Updated August 2025

Your cabinets already look fab from the outside. Want to add a small personal touch to your drawers? Use Pre-Pasted wallpaper or Peel and Stick wallpaper for a quick and easy home decor hack. By lining the bottoms of your drawers, you add some character them and protect them from scratches and daily wear. Let’s walk through this tutorial perfect for a weekend afternoon activity!  

Two photos in a grid showing before and after wallpaper is added to a drawer.
Featured design: Paeonia in Coral and Mint on Navy by willowlanetextiles

Some projects are born of inspiration; some are born of necessity. If you’ve ever been through the mess of a spilled liquid in one of your drawers, you know all about those projects born out of necessity. Maybe you bought cheap drawer linings and called it a day. Or maybe you want to turn lemons into lemonade and invest in a prettier version of drawer liners. Believe it or not, Spoonflower’s removable wallpaper options do just the trick!

For former Spoonflower member Suz, our Pre-Pasted wallpaper in this elegant Paeonia in Coral and Mint on Navy design by willowlanetextiles saved the day. You could also easily use Peel and Stick wallpaper and activate the wallpaper by just removing the paper backing. Wallpapering drawers is the perfect Saturday afternoon project. Suz was done with the whole thing in under an hour and thrilled with the results! 

Two open drawers lined with wallpaper are in a bathroom .

Materials Needed

Here’s what you’ll need for your drawer linings

How to Add Drawer Linings to Your Drawers With Pre-Pasted Wallpaper

Step 1. Measure your drawers

Measure the inside of the drawers and then add the lengths together to get the minimum custom roll size that you need to order. The three bathroom drawers pictured above are 17″ (43.2 cm) length by 12.5″ (31.8 cm) wide each, which meant that the total needed was 51″ (129.5 cm) in length. A roll of 6′ (182.9 cm) long x 2′ (61 cm) wide gives more than enough Pre-Pasted wallpaper.

Once you have your wallpaper, turn it to the reverse side and mark the individual drawer measurements.

Pro tip: Use the right marking utensil

Use a chalk marker if the wallpaper background is dark enough that it wouldn’t show through. Use a pencil or another option if you choose a wallpaper with a lighter background as the chalk marker will bleed slightly when it gets wet.

A piece of wallpaper laying design side down on carpet. Lines indicating measurements are on the wrong side. A small box in the corner keeps the wallpaper from rolling up.

Step 2. Clean and remove former liner

Now’s a good time to clean out your drawers and remove any former drawer liners.

Make sure to completely wipe off any water especially if you have particleboard, as it tends to swell up if it sits in water for some time (i.e., don’t just rinse and turn over in a bathtub to dry!)

Two photos in a grid showing Suz removing the old lining and cleaning the drawer.

Step 3. Cut and adjust the wallpaper to the drawer

Cut out the paper, then try fitting it in the drawer to see if you need to adjust. Mine is slightly over-wide by a tenth of an inch, but you can always trim it using a sharp utility knife later.

A drawer is on the floor with floral wallpaper in its base.

Step 4. Activate the wallpaper

Once you have your pieces ready, activate them using a paintbrush roller and bucket of water (official way) or a quick dip in the bathtub (unofficial way.)

Then “book” them together and wait 3-5 minutes as per the instructions.

Three pieces of awallpaper rest on the edge of a tub. The edges are folded to touch in teh center of the wallpaper.

Next, unfold half of the wallpaper and match it up to the top corner, then continue to unfold and adjust the rest of it. Our Pre-Pasted wallpaper is very forgiving. You can easily peel it up and re-adjust it while it’s still wet.

Use a clean damp sponge to remove bubbles and wrinkles.

Suz rubbing a sponge over the wallpaper that is placed in a drawer.

Using Peel and Stick?

If you’re using Peel and Stick wallpaper for your drawers, remove the paper backing from your measured pieces of wallpaper and place the wallpaper in the drawer. Remove any air bubbles with your squeegee. No water is required for Peel and Stick wallpaper.

Step 5. Let it dry

Let the wallpaper dry completely for a few hours before putting things back in the drawers.

You can tidy up overly-wide edges with a sharp utility knife if they’re noticeable.

Two drawers in a bathroom are open to expose the new wallpaper lining inside.

Your drawer linings are now done and look fabulous. Consider adding clear organizers to keep your space tidy, while still having your wallpaper seen.

Don’t forget to share your creation with your world and ours by tagging #Spoonflower on your social media channels.

Loved this DIY? Get started with Spoonflower’s quality wallpaper options. Click the button below to find your wallpaper style, shop trending designs and more. Once you find a design, be sure to choose Pre-Pasted or Peel and Stick for this particular project!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wallpaper should I use as drawer liners? 
We recommend a removable wallpaper like our Pre-Pasted wallpaper or Peel and Stick wallpaper. These wallpapers are easy to apply and remove. 
What other surfaces can I line with wallpaper? 
Smooth, flat, non-textured surfaces like bookcases, jewelry boxes, nightstands and tables are best to wallpaper with our removabe wallpapers. 
What should I consider when lining my drawers with wallpaper?
If you have a directional design, think about which way you’d like that design to point when tracing out your measurements. Make sure you choose a design that will work well after being cut. Consider the size of your drawers when selecting designs that are large in scale. You can reach out to the designer to request a design in a smaller scale.

Want to wallpaper more furniture? 

Our removable wallpaper can also go on the surface of some furniture pieces, too! See how one dresser got a makeover with some paint and wallpaper. Follow these steps to get the look. 
See the Transfortmation