall, not a whole room.

Check two things before you buy

1. Your lease. Many leases treat any wall covering as an alteration. Our guide to what a tenant can change explains how to read it, and asking in writing is easy.
2. Your paint. Removable wallpaper is only as removable as the paint under it is strong. Flat, cheap or recently painted walls can peel.

Do the test

Stick a small piece somewhere hidden, such as behind a wardrobe, for a week. Then peel it off slowly at a low angle. If paint comes with it, do not use adhesive wallpaper on that wall.

Side by side

Where they differ

Hanging

Peel-and-stick has its own adhesive: peel the backing and smooth it on, repositioning as you go. Paste-the-wall needs paste on the wall, a brush and more care, but no soaking.

Removal

Peel-and-stick peels off. Non-woven paste-the-wall papers are designed to strip dry in whole sheets; any paste residue washes off with warm water. Both depend on the paint underneath.

Finish

Paste-the-wall usually looks more like traditional wallpaper, with less shine and fewer visible seams. Peel-and-stick quality varies a lot; thin vinyl shows every bump in the wall.

Rooms

Neither is ideal in a steamy bathroom unless rated for damp. Kitchens are fine away from the hob.

The picks in detail

Mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the test. It takes a week and can save your deposit.
• Hanging on fresh paint. Wait for it to cure fully; 3M gives seven days for its own adhesive products, and wallpaper makers give their own times.
• Stretching the paper to fit. It shrinks back and opens the seams.
• Ignoring pattern repeat. Buy enough to match patterns, plus a spare roll.

How to hang peel-and-stick wallpaper

1. Clean the wall and let it dry. Fill nothing: you are not supposed to alter the wall.
2. Draw a vertical line with a spirit level for the first strip.
3. Peel back a short length of backing, line up the top, and smooth downward with a plastic smoother, peeling as you go.
4. Overlap or butt the next strip as the maker directs, matching the pattern.
5. Trim at the ceiling and skirting with a sharp blade, changing blades often.

How to remove it

Start at a top corner and pull slowly down and back at a low angle, close to the wall. If it resists, warm it gently with a hair dryer on a low setting. Wipe off any residue with warm soapy water. Remove it before your final inspection, not on the last day, so you have time to deal with any problems.

Is it right for your wall?

Peel-and-stick works best on smooth, sound, painted walls. It struggles on textured plaster, fresh paint (wait several weeks for paint to cure), and in steamy bathrooms. Test a small sample in an inconspicuous spot for a week, then peel it off to check nothing lifts.

Which should you choose?

Peel-and-stick for flexibility, paste-the-wall for finish. In both cases, test, start small and keep your move-in photos. More ideas are in best renter-friendly apartment upgrades.

How we chose

These are research-based recommendations: we compared published specifications, maker documentation and the features that matter in a small home. We have not tested them hands-on. Most picks are types of product rather than single models, so the buttons open the retailer's results; compare a few listings before you buy, in your own country's store.