Wall Decal Installation Instructions
Putting your decals up
No painter, no mess, no special skills. Most single decals go up in minutes and a feature wall takes an afternoon. This guide walks you through every kind of decal we make, and answers the worries most people have before they start.
Is your wall ready?
Two minutes of checking now is what keeps your decals up, and your paint on the wall later.
Painted at least 4 weeks ago
Paint can feel dry in a day but takes about four weeks to cure. Decals on fresh paint don't grip properly and can pull paint when they come off.
Clean and completely dry
Wipe the wall with a damp microfibre cloth and let it dry. Dust is the number one reason edges lift, even on walls that look clean.
Smooth, sound paint
Decals grip best on smooth, washable, low-sheen paint. They won't hold on textured walls, and old, chalky or flaky paint can lift.
Paint lifts when it was never properly bonded to the wall. That usually means no separate primer, painting straight over old or flaky layers, a stain-resistant coating that wasn't sanded and primed, or paint that's either too fresh or old and brittle underneath. You can't see any of this by looking at the wall, and any adhesive product would do the same: tape, a hook, a command strip. That's exactly why every decal order includes a test piece.
Do the test piece first
Every decal order comes with a free test piece. It takes 48 hours and it's the best way to check your wall before the real thing goes up.
Stick it somewhere out of sight
Pick a hidden spot on the wall you're decorating, behind the door or low down behind furniture. Press it on firmly.
Leave it for at least 48 hours
The adhesive needs time to settle into the paint. Peeling it after five minutes tells you nothing.
Warm it, then peel it down slowly
Hold a hairdryer on low over it for 30–60 seconds, lift the top corner and peel it down the wall, close to the surface. Then look at the paint.
If paint came away, the paint in that spot isn't bonded to the wall. The test has just saved your wall: it needs priming and repainting, then four weeks to cure, before decals go on. If it came off clean, that's a good sign, but not a guarantee. Paint bond can change from one spot to the next (patches, touch-ups, older coats), so the test reduces the risk; it can't certify the whole wall.
What you'll need
Nothing you'd need to hire. Most of it is already in the kitchen drawer.
A felt-tipped squeegee
For smoothing decals flat. We sell one, or wrap a card in a microfibre cloth. Never use a bare card; it can scratch the printed surface.
Low-tack painter's tape
For trying out your layout, positioning arches and the hinge method on big pieces. Use painter's tape only, and take it off the wall as soon as you're done.
Scissors, tape measure, pencil
Scissors to cut the backing paper away as you go. A tape measure and pencil (or a level) to get arches and trees straight.
Which decals do you have?
There are three ways our decals go up. Jump to yours.
Single decals
Animals, birds, flowers, dots, stars, hearts. One piece each, straight on the wall.
How to apply →Big decals in pieces
Trees, maps and big scenes that come in several pieces and overlap on the wall.
The hinge method →Arches
One large shape that has to sit straight and centred. Goes on from the top down, 20 cm at a time.
Top-down method →Before anything sticks: plan the layout
Not overly creative? You don't need to be. This step is where the room comes together, and nothing is permanent yet.
Lay everything out on the floor
Spread your decals out and move them around until you like the arrangement. Our product photos show layouts that work if you'd like a starting point.
Tape them up, still on their backing
Use small pieces of painter's tape to hold each decal on the wall with the backing still on. Start at the left and build across the wall as one picture, rather than dotting pieces around the room.
Step back and take a photo
Look at it from the doorway, the way you'll see it every day. A phone photo shows gaps and wonky spacing far better than standing close. Move things until it looks right, then stick them one at a time.
Keep the cot and bed clear. Choose a wall or a section of wall that isn't directly above where your child sleeps. See the safety note further down.Single decals
Animals, birds, flowers, dots, stars and hearts. Each one is a single piece.
