Toilet Paper Roll Wall Art - How to Cover Bad Walls on the Cheap

If you have some blank walls to fill up, and are low on funds, then check out this awesome idea by using empty toilet rolls and black canvas.

With just a few supplies, you can totally transform a wall with black and white abstract dandelions gone to seed.  Check out this video to get the idea:

What you will need to create this stunning black and white art!

Purchased black canvas - OR find some canvas's at the Dollar store, or some old used ones and paint them black.

• Empty toilet rolls
• White Acrylic Paint
• Black acrylic paint (if painting a white canvas to black)
• Scissors
• q-tips (cotton swabs)
• elastic bands (to bundle the cotton swabs)
• paper towel or cotton to create the fuzzy background
• small paint brush

Method:

This is super fun and depending on how much of a wall you want to cover, you can make lots of them on one canvas and then simply use a canvas right below for the stems.  Have some longer and shorter than others.  

Create an impact by making them quite large.

Hang them all close together and you have created a super black and white wall of art!

Step 1 - Watch the video, but the most time consuming part of this craft is cutting the toilet rolls into a fringe, but well worth spending the time on this part.

Step 2 - Dab the fringed toilet roll into the paint and start creating your dandelions gone to seed!

Step 3 - Using the bundled cotton swabs, you will create the seeds fluttering.

Step 4 - Using cotton or even paper towel to create soft clouds of the seeds

Step 5 - Use a cotton swab or paint brush to create the stems.

DONE!

This is the Perfect Idea to Cover a Bad Wall Too!

If you have a wall in your home that has seen better days, filled with nicks, chips, too many layers of paint or wallpaper, go to town with art!

If you are not ready for the DIY involved with fixing the wall or replacing the drywall, then consider simply covering it with art.  You can create this art fast too!

With the black background and the white dandelions gone to seed, it creates a beautiful mural like wall.  No one will ever know how ugly the wall behind it is!  It actually looks quite breath taking!

Upcycle Old Canvas

Sometimes the thrift stores or  even the dollar store will have canvas prints.

You can take these and cover them with the black paint and let dry.  Don't forget to cover the sides.  If the canvas is shiny then use primer first.

Do not use lumpy oil type canvas, it is best to use smooth surfaced ones, even if you have to prime it and cover with black.

I think the jet black background is the trick to this project with the bright white dandelions.  It might be worth the investment into some already black canvas's to save time.  

Personally I think they would look awesome hung very close together.  If you rent, you don't even need to use hooks, you can use 3M hooks that come right off the wall without leaving any marks.

So whether you rent or own, decorate on the cheap and cover an ugly or boring wall with art!

Cheap Wall Covering Ideas for Bad Walls - Turn Something Ugly into Beautiful Fast

If you own an older home like I do, the walls maybe have seen better days, especially if the walls are in high traffic areas, it doesn't take long to get gouges, nicks and dents.

If you are pretty good with drywall compound or filler, you could simply put a skim coat over the wall, give it a sand and paint as normal.  But many times the walls are beyond that and what if you rent?  I find landlords do a disappearing act when you need something done that is not an emergency!

Below are ideas I have used to get creative with bad walls.  They can transform a room in seconds!

Whatever you choose to use on your wall, stay away from any kind of "thin film" type coverings, like many peel and stick products because they will still hug the holes, dents and bad bits!  Go for something a bit thicker that will glide over bad areas.

Texture Paint Additive

Idea 1 - Texture Paint - I did this in a bedroom where the former owners had glued cork to the walls and it was coming off.  It took a lot of drywall surface paper off, and really the room should have been gutted and reworked, but I didn't have the budget.  So I purchased this texture paint additive.

This is one of the cheapest ways to cover damaged walls.  You can decide how thick you want this stucco look to be by adding more texture to your wall paint.  It is awesome at covering small nail holes, light dents etc.  It simply mixes into your paint color and you roll it on with a thick roller.

Idea 2 - Peel and Stick Reclaimed Barn Wood Panels - If your walls are pretty bad and you are not a fan of the stucco look, there are options such as this one.  These are real wood panels.

Reclaimed Barn Wood Panels

They are easy to install simply by peel and stick. Make a feature wall out of one you have been trying to hide.  Click on the picture to see more ideas on how to use this product... It will cover 10 square feet for about a 100 bucks.  Yes a bit more pricey but really can create a feature wall quickly and it is real barn wood

Idea 3 - Brick Wallpaper - This is a slightly cheaper option if you can install wallpaper.  In an afternoon you could have this feature wall looking very realistically as a brick wall.  This paper is thicker so it won't sink into dents and little holes.  Instant fix!

3D Brick Removable Wall Paper

This would also be perfect for renters as this paper is removable. But I bet the landlord will love the idea of what you did to a bad wall!

Click the picture to examples of this textured 3D wallpaper being used.  Its about 50 bucks a roll.  There are many different brick wallpapers on the market.  Here is another one below:

Idea 4 - Self Adhesive Brick Panels - This go up super quickly as they are faux brick panels made with foam, and can even count as sound insulation.  Perfect for any bad wall.

Self Adhesive Brick Panels

Idea 5 - Wall of Fantasy Curtains - This is one of my favorite ideas!  If you are not a big fan of the DIY or peeling and sticking anything to the wall but you want something instant and yet decorative.  Then simply install a curtain rod at the top of the wall and use these decorative panels.

Decorative Curtain Panels

I love this "Sci Fi" look, but there are so many others to choose from.  This is perfect for renters too.

You can totally change a room with these wall curtain panels.  You don't have to put them on a window, they can simply be installed on a wall so you can enjoy the mural or picture.

These are under a 100 bucks, and are one of the fastest ways to not only be a cheap wall covering for bad walls, but they will add to your decor.

Definitely a conversation piece!  I found these online.  Check out this page of Fantasy Decor Curtains to see so many cool and beautiful pieces of art in the form of curtains that can cover that bad wall instantly.   Some of the space ones are beautiful pictures.  Worth a look.

Idea 6 - Big Wall Art - If the bad bits of your wall are not everywhere, maybe just the center where many pictures have been hung and taken down, or a few dents, then distract the eye with some eye catching 3D wall art.

Four Panel Industrial Style Wall Art

I love the industrial styling, and especially industrial lamps and lights that you can checkout on this website called Industrial Chandeliers , but to simply cover a bad wall, something large and 3D effect like this one will take your eye away and actually create the perfect focal point.

How to Cover Bad Walls?

I am sure you are getting those creative juices flowing now.  I have used a few of these ideas myself with great success.  The texture additive to paint worked well for the decor in my house, but I really like the reclaimed barn wood idea too.

Cover Old Wallpaper with the Above Ideas too

Many of the above ideas will go over bad wallpaper from a million years ago too!  We spent weeks removing old 30 year old wallpaper that had become one with the wall.  I simply gave up and went over it with texture paint!

It all depends on your budget and if you rent or own as to what you want to do.

Finding cheap wall covering ideas for bad walls can turn this eye sore into a really cool focal point in your room.

So before you start ripping down that drywall and creating all kinds of mess and costs, consider one of the ideas above.

Everything from removable wall art, to removable 3D wallpaper and even just curtain panels can make a huge statement in your room.

Work with it instead of hiding it and you will impress yourself!  Why waste a wall?  This is a great opportunity to put your own stamp on the room.  ENJOY your day!