How to Hang Wallpaper
Wallpaper has recently come back in fashion and many people want to hang it, but they don’t know how to. In this guide I will explain how to hang wallpaper. To start, you will need the right tools to get the job done.
Tools & Materials: Wallpaper, Wallpaper Paste, Large Flat Work surface, Tape Measure, Spirit Level, Step Ladder, Pasting Brush, Utility Knife, Seam Roller, Large Scissors, Wallpaper Brush.
Prepare Your Walls
Before starting to wallpaper, you should make sure your walls are properly prepared. Remove all the flaking paint and dust from the wall and if there are any cracks or holes, fill them with a filler. If your walls have been newly plastered make sure to seal it before starting. If you’re repapering a room remove all the old wallpaper before starting. Place sheets over your doors to avoid getting paste on them.
Prepare the Wallpaper
If it’s a feature wall, start in the corner. Measure the width of the paper out from the corner and rule a straight line down the wall with the help of a spirit level. This will be used to line up your first length of wallpaper.
Measure the first length of wallpaper against the length of the wall. Put the top of the sheet against the ceiling and drop the roll to the floor. Make sure it follows the vertical line you’ve just drawn on the wall. At the bottom of the strip, make a small tear. You should tear it just under the skirting. This tells you where to cut the paper. Remember to leave some extra length.
Now fold the wallpaper square against itself at the tear and cut along the straight fold line.
You’re now ready to start applying the adhesive. No matter which adhesive you use, you should always read the manufacturer’s instructions.
Using a pasting brush, apply the wallpaper adhesive to the back of the wallpaper. Make sure to cover all the paper with the paste. Now fold the paper so you can paste the bottom of it. Fold the top end of the paper down to the middle with the pasted sides touching, and then repeat with the bottom end of the paper. Then fold the two halves against each other. Try not to crease the wallpaper here. Now give the pasted wallpaper time to soak.
Hang the Wallpaper
To hang the wallpaper, start at the ceiling and unfold the top half of the wallpaper carefully. Place the side of the wallpaper along the measured line. When you have it lined up, drop the bottom half towards the floor. You can now gently smooth the wallpaper against the wall, removing all air bubbles out to the edge. Use your finger tips to smooth out the wallpaper. Make sure your hands are clean for this.
Carefully press the paper against the skirting board and trim any excess using your knife. You should now smooth out any bubbles that can be seen under the paper.
If you’re using patterned wallpaper you need to match the pattern of the second sheet with the first. Take extra care if you need to match the pattern above your internal doors, as you will only need a small amount of wallpaper for this part. Roll out the wallpaper next to the first strip, and match up the pattern. Make a slight tear in the wallpaper where it touches the ceiling and the skirting board. Remember to allow extra length for trimming later.
Now fold, crease and cut the paper, as you did with the other strip earlier. Then apply adhesive using the same method as before.
Then hang the second strip on the wall, taking extra care to match the wallpaper’s pattern. Smooth out any bubbles using the tips of your fingers. Run along the seam of the strips with your seam roller.
Sockets, Corners and Doors
If you need to paper around sockets, or light fittings, use your fingers to make an imprint of the fitting onto the paper. Then, using a sharp utility knife, make a cross in the area you’ve imprinted. Cut away this area and place the hole over the socket. Make sure to trim off any excess paper. You can wipe the paste off the fitting using a damp cloth.
Now continue using this method as you work your way around the room.
If you need to finish in a corner, measure from the last piece of wallpaper to the wall’s corner and add an inch to this distance. Use this measurement for your next strip of wallpaper and cut it to this size. Apply the paste and hang it as normal. You should now gently press the wallpaper into the corner. Make sure to trim off any excess paper using your knife.
If you need to paper around your doors, be careful when matching patterns. In most cases you will lose a large amount of wallpaper when papering around doors, as the pattern is not usually repeated.
You will now be able to transfer these steps to hanging wallpaper in other rooms around your home.
Article written by Adam Gibson on behalf of Kens Yard Ltd.