Essential hints and tips to hanging wallpaper
1. Getting started
To do a good job you need the right tools, and the best quality one’s you can afford.
Tools for hanging wallpaper
Step ladder
Paste table
Pasting brush
Plumb bob
Tape measure & pencil
Sharp trimming knife
Straight edge
Decorating scissors
Paper hanging brush
Seam roller
Bucket & sponge
And last but not least YOU !
Before you pick up the scissors…
• Hanging the first piece straight is vital – get this right and the rest will be easy.
• Start in the corner. Use the roll to measure and gently mark the wall with the pencil about 2cm wider than the paper.
• Look at the design and decide where you want it to fit on your wall.
• Always read the label, it tells you the size of the pattern repeat and whether to paste the wall or the paper.
If you are pasting the wallpaper…
• Lay the paper on the table, and paste down the middle of the paper. Then brush away from you over the edge. Do not pull the brush back over the edge or you will get paste on the front.
• Once you’ve pasted the sheet, fold with a small fold at the top, and a larger fold at the bottom. Mark the top of the paper with a ‘T’ for top. And remember – paper doesn’t always come off the roll the right way up.
• Put the paper up as before. Due to the strong paste, it will remain where you put it. A felt roller is extremely useful for smoothing seams. It is particularly useful for flock wallpapers.
If you are pasting the wall…
• Use a roller to apply, and a brush for the edges.
• Paste the wall wider than the paper, so you always have a wet edge.
• Match your pattern from the top.
• Smooth the paper down with a soft brush, pushing air bubbles out to the sides.
• Trim excess from the top and bottom. Use a plastic spatula to push the paper towards the ceiling and the skirting. Use a sharp snap-off knife to carefully cut through the paper.
• Always use clean water and a sponge to remove surplus paste from the surface of your paper. Once the paste has dried, it will not come off.
Cutting into corners
Never take the wallpaper around the corner in one piece. Measure the distance into the corner in three places – top, middle and bottom.
• Having cut the full length of paper, lay it on the table. Measure and mark the width of the gap, adding 1cm. This will go around the corner a small amount.
• Cut the paper on the table and slot into the corner. The rest of the piece can then be matched. This needs to be straight, so repeat the exercise with the plumb bob or spirit level. Your leading edge should now be straight. Continue wallpapering along the wall.
Hanging Wallpaper around Doors and Windows
The process for wallpapering around a door or a window is the same.
Wallpaper as usual on the main, flat wall, and leave a good few inches of overlap when you reach a door or window.
Then cut a diagonal cut into the paper, at the corner of the window, or door frame.
Crease the wallpaper down, where the frame meets the wall.
Trim neatly along the crease.
If you are papering into a reveal for a window or door, place the wallpaper on the flat wall, overlapping the widow void by a few inches, as before.
Make horizontal cuts just inside the top and bottom of the window reveal.
Fold over the excess paper, and finish by creasing against the frame, and trimming neatly.
Cut a short length of wallpaper, and match the pattern to cover the small area above the window or door.
How to Wallpaper around Switches and Sockets
Make sure that the electricity is switched off at the mains.
Hang the wallpaper loosely over the socket or switch.
Carefully slice an ‘X’ over the socket, and trim to around ¼ to ½ inch all round.
Loosen the socket/switch slightly, so that you can tuck the edges neatly behind, and fasten the socket/switch back onto the wall.
Leave the electricity switched off until the paste is thoroughly dry.
How to Wallpaper Behind Radiators
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