Peel the backing off the decal
Turn the decal face down and peel the backing paper away from it, rather than pulling the decal off the paper. That way the fabric doesn't stretch. Handle it by the edges.
Touch it to the wall lightly
Line it up with your tape marks and let it just touch the wall. While it's only lightly placed, you can still lift it and nudge it.
Smooth from the centre out
With your squeegee, press from the middle outwards to the edges, using firm, even strokes. This pushes the air out instead of trapping it.
Go round every edge twice
Run your squeegee or fingertips firmly around the whole outline. Pressure is what activates the adhesive, and well-pressed edges are what stop them lifting later.
Big decals in pieces: the hinge method
Trees, maps and big scenes come in several pieces that overlap on the wall. The hinge method lets you get each piece exactly right before any of it sticks.
Lay the whole design out on the floor
Put every piece down in place and check where each one overlaps the next. Take a photo so you know which piece goes where once you're up the ladder.
Tape every piece up and check the overlaps
With the backing still on, tape all the pieces to the wall in position. Step back, make sure the trunk is straight and every overlap lines up, and adjust before anything sticks.
Tape down the very centre of the piece
Run a strip of painter's tape straight down the middle of the first piece, or across the middle, whichever suits its shape. This strip is your hinge. It holds the piece exactly where you want it while you work on each half.
Do the left side
Fold the left half back over the tape, like turning the page of a book. Peel the backing off that half and cut it away with scissors along the tape line. Then lay the decal back down onto the wall and smooth it from the centre outwards with your squeegee, keeping it close to the wall as you go so no air gets trapped.
Then the right side
Take the hinge tape off. Fold the right half back, peel away the rest of the backing, and smooth it down from the centre out to the right edge. Press every edge firmly.
Repeat, piece by piece
Hinge, left side, right side, for each piece in turn. Where pieces overlap, smooth the top piece firmly over the join. The fabric is opaque, so the piece underneath doesn't show through.
Big pieces are easier with two people: one holds the folded half away from the wall while the other peels the backing.Arches
An arch is one large shape, so straight and centred is everything. Get the position right with tape, then stick it down from the top, a little at a time.
Mark where it goes
Decide where the bottom of the arch will sit and measure the space so it's centred, behind a reading chair or on a feature wall. Make a light pencil mark at the centre point and use a level to mark where the bottom edge sits.
Position it with painter's tape
With the backing still on, tape the arch to the wall on your marks. Check it's level, step back to the doorway, and adjust until the placement is exactly right.
Peel the top 20 cm of backing
Lift the top of the arch away from the wall and peel back just the first 20 cm of backing. Lay that top section onto the wall on your marks and smooth it down from the centre out with your squeegee.
Work down, 20 cm at a time
Reach under, pull the backing away another 20 cm, and smooth that section down. Keep going down the arch. Hold the decal close to the wall as you go, so it can't trap air and bubble.
Take the painter's tape off as you reach it, so you're not smoothing over it.Press the whole outline
Once the backing is off, go back over the arch from the centre out, then press the whole outline firmly, especially around the curve at the top.
Tape first, stick second. A trial run with painter's tape costs five minutes and means you only stick each decal once. That's better for the decal, better for your paint, and the easiest way to get it straight.
If something doesn't look right
Most fixes take seconds if you catch them while you're putting decals up.
A bubble
Push it towards the nearest edge with your squeegee. If it won't move, lift that edge slowly, lay it back down and smooth from the centre out.
It went on crooked
Lift it slowly from a corner straight away and lay it again. You can reposition while you're installing. Just don't do it over and over: each lift wears the adhesive and pulls on the paint.
A wrinkle or crease
Lift back to just before the crease, lay it down again and smooth it out. Don't stretch the fabric to make it fit.
An edge won't stay down
It's usually dust, fresh paint or a textured patch. Clean under it, press it firmly for 30 seconds, and if it still lifts, send us a photo.
Your questions, answered
The things people worry about before they start.
Will they damage my wall when they come off?
