How to Hang Wallpaper wallpaper hanger

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How To Hang Wallpaper

1. Graham & Brown 

2.  How To Practical Tips & Advice 

3.  How to guides

Introduction

Hanging wallpaper can make a big impact on your room depending on the colour and the design. As walls and corners aren't often straight, don't rely on them as a guide when you hang paper.

Where to start wallpapering

Ideally begin at the corner and hang your first length of paper on a wall with no doors or windows. That way, you can hang a full length from the ceiling to the top of the skirting-board.

Choose a wall to the right of the window if you're right-handed or to the left if you're left-handed. Also, it's best to work away from the window, so the paper edges don't cast a shadow if they overlap slightly. And try to avoid having to hang narrow strips against a window or door. If necessary, cut the first length in half vertically along the edge that'll overlap the corner.

Last but not least, if your wallpaper has a large pattern, it's a good idea to hang the first length over a fireplace or other focal point. Then work away from it in both directions to make the design central and symmetrical. Complete this area before papering the rest of your room.

How to hang the first length of wallpaper

It makes sense to take your time when hanging wallpaper. Be particularly careful with the first length - it's important to get that one straight.

Top tip - Wall plug markers

Unscrew all your wall fixings before you start papering, but leave the wall plugs in place. Mark the position of each one by pushing a matchstick (with the head broken off) into the plug, leaving it slightly proud.

As you hang your paper, bring it over the marked position and press the paper onto the matchstick to pierce the paper.

Then smooth the paper with a paperhanging brush. When the paper is quite dry, remove the matchstick and replace the fitting.

Top tip - Keeping your scissors clean

Occasionally dip your wallpaper scissors into a jar of clean, warm water to loosen the build-up of paste.

Step 1

To position your first length of wallpaper, use a plumb line or spirit level to draw a line from ceiling to skirting board, 480mm out from the corner. This allows a 50mm overlap onto the window wall.

Step 2

Place your first pasted length at the top of the wall with its right-hand edge running down the vertical line. It's easier if you can keep the left-hand edge of the paper off the wall.

Try to leave about 50mm of excess paper above the top of the wall for trimming. Hold the paper at both sides and make sure you don't let the lower paper drop suddenly as it could tear or stretch.

Step 3

After you've lined-up the right-hand edge, smooth the paper down with a paper-hanging brush. Work from the centre of the paper out to the edges, checking there are no bubbles and that the edge stays bang on the pencil mark.

Step 4

With the first length in place, crease the top and bottom of the paper against the ceiling and skirting board junctions. Gently pull the paper away from the wall and cut along the creases with wallpaper scissors. Then brush the trimmed edges back into place.

Step 5

Fit the next length against the previous one, matching the pattern at eye level. When you've got two or three pieces in place, run the seam roller lightly down the joins. But be careful not to press down too heavily on textured paper or you'll flatten the pattern.

How to wallpaper in internal corners

When you're papering in corners, it's much easier to cut a length of paper vertically and position the join at the corner, especially when your wall is slightly crooked or your corner isn't completely square. Measure and cut the paper so that it reaches slightly beyond the corner. If the off-cut of paper is half a width or more, then use it as the next length. If it's even smaller, start with a new length.

Top tip - Uneven walls

If the lines and angles of your walls are uneven, it may be better to choose a plain paper or one with a small, frequently repeated pattern. In particular you should avoid striped papers as these can make irregularities very obvious. Alternatively, you can wallpaper a single feature wall.

Step 1

Measure the distance between the edge of the last length you've hung and the corner at the top, bottom and middle of the wall. Use the widest measurement and allow an extra 25mm for turning onto the next wall. Cut a length of paper to this width.

Then paste and hang the cut length and fit the paper to the edge of the previous strip, aligning the pattern at eye level. Allow the extra 25mm to stick lightly to the next wall, and use a paper-hanging brush to smooth the paper into the internal corner.

Step 2

Make sure the paper's firmly pressed against the wall by running the seam roller along its edge. Wipe any excess paste from the roller before it dries. If you spot any creases, tear the paper and overlap the pieces so they lie flat - a tear will show less than if you cut the paper (although it's better to cut vinyl paper).

