LUMPY, bumpy and hard to paint, it’s hard to believe that wood chip walls were ever in Vogue.
The bobbly finish was the wall covering of choice back in the 80s and is still a leftover relic in many homes today.
Of course, wood chip was a popular way of hiding a multitude of uneven wall sins, so there’s every chance that removing the paper will open up a brand new can of worms for you.
And if you decide to take the risk, removing said wallpaper and then having the walls professionally finished can be costly – so it’s no wonder so many of us are living with walls we hate.
One DIY fan has a solution though, and it’s surprisingly simple.
Taking to Facebook, the savvy decorator shared: “So my house is covered in awful wood chip, and previous years I’ve just painted it when decorating.
“Having got sick of plain painted walls, and not enough money to get all the walls plastered if I stripped it off, I had an idea.
“I tried putting 3D brick effect paper over the woodchip,” she explained, noting that the bumpiness of the walls only made the brick paper look more authentic.
“Because you can slightly see the bumps from the woodchip underneath, it’s actually given the brick paper more of a realistic look!! Win win,” she raved.
“I hope it helps any others cursed with the chip!!!”
The pictures show the ‘before’ state of her walls, which had the classic rice pudding appearance of woodchip.
In the ‘after’ pictures, her space is completely transformed with the brick-effect paper, which she found in stores including B&Q, and you really wouldn’t know how lumpy the walls are underneath.
B&Q sell GoodHome Pernay Grey Glitter effect Brick Textured Wallpaper for £26 a roll.
It has “paste the wall” technology which means it is quick, simple and easy to install.
It saves up to 30 percent time by applying the paste directly to the wall – there’s no pasting table needed, no soaking time as it doesn’t shrink; easy to remove, with no wall deterioration.
It’s also suitable for all living spaces, for utility/humid spaces (kitchen, bathroom) and for high traffic rooms, thanks to its vinyl coating that is washable and extremely durable.
Even better, it’s made using responsibly-sourced, forest-friendly paper.
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, B&M has Debona Metallic Brick Wallpaper for £10.99 a roll.
And the DIY-er received stellar replies to her before and after pictures.
“That’s brilliant, we have a lot of woodchip in our house and have always painted it… you have given me a great idea, thanks for sharing,” replied one grateful fan.
“Such a brilliant idea! Looks fab. You’re a genius,” someone else commented.
Another commenter revealed they’d done the exact same thing in their home, to disguise the after-effects of a plumbing issue that ruined the walls.
“I did my downstairs toilet in brick effect wallpaper as I’d had a burst pipe that flooded it and made a mess of the walls,” they said.
Others said they’ve decided against covering theirs and are removing it once and for all.
“I’m doing old school, and stripping it bit by bit. I’ve no idea who first invented the stuff, but if they’re still alive (which I doubt) they should be in prison for crimes against humanity,” someone joked.
Elsewhere, someone else was brave enough to admit to being a woodchip culprit back in the day.
“I must confess, and will take my punishment like a grown-up, that I used it copiously in the 70’s, 80’s and even the early 90’s to cover up dodgy walls,” they said.
“So there are possibly a multitude of people out there that have cursed me over the years.”
