Pasting Perfection: The Best Wallpaper Pastes

Achieve perfection in every roll with our handpicked selection of wallpaper pastes.
✅ Tried & Tested: See Our Testing ↓
Written & Tested By: Edward Bailey | Updated:
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Best Wallpaper Paste
Edward Bailey/DIY Works
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Wallpaper paste, available in a powered or ready-mixed form, is a crucial component of hanging wallpaper and each form offers its distinct advantages. Although there are many budget options to choose from, opting for a higher-quality paste is advised because it’ll ensure a seamless application and also help to improve longevity.

To assist you in selecting a wallpaper paste, our handpicked selection lists top-performing pastes, chosen based on our first-hand experience hanging a variety of wallpaper types. Our testing and up-to-date research further ensure the quality of our recommendations.

Our Top Picks At A Glance:

Solvite All-Purpose
Best Overall: Solvite All-Purpose
Read More
Polycell Maximum Strength
Best Heavy Duty: Polycell Maximum Strength
Read More
Everbuild Wall Covering Adhesive
Best Ready Mix: Everbuild Wallcovering Adhesive
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Solvite 2029437 Paste the Wall Wallcoverings Adhesive
Best Paste The Wall: Solvite Ready Mix Wallpaper Adhesive
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Solvite Wallpaper Repair Adhesive
Best For Repairs: Solvite Easy Spread Formula
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Bartoline All Purpose
Best Budget: Bartoline All Purpose
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How The DIY Works Team Tests & Rates Wallpaper Pastes

At DIY Works, all of the team have experience hanging wallpaper and we all have our own preferences when it comes to the paste that we use. Powdered formulas are much cheaper and relatively easy to mix up but some people prefer the simplicity of just being able to open the lid of a ready-mixed paste and get to work.

As shown in the images below, it takes less than a minute to mix up wallpaper paste and with the Solvite formula, it comes in separated sachets so that you can easily mix up the amount that you require. If it’s your first time wallpapering, we wrote a detailed guide on how to hang wallpaper and we cover the topic of using and mixing up paste in detail.

best paste for wallpaper

Edward Bailey/DIY Works
best wallpaper adhesive

Edward Bailey/DIY Works

As well as our experience and testing of various wallpaper pastes, we also based our recommendations upon plenty of research and a number of factors. Some of the factors that we took into consideration included the ease of mixing and use, strength, number of rolls per mix, compatibility, ability to resist mould and value for money.

The Best Wallpaper Pastes

At DIY Works, our content is 100% independent and we would never recommend a product that we wouldn't use ourselves (read our editorial standards and how we test products).

1. Best Overall: Solvite All-Purpose

(How We Review →)

By far the most popular wallpaper paste on the market is the Solvite All Purpose formula. It’s a paste that we have plenty of experience with and the formula has recently been improved to make it even more versatile.

In terms of the formulation, there are 5 sachets within the pack and each sachet hangs up to 5 rolls of wallpaper.

Pros
  • During testing, we found that it was very easy to mix with water (takes 20 seconds)
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  • Contains a fungicide to protect the wallpaper
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  • Suitable for all types of wallpaper
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  • Offers excellent value for the money
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  • Ideal for pasting walls and ceilings
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  • Easy to dispose of any paste that's left behind
Cons
  • Requires the correct amount of water for the perfect consistency

To conclude, the Solvite All Purpose Adhesive ticks all the boxes in terms of performance, versatility and value for the money. It’s popularity speaks for itself and it certainly won’t disappoint when used with any type of wallpaper.

2. Best Heavy Duty: Polycell Maximum Strength

(How We Review →)

If you require a more heavy duty wallpaper paste, the reputable Polycell brand have the answer with their Maximum Strength formula. As the name suggests, it has been designed with strength in mind and the brand themselves state that it guarantees long lasting results each and every time.

Pros
  • Allows for easy sliding to match the patterns
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  • Suitable for all types of wallpaper
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  • Prevents mould due to the inclusion of fungicide in the formula
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  • Each pack hangs up to 5 rolls
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  • Manufactured by a reputable brand
Cons
  • Relatively expensive when compared to the alternatives

Although expensive, the Polycell Maximum Strength is a great option to consider if you require a heavy duty paste that helps to prevent mould. During testing, we used this paste upon a large ceiling and the wallpaper that stuck to the paste never sagged even though it was relatively thick textured wallpaper.

