With simple instructions, hanging wallpaper can be a trouble-free task.

Wallpaper is a great way to show off your sense of style. With simple instructions, hanging wallpaper can be a trouble-free task even for first timer.

DIY- First timer;

First-timers should work with a durable, DIY-friendly paper such as vinyl, Avoid striped wallpaper, as separate pieces can be difficult to match. Plain paper, or paper with a busy pattern can be more forgiving.


Amount of Wallpapper required;

To determine the amount of wallpaper you'll need, 

lengths of all your walls x  single height. - (door + window areas), + 15 per cent to the total.


Preparation;

After cleaning, spackling, sanding and priming the walls, it's time to begin. "The first sheet you put up is going to be your worst one, By the time you get to that focal point you want to have some experience."

First, start in an inconspicuous spot, like behind a door or in a corner. Find the centre of that wall and draw a straight "plumb line" from the ceiling to the baseboard, against which you'll hang the paper. Mark off the rest of the wallpaper-width.

Cut strips to the height of your wall plus four to six inches for overhang, ensuring that the pattern of your wallpaper aligns. Roll the paste evenly and thoroughly on the back of the paper, beginning from its centre.

Fold -- without flattening -- the top and bottom edges into the middle, pasted sides in and ensure the edges are aligned. This process, known as booking, allows the adhesive to penetrate the paper and keeps it wet until needed.

Unfold the top half of the strip and align with the plumb lines and with the ceiling, leaving a couple of inches for trimming. Work out air bubbles or wrinkles with a smoothing brush.

Be as precise as possible with the first sheet. If your first sheet is not put on straight, it's only going to get worse and worse, If you come across any problems, Pull the paper off the wall without sliding it around. Wipe off any excess paste with a damp sponge, then continue with the bottom half of the strip.

For strip number two, align without overlapping the pattern starting from the ceiling. "Once you've matched the top two feet, everything will fall into place. Smooth out the paper and roll the seam 10 minutes later.

With a few strips completed, use a broadknife or scraper to crease the ceiling line and the line at the baseboards. Holding the broadknife in place, use a utility knife to trim the excess paper.

Tough spot:
 
Windows

Cut the overlapping paper along the sills. Press the paper against the left and right casings and trim excess. Paste matching paper, with half an inch overhang, over the top and bottom casings and tuck the overlap underneath the corners of the facing walls.



Keep in mind;

1. Depending on type, wallpaper can expand its width up to 1/4 inch. In order to avoid expansion on the wall, which can cause bubbling and wrinkles, it is necessary to "book" the paper before hanging.

"Booking" is the process whereby an un-pasted paper that has been pasted, or a pre-pasted paper that has been dipped in water, is folded onto itself, paste-to-paste, and allowed to relax for several minutes before applying to the wall. This allows the paper to fully expand, relaxing its curl, and in the case of a pre-pasted paper, it allows the prepaste to fully activate.

2. Start papering at the least visible corner; the pattern will most likely not match when you get back to the starting point. A good place to start is usually in the corner closest to the entryway.

3. In a bathroom with proper ventilation, you should be able to use either solid vinyl or vinyl protected which are washable. In a high traffic area all papers are vulnerable to scratching and gouging. For additional durability use a commercial grade vinyl.

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Related Topics

Wall paper