The short answer
Dream Wallpaper Installers serves Brownsville, about 5 miles southeast of our Hialeah base. We specialize in the prep older block homes need, such as stripping old paper and repairing plaster, before installing wallpaper, murals or vinyl.
Brownsville is a short drive from us, about 5 miles southeast of Hialeah, and a lot of its houses are the sturdy concrete-block homes that went up across this part of Miami-Dade County decades ago. Those walls are tough, but they have often seen several rounds of paint, patches and old paper. That history is the first thing we look at, because a new wallcovering only lies flat when the surface under it is sound. If you are thinking about a fresh pattern in a bedroom, a mural for a child's room or just getting rid of the faded paper a previous owner left behind, our crew can handle the whole job from bare wall to finished seam.
Older block homes need a careful start
Plaster over concrete block behaves differently from modern drywall. It can be hard and slick in one spot, crumbly in another, and it sometimes hides cracks that run along the line where block meets a window frame. Sticking new paper over that without checking is how bubbles and lifting corners appear a few months later.
So the first visit is mostly looking and tapping. We note hollow spots, test whether existing paint is glossy enough to need sanding, and check for signs of past water intrusion near the base of exterior walls. You get a plain explanation of what we found and what each step of prep will involve.
Stripping the paper someone else chose
Many Brownsville homeowners call us not to add wallpaper but to take it down. Old borders in kitchens, vinyl in bathrooms and layers of paper painted over are common. Removal is slow, patient work: we score the surface, apply steam or a removal solution, and lift the facing and backing without gouging the plaster underneath.
When paper has been painted over, it takes longer, and sometimes a section of wall needs a skim coat afterward because the old adhesive pulled a thin layer of plaster with it. We would rather tell you that up front than surprise you midway.
- Removal of borders, vinyl and multi-layer paper
- Washing off leftover adhesive so new paint or paper bonds
- Skim coating and sanding where the surface is rough
- Priming with a wallcovering primer before anything new goes up
Heat, damp and the AC cycle
Here the wet season stretches from May through October, and many homes run the air conditioning almost constantly. That steady cooling is actually helpful for wallpaper, as long as it stays steady. Big swings, such as shutting the AC off for a weekend in August, let humidity soak into paper and paste, then dry them out fast when it comes back on. We suggest keeping the temperature even during and right after the install.
Rooms with exterior walls that take afternoon sun can run warmer than the rest of the house. For those, a breathable non-woven paper is often a better pick than heavy vinyl, because it lets trapped moisture escape instead of holding it against the plaster.
What we install once the walls are ready
With the prep done, the creative part is up to you. Some people want a single bold accent wall behind a bed or in a dining area. Others go for a printed mural that fills a whole wall in a kids' room. Peel and stick paper is popular for renters and for quick updates in a hallway or closet. We also install grasscloth, ceiling paper and commercial-grade vinyl for small businesses and offices in the area.
We bring the tools, adhesive and protective coverings, measure twice, and plan pattern repeats so the design lines up across corners and above doorways. When we finish, the room is cleaned up and the old material is gone.
Close to home, and to the neighbors
Because Brownsville is so near our shop, scheduling a walkthrough is usually simple. We also work in Miami Springs, West Miami, Opa-locka, North Miami and the city of Miami itself. If you are fixing up a family member's place nearby while redoing your own, mention it and we can plan both. During hurricane season, which runs June 1 through November 30, we keep an eye on the forecast and will move a date if a storm threatens.
