Since Leia's room turned out to be such an incredibly pleasant story, and because it was quite difficult to find information about others who have painted egg tempera on rag paper and laid rag paper directly on log walls, we decided to share our experiences.
Leia's attic room was covered with chipboard on both walls, floor, and ceiling from a 70s renovation. We removed the chipboard and got an idea of when it was last wallpapered and what the room had looked like before. Since there was a chimney breast running through the room, the room was much smaller previously and has probably always been a summer room.
We pondered for a long time whether it would work to put rag paper directly on the logs, but out of interest in how it would behave (and due to a bit of time pressure), we went for it. We glued the paper directly onto the logs without putting anything between the gaps, in pieces of 50 * 60 cm with a few cm overlap. In places where there were holes, we patched with old shingles, and some knots we cut away with an axe.
And you know how good it turned out! Of course, it's visible that the surface is uneven, but it makes the surface feel more alive, so we love it. The rag paper became very hard and stable after drying with glue, so it really feels like a good approach. Especially since this room will continue to be just a summer room.
We also cooked our own wallpaper paste according to this recipe which consists solely of flour and water. Since rag paper is very absorbent, it took quite a lot (about 16 liters), but the total cost was still under 1 euro. So we can highly recommend it! As a bonus, it smells like pizza if you happen to burn some flour at the bottom when cooking it.
We primed the wall with Av jord's primer and used the recipe for absorbent surfaces. For one batch, we used five eggs and an equal amount of linseed oil. Then we measured out the egg oil according to the basic recipe (which is on the bag when you buy it). We weighed the remaining egg oil and mixed it with an equal amount of water. This emulsion can then be used to dilute the primer, and we used up the entire batch of emulsion. One batch of primer diluted with emulsion was almost enough for the entire room, but we also had to make an additional quarter batch and use a little of that.
Painted with one coat of primer.
When you read online, you might get the impression that painting with egg tempera on rag paper is difficult and cumbersome, but we experienced no problems whatsoever. The diluted primer was easy to apply. Especially when using a large tempera brush (cannot recommend it enough!), it took less than an hour to paint the entire room.
You paint criss-cross and try not to take too many breaks, keeping a wet edge that you paint from all the time. It's best not to go back and touch up areas where you missed painting while the paint is still wet; it will resolve itself and look good when you paint the second coat. Wait about a day, then it's fine to paint the second coat.
It's perfect to have both a large and a small brush when painting walls (and floors). The small one can reach smaller places with more precision if you have nooks and crannies.
Then it was time for color. Leia had chosen 5 December 30% in an old rose shade. The first layer was painted by participants in our very first egg tempera painting course, and they did a fine job! Jenny then painted the second layer the next day. In total, less than two batches of paint were used, perhaps about 1.5 batches. The end result is a silky matte, embracing, and lively feel that is very pleasant. And it smells good of linseed oil when you paint.
The wall with one coat of pink paint.
We weren't careful at all with the floor when we wallpapered because we knew the chipboard would come out and an old wooden floor would go in. But since this flooring project wouldn't be finished this summer, and when Jenny doodled on the floor with the pink paint and noticed how nice it looked, an idea was born to also try painting the chipboard floor with egg tempera.
Messy floor and nice wall with two coats of paint.
No sooner said than done. First a layer of primer, diluted in the same way as on rag paper because chipboard is also very absorbent. And then large red squares of undiluted 5 December. The squares are freehand painted with two coats of paint. The squares are not perfectly square because we measured the room's walls and made squares according to the room's dimensions. However, it was a bit of a give-and-take to draw them out as the room is not very straight and symmetrical. But the end result was good anyway!
The squares painted with one layer of paint.
Now it's been a few weeks since we painted and we've started decorating the room. We'll see if the floor gets polished as we tiptoe around on it. It will be an exciting project! If you paint egg tempera on wood, you can polish the surface after about 1-3 weeks with a soft brush once the surface has oxidized. We've tried this on a chair, and then the surface becomes satin matte like an eggshell, very beautiful. But chipboard is a bit more of an experiment, so stay tuned.
A baseboard is coming, but who has time to wait for such things before decorating?
All in all, this project with egg tempera on rag paper (and chipboard) turned out to be a really wonderful story, and we can hardly wait to tear down more chipboard so we can paint more and try more shades. There are so many beautiful ones. We have color samples to check out in the shop if you're interested.
And yes, remember to wash your tempera brushes with olive oil soap so they last a long time. If you have any questions, just get in touch, and the plan is to organize a new egg tempera painting course in autumn 2026. Come along if you're interested and want to learn more.
If you want to read more about egg tempera, you can do so here on Av jord's website.