Quick answer
Yes — wallpaper works in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms when you choose a vinyl or humidity-rated nonwoven paper, prime the walls with a mildew-resistant wallcovering primer, keep it away from direct water spray, and make sure the room is well ventilated with a working exhaust fan.
Key points
- Avoid areas that get direct water: inside showers and right behind sinks.
- A working exhaust fan is the most important protection.
- Vinyl resists splashes; nonwovens breathe better.
- Natural wallcoverings are a poor fit for steamy rooms.
Kitchens
Kitchen walls get grease, steam and splashes. Choose a washable or scrubbable vinyl or vinyl-coated paper for walls near the range and sink. Breakfast nooks, the wall above upper cabinets and kitchen eating areas can take less durable papers. Keep wallpaper off the backsplash directly behind the sink and cooktop; tile or another hard surface belongs there.
Bathrooms
Powder rooms
With no shower, powder rooms are fair game for almost any paper, including grasscloth. Protect the area right behind the faucet if it gets splashed.
Full bathrooms
Steam is the challenge. Use vinyl or a nonwoven rated for humid rooms, keep paper outside the shower enclosure, and run the exhaust fan during and after every shower. If the bathroom has no fan or the fan is weak, fix that before papering.
Laundry rooms and mudrooms
Laundry rooms have humidity from washers and dryers plus scuffs from baskets. Scrubbable vinyl is a safe choice. Make sure the dryer vents outside properly — a leaking vent fills the room with warm, wet air.
Prep for damp rooms
- Check for existing moisture, stains or soft drywall; repair the source.
- Use a wallcovering primer with mildew resistance.
- Seal the edges along tubs and backsplashes with a clear, paintable caulk where appropriate.
- Use an adhesive with a mildew inhibitor where the manufacturer recommends it.
Puget Sound houses and moisture
Our damp, mild winters mean many homes run with the windows closed for months. Bathrooms and laundry rooms without good ventilation build up humidity, which is hard on any finish. A good fan, used consistently, keeps wallpaper — and paint — looking new. Learn more in our materials guide.
Signs a room is too damp for wallpaper — for now
- Peeling paint or bubbling on the existing walls or ceiling.
- Mold or mildew spots in corners or behind furniture.
- Condensation running down windows or walls after showers.
- A musty smell that does not clear.
- No exhaust fan, or a fan that cannot hold a tissue against its grille.
Fix the ventilation or moisture source first. Wallpaper can then go up and stay up.
Using the exhaust fan properly
Run the bathroom fan during every shower and for at least 20 minutes afterward; a timer switch makes this automatic. Keep the door slightly open after showering to let the room dry. In laundry rooms, check that the dryer vent is connected and exhausts outdoors.
Kitchen-specific tips
- Keep paper away from the area directly behind the range and sink.
- Use a scrubbable vinyl near cooking areas so grease can be wiped.
- Paper the walls of a breakfast nook or above the cabinets for color without the risk.
- Seal paper edges against countertops and backsplashes with clear caulk where appropriate.
Basements
Below-grade walls can pass moisture from the outside. Paper on basement walls should go only over interior framed walls that are dry and well-insulated, never directly on concrete. If in doubt, check the walls with a moisture meter before choosing wallpaper.
FAQ
Can you put wallpaper behind a kitchen sink?
Not directly behind it where water splashes regularly. Use tile or another hard backsplash there and wallpaper the rest of the wall.
Will wallpaper peel in a bathroom?
Not if the right paper and primer are used and the room is well ventilated. Peeling usually starts where steam and splashes are constant.
Can wallpaper go in a laundry room?
Yes. Choose a scrubbable vinyl, make sure the dryer vents outside, and keep the paper off walls that get splashed directly.
