All About Building Your Own Living Wall: A Helpful Guide

Why choose a landscape painting for wall art when you can opt for something that’s literally alive? A living moss wall is one particular design choice that’s been hitting the trends by storm. Keep in mind that there’s a considerable difference between a store-bought moss wall and a living one. 

Most of the moss walls you’d find don’t actually consist of live moss and are relatively low-maintenance. However, they don’t offer some of the benefits that their living counterparts do. That being said, you may be glad to find out that crafting a DIY living wall with live moss is easier than you may think — and can even make for a fun home project. 

Living Wall Benefits

A living moss wall offers a range of benefits, from improving air quality to providing visual interest. evgeniykleymenov/Shutterstock.com

Enhancing Indoor Air Quality

There’s no denying the importance of clean air in an interior space. That being said, live moss is known to help in purifying the indoor air. It basically does this by turning carbon dioxide and airborne bacteria — among other pollutants — into the biomass that allows it to thrive. This makes it a win-win situation for you and the moss wall.

Balancing Humidity Levels

A living moss wall absorbs moisture from humid air and releases it when it’s low. This stabilizes humidity at around 40 to 60 percent — the ideal level homeowners find most comfortable. 

Reducing Noise Pollution

The sound of cars passing along with another clamor can be annoying if you live on a busy street. Living walls will help create a calm indoor atmosphere by muffling outdoor noise. According to studies, they are proven to reduce noise pollution by up to 10 decibels. 

Providing Insulation

Absorbing and evaporating moisture also makes living moss walls a great source of insulation — especially if they’re relatively big. The moss provides a warming effect in the winter and a cooling effect in the summer. 

Improving Well-Being

A grounding effect can be crucial for our well-being in an increasingly tech-driven world. The earthy scent and aesthetic value of a living moss wall can help in achieving that. And let’s not forget the visual interest it generally adds to an interior space. 

How To Create a DIY Living Moss Wall

Creating a moss wall is a rather simple and straightforward process.

Step 1: Sketch Out the Design

Start by sketching out the size, shape, and layout you have in mind. This will give you an idea of the materials you’ll need for your DIY living wall. Besides the frame, the backing, and the moss, you can also go for hardscaping elements such as rocks and preserved twigs to add dimension. 

Step 2: Assemble the Frame 

Next, you’ll want to assemble a frame to house the living moss. You can make this from wood, metal, or plastic — and in any shape you like. Once the frame is ready, form the backing of the DIY moss wall with a piece of plywood. 

Step 3: Add Glue to the Backing

Apply glue to the backing of the frame and spread it evenly across the surface. Make sure to use floral glue, as the regular type can kill the moss. Before you go about this step, you may want to stick masking tape around the frame’s edges to keep everything neat. 

Step 4: Arrange the Moss Pieces

With the structure ready, you can now arrange the moss clumps onto the backing per your design. Start with the largest pieces — in addition to any hardscaping elements — and move on to smaller bits. Let it all set overnight before hanging up your DIY living wall. 

Step 5: Hang Up the Frame 

Gently and carefully nudging the moss pieces will ensure they are secured. If all seems well, then your indoor green wall is ready. 

Maintenance

Much like indoor gardening, a living moss wall requires its fair share of maintenance to retain its fresh and verdant appearance. This includes:

• Misting the moss wall on a daily basis
• Trimming back any excess growth
• Checking for any loose pieces and gluing them back if necessary 
• Applying pesticides to keep insects at bay
• Regularly dusting the DIY living wall with a can of compressed air
• Frequently checking for and getting rid of any dead debris
• Keeping the moss wall away from direct sunlight and sources of heat
• Placing a humidifier nearby if you notice that the moss feels dry and crunchy

Popular Types of Moss for a Living Wall

What are the common types of moss you can use for a DIY living wall?

Sheet Moss

Also known as carpet moss, sheet moss gets its name from the way in which it grows. Its uniform pattern makes it a popular choice for biophilic home decor. Sheet moss naturally grows on flat rocks, spreading out evenly throughout the surface. 

Reindeer Moss

Thriving in both hot and cool climates, reindeer moss is a type of lichen that varies from white to green in color. Its unique branching pattern gives it a fascinating appearance and can be ideal for adding more dimension to your living moss wall. Reindeer moss is also known to be a staple food for reindeer — hence the name. 

Pillow Moss

Pillow moss features a lush green and white appearance and tends to grow out if given enough room. Its dome-like, bouncy shape makes it easy to distinguish. Also referred to as cushion moss, this species of moss adds a quirky character to your DIY living wall. 

Mood Moss

The temperamental appearance of mood moss is where it gets its name from. It looks lush and fluffy when watered well and rather weak when dehydrated. This type of moss is known to grow in clumps with its leaves leaning to one side and can be a great choice for a DIY moss wall.

Royal Pool Moss

Lush green clumps characterize royal pool moss, which can serve as a lovely accent for moss frames and terrariums alike. This moss type looks great by itself and with other species. 

Living Moss Wall Alternatives

A vertical garden is a more sophisticated alternative to living moss walls.

Artificial Moss Wall

If you’re looking for something that doesn’t need constant care, an artificial moss wall can be ideal. From a distance, it is strikingly similar to a living moss wall — minus the maintenance. You can also find it in a variety of colors and for a portion of the price. 

Preserved Moss Wall

Another alternative would be a preserved moss wall. Unlike live moss, this option does not require as much maintenance. It is essentially preserved in its natural form using glycerin, allowing it to maintain its lush appearance for several years. Spraying your preserved moss wall with a glycerol solution once a year and occasionally with water should be enough to keep it looking fresh. 

Vertical Garden Wall

A vertical garden wall can be the design choice you need for something with a lot more dimension and drama. A relatively different setup involving soil pockets would be necessary in this case. Needless to say, however, the aesthetic value can elevate any living space. It also goes without saying that a vertical garden can be perfect for backyards. 

Whether you’re building a vertical garden or a living moss wall, a dose of nature — especially when implemented in a unique way — never fails to perk up a room. And the benefits are often worth any maintenance involved.