Step 3

Hang the plumb line on the next wall at a distance from the corner that's either the width of the full paper roll or your offcut (whichever you're using). Make some pencil marks behind the vertical line at intervals down the wall. This will give you a completely vertical edge for starting the next wall.

Step 4

Hang the next length with its right-hand edge aligned with the pencil marks and overlap the paper turned from the previous wall. If your paper is patterned, match the two pieces as closely as you can and use border adhesive along the overlapping strip.

How to wallpaper in external corners

You'll often find that walls and corners aren't completely straight or at perfect right-angles. If this is the case, you should position an overlapping join at an external corner.

Step 1

Start by measuring from the edge of the last full width to the corner, and allow an extra 25mm for the turn onto the next wall. Cut a length of wallpaper to this width. Then hang it as far as the corner and bend the excess paper around the corner onto the next wall.

Step 2

Use a plumb line to get a vertical start on the next wall and lay the paper over the overlapping section of the previous length. Then stick it with border adhesive, which is much better than walppaper paste for sticking paper to paper.

Step 3

A mismatched pattern is more obvious on an external corner, so you'd be better doing this with small repeated patterns or plain wallpaper. The overlap will also show up more if you're using textured or flock papers.

This Old House:

Wallpaper first appeared in the 16th century, in the form of black-and-white hand-blocked prints, and it remains a favorite way to bring color, texture, and personality to a home. Bold patterns and deep colors make any room seem more intimate, while light-toned papers with delicate prints convey a feeling of spaciousness.

Is It Hard to Hang Wallpaper?

Whatever effect a homeowner desires, achieving it demands equal measures of art and engineering, says painting and decorating contractor John Dee. For him, the smooth, seamless look and good adhesion that signify a top-quality installation begin with a properly prepared substrate and end with exacting attention to each room's particular topography. Where walls are out of plumb, for instance, he cuts and overlaps the paper at the corners so adjacent patterns line up precisely.

Dee's advice to novice wallpaper hangers: begin with small, easy-to-match patterns. "Work patiently and steadily, and you'll get tight seams and a professional look."

Here’s a tutorial on how to hang wallpaper.

Installing Wallpaper in 9 Steps Step 1: Hanging Wallpaper Overview

Decorative choices range from delicate silks and grasses to sturdy vinyls and even wood veneer that can be sanded and finished like solid wood paneling.

Most of the wallpapers sold in this country are paper-backed vinyls. According to John Dee, these are easier to work with than more delicate and tear-prone plain paper, and generally come pre-pasted, eliminating the need to roll on starch-based adhesives. They can, however, be harder to cut and require bonding with vinyl-to-vinyl adhesive.

Tip: Silk, grass, cloth, and textured papers also require careful attention during installation: "You absolutely can't get paste on their faces," Dee says. "There's no way to wipe it off."

Step 2: Lay Out the RoomPhoto by David Carmack

For wallpaper with a dominant element center it on the "focal wall"— the wall people first notice. Measure the width and height of this wall and mark its midpoint.

Cut a short strip of wallpaper. Place the dominant element over the midpoint. Mark the wall at the paper's leading edge, the edge against which the next strip will hang.

Using a 4-foot level, draw a plumb line at that mark.

To estimate seam locations around the room, cut two more short pieces of paper and paste them edge-to-edge on the wall.

Mark where each leading edge. Continue marking around the room, pulling up and re-adhering the strips. Measure the wall height at the plumb line.

Cut the first full-length strip, with as much overhang as needed to place the dominant element at the midpoint mark.

If using solid-color wallpaper, leave 1 inch of overhang at the top and bottom.

Step 3: Prep the Paper

Photo by David Carmack

If the paper is not pre-pasted, roll out the first strip face-down on a 6-foot-long work table and use a 3/8-inch-nap paint roller to apply a generous, even coat of paste all the way to the paper's edges.

To give the adhesive a chance to activate, gently fold over both ends of the strip, being careful not to crease the paper, so that they meet in the middle; this process is known as "booking."