On well-prepared, primed paint that has cured for four weeks, they're designed to come off cleanly. But we can't see your wall: if the paint underneath isn't properly bonded, it can lift with any adhesive product, so we can't promise how removal will go on every wall. That's why every order includes a test piece. Do it first, and when the time comes, follow the removal guide.
I'm not creative. What if it ends up looking wrong?
Nothing sticks until you're happy. Lay it out on the floor, tape it up with the backing still on, and take a photo from the doorway. If you're still unsure, email a photo of your wall to hello@tinywalls.com.au and we'll help you plan it.
How long will it take?
A single decal takes a few minutes. A full feature wall, a tree or an arch is usually an afternoon, and planning the layout is most of that time.
Will the joins show on the big pieces?
The pieces are designed to overlap, and the fabric is opaque, so the piece underneath doesn't show through. Smooth the top piece firmly over the join and it reads as one design.
Can my kids help?
Yes, and plenty of families do it together. Let them place the small ones (dots, stars, flowers, little animals) and you do the big pieces and the hinge method. One customer told us: "My 3 year old loved decorating her room with these!"
Can I put them on a coloured wall?
Yes. The decals are opaque, so the wall colour doesn't show through. The same paint rules apply: cured, clean and smooth.
My wall was painted last week. Can I put them up now?
Please wait. Paint needs about four weeks to cure, even when it feels dry. Decals on fresh paint won't grip well and can pull paint when they come off.
What about a textured wall?
Decals need a smooth surface to grip. They won't hold on textured walls, so choose a smooth wall instead.
Can I move them around once they're up?
You can reposition while you're installing. After that, think of them as staying put: each lift wears the adhesive and puts strain on the paint. Getting the layout right with tape first is the way around this.
I'm not putting them up straight away. Is that OK?
Put them up within three months of buying them; the adhesive works best fresh. Until then, store them flat in their packaging, somewhere cool and dry, out of the sun.
Safety in nurseries and children's rooms
In line with Red Nose Australia and CHOICE guidance.
- Never directly above a cot, bassinet or bed. Anything above a sleep surface can be pulled down. Place decals out of reach of a child in their cot or bed.
- Check the edges every so often. A lifting edge can be picked at and pulled off. Press it back down, or remove that decal if it won't stay.
- Re-used decals need checking. We can't guarantee a decal sticks as well the second time. If you put one back up, check it's fully secure.
- Follow safe sleep guidance. For current advice, visit rednose.org.au or productsafety.gov.au.
The short version
If you only remember two lists, make it these.
Do
- Do the test piece and wait 48 hours before the full install.
- Wipe the wall with a damp microfibre cloth and let it dry.
- Tape up your layout first, backing still on, and check it from the doorway.
- Use the hinge method for big pieces, and go top-down, 20 cm at a time, for arches.
- Smooth from the centre out and press every edge twice.
Don't
- Don't apply to fresh paint. Wait four weeks after painting.
- Don't use textured walls or old, chalky, flaky paint.
- Don't use a bare card to smooth. Wrap it in microfibre, or use a felt squeegee.
- Don't stretch the fabric or keep lifting and re-sticking.
- Don't place decals above a cot or bed.
Disclaimer. These instructions are general guidance for do-it-yourself installation. Tiny Walls cannot guarantee the outcome, as wall preparation, installation, repositioning and removal technique, and environmental conditions are beyond our control. Results depend on the condition of your paintwork: paint that is uncured, unprimed, patched or not fully bonded to the wall can lift with any adhesive product, sometimes in one area of a wall and not others, and no test piece can rule this out across a whole wall. Paint lifting caused by the paint system is not a fault of the product and remains the responsibility of the homeowner or occupier. Nothing here limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
Need a hand?
Email us before you start, or once your decals are up, if you'd like some help. A photo of your wall makes it quicker for us to answer.
hello@tinywalls.com.au