Wallpaper and Wallcoverings - wallpaper on cement

My husband and I are refinishing our apartment in Mexico. It's in a tropical climate, and the walls are all made of cement. I'm wondering if it's possible or advisable to use wallpaper (even a border) in those conditions.

Can do. You want to pay particular attention to prep with your situation. The prep applies to either wallpaper or border. Look at the area to be covered. First step is to seal the area. If the area is pure concrete, use a concrete sealer like Seal-Krete's waterproofing sealer. If there is a finish of any sort over the concrete then use a penetrating primer sealer such as Scotch Paint's Draw-Tite, Zinsser's Gardz, Roman's Liquid Drywall, or Sherwin Williams' PrepRite 200 and 400.

Once sealed, is the area to be covered smooth? You can use any variety of drywall/joint compounds to create a smooth surface. This requires lots of technique to make it look good though. This may be the best option if you are going to do a border alone. If you plan on doing an entire wall, acquire some bridging material at your local home improvement store or online at www.wallliner.com. You buy this in amounts just like wallpaper and hang like wallpaper. It smooths the surface and prepares it for your wallpaper. If you need help estimating how much you will need there is a chart at the website listed above.

Now you should have a smooth, perfect base to hang your wallpaper or border. :D