Make sure the paper's edges are exactly aligned so that no pasted surface is exposed. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes before hanging.

For pre-pasted paper, loosely roll up a strip with the adhesive side out and immerse it in a trough of cold to lukewarm water, depending on the manufacturer's instructions, just until the paper is thoroughly wet (but no longer). Book the paper as above for 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 4: Hang the First Strip

Photo by David Carmack

Take the booked strip to the wall, then unfold and apply the top half, aligning one edge with the plumb line in Step 2.

For solid paper, overlap ceiling (or crown molding) by 1 inch. Overlap a patterned paper as needed so that the main design element is centered on the midpoint of the wall section.

First, smooth the edges of the paper with a damp sponge, then brush lightly from the center of the strip to its edges. Next, gently pull (do not push) a smoother across the paper to eliminate wrinkles and anchor the paper to the wall.

Unfold the strip's lower half. Align and smooth it as above, overlapping the baseboard as needed.

Step 5: Trim Strip at Ceiling

Photo by David Carmack

Trim excess paper with a sharp razor knife held almost parallel to the wall. Guide the blade with a 6-inch putty knife to prevent tearing.

Wipe any adhesive off the paper's face with a wet sponge, pushing lightly toward the edges. Then sponge-clean the woodwork and ceiling.

Measure, cut, and hang each subsequent strip, sliding them up or down on the wall to align the pattern and to butt seams tightly with no overlaps.

Step 6: Wallpaper the Corners

Photo by David Carmack

Corners are the only places where strips overlap. For an inside corner, measure from the corner to the top, middle, and bottom of the last-pasted strip. For out-of-plumb walls, add 1/8 inch to the largest measurement.

Using a level, trim a dry strip to that width, cutting the edge that'll meet the corner. Hang the paper so the just-cut edge turns the corner and extends onto the adjacent wall.

Position the adjoining strip with its edge inside the corner, overlapping the previous strip; align the patterns.

Mark where the leading edge lands and draw a plumb line. Using the line as a guide, hang this strip.

For outside corners, trim the strip to wrap over the next wall by ¼ inch.

Hang the next strip so it overlaps the previous piece but lands short of the corner. This prevents the paper from peeling if someone brushes against the corner.

Step 7: Trim Around Windows and Doors

Photo by David Carmack

When applying paper to walls adjacent to windows and doors, allow the leading edge of the strip to overlap the trim.

From the paper's waste edge to the corners of the trim, make diagonal cuts with scissors to allow the paper to lay flat on the wall.

Remove the bulk of the overlap with scissors. Smooth the paper as in Step 4, then use the smoother to push the paper snugly against the casing, the ceiling, and the baseboard.

Trim off any remaining overlap.

Step 8: Trim Around Window Apron

Photo by David Carmack

To trim around a window's stool and apron, make a series of short cuts from the waste edge of the strip toward the corner where wall and stool meet. These narrow fingers of paper allow the strip to be shaped to the profile of the casing.

With a narrow putty knife, hold the paper on the wall and trim any waste with a razor knife.

Tip: Dee avoids seam rollers because they can leave depressions in the paper.

Step 9: Hang Headers and Footers

Photo by David Carmack

To hang headers and footers—paper above and below windows and above doorways—measure, cut, and book each strip as you go.

To keep these shorter pieces plumb, align each strip's lead edge with a torpedo level.

Hang, smooth, and trim as many headers and footers as needed without going past the end of the window or door casing.

Then, hang a full-length strip of paper alongside the window or door by butting one edge of a dry, full-width scrap of paper against the last header or footer and marking where its opposite edge lands.

With a level, draw a plumb line on that mark from floor to ceiling.

Paste, book, and hang the full-length strip, adjusting it up or down as needed until the patterns match up.

When the patterns align, sponge and smooth each piece as in Step 4 and trim off any overlap.

Videos

How to Hang Wallpaper: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRnjWu1B9oE

Industry links

Wallcovering Installers Association

https://www.wallcoveringinstallers.org

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