3. Best Ready Mix: Everbuild Wallcovering Adhesive

(How We Review →)

Compared to powdered formulas, there aren’t as many ready mixed wallpaper pastes to choose from but the formula that stands out from the crowd is by the Everbuild brand. The reason why it stands out is due to the fact that it offers excellent value for the money and it’s extra strong, which makes it ideal for heavy or luxury wallpaper.

Pros
  • High initial tack for sticking to the wall
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  • Hangs up to 5 rolls per 4.5 KG tub
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  • Extra strong formulation
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  • Suitable for all common wallpaper
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  • Contains a powerful fungicide to prevent the growth of mould
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  • Provides great adjustability
Cons
  • During testing, we found that it was much thicker than the alternatives and it required more effort to spread it onto the wall

To conclude, if you require a ready mixed wallpaper paste that’s extra strong, there is no better formula than the Everbuild Adhesive. Compared to other ready mixed pastes, it also offer great value for the money too.

4. Best Paste The Wall: Solvite Ready Mix Wallpaper Adhesive

(How We Review →)

Many modern wallpapers can be applied directly to the wall and this method is referred to as “paste the wall” and there are many dedicated pastes for this installation method. As you can imagine, Solvite offer their very own paste the wall paste and its by far the most popular on the market and for good reason too.

Pros
  • Available in two different sizes
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  • Paste is pink in colour to indicate where you have rolled (it then dries clear)
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  • Ready mixed formulation that can be used straightaway
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  • During our testing, we were impressed with the amount of slide that it provided (great for pattern matching)
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  • Non-drip formulation (other formulas tend to drip as they are rolled on the wall)
Cons
  • Most expensive paste within our roundup

Although expensive, the Solvite Paste The Wall Adhesive is a high quality option that’s easy to use and provides a smooth finish. The unique colour changing formulation (pink to clear) is really useful and makes the paste standout from the crowd. Therefore, if you are using the “paste the wall” method of installation, it’s the best wallpaper paste to use.

5. Best For Repairs: Solvite Easy Spread Formula

(How We Review →)

When it comes to repairs, rather than opening a ready mixed tub or mixing up paste that’ll go to waste, you may want to consider a smaller tube and the Solvite Wallpaper Repair Adhesive is the perfect example of that. It’s a 56g tube of adhesive that’s designed specifically to repair torn wallpaper and lifted edges as well as overlapping seams.

Pros
  • Easy to use and spread
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  • Extra strong formulation for long lasting results
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  • Ergonomically designed
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  • Desirable precision nozzle for small repairs
Cons
  • Quite expensive considering the small amount of paste in the tube

For repairing various defects in your wallpaper and overlapping seams, this Solvite formula is the best option. It isn’t the cheapest but it’s manufactured by the best in the business and its popularity is a clear indication of its quality.

6. Best Budget: Bartoline All Purpose

(How We Review →)

If you are on a tight budget but require a high quality paste, the Bartoline Adhesive is a great option to consider. It’s an “all purpose” formula that’s suitable for all types of wallpaper and per pack, it can hang up to 10 rolls.

Pros
  • Easy to mix with water
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  • Recently improved formula that's extra strong
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  • Hangs up to 10 rolls per pack, which makes it great value for the money
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  • Suitable for all types of wallpaper
Cons
  • Requires the correct amount of water for the perfect consistency

Overall, the Bartoline All Purpose is a great alternative to the Solvite paste and there really isn’t much to dislike considering its price. However, for the best results, ensure that you follow the mixing instructions on the packet.

Conclusion

Wallpaper paste is key to successfully hanging wallpaper and due to its affordability, we always recommend buying the best you can. All of our recommendations listed above have been tried and tested by our team and they are also developed by reputable brands in the industry. However, if you feel you need further information regarding the pastes listed above, feel free to get in touch and we will try to help out where possible.

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