HangingWallpaper.net - a guide to hanging wallpaper
Before you begin, if you need to strip your current wallpaper, see our comprehensive guide at StrippingWallpaper.net.
Decorating is not difficult, but hanging wallpaper can seem like a very complicated and messy process. The thought of all that messy wallpaper paste and long rolls of wallpaper is pretty daunting and the potential for expensive mistakes is definitely there, but this comprehensive guide will make the process easy.
Hey, it's just sticking paper on walls!
Preparing your walls
Try to make the walls as smooth as possible. Remove/strip off all previous wallpaper and fill any holes or imperfections.
Decorating is not difficult, but hanging wallpaper can seem like a very complicated and messy process. The thought of all that messy wallpaper paste and long rolls of wallpaper is pretty daunting and the potential for expensive mistakes is definitely there, but this comprehensive guide will make the process easy.
Hey, it's just sticking paper on walls!
Preparing your walls
Try to make the walls as smooth as possible. Remove/strip off all previous wallpaper and fill any holes or imperfections.
How many rolls do I need?
This is not an exact science, but you should always get too much wallpaper rather than too little.
Try our handy wallpaper roll calculator for a guide to how much wallpaper to buy!
To line or not to line
Always line the walls first. The technique for hanging the lining paper is exactly the same as for hanging wallpaper, except for one major difference. Lining paper should be hung horizontally.
If the walls are very uneven then you should consider double lining them to achieve a quality finish. This means lining them first vertically, then adding a second layer horizontally. It will take extra time, but is worth it for the overall result.
This is not an exact science, but you should always get too much wallpaper rather than too little.
Try our handy wallpaper roll calculator for a guide to how much wallpaper to buy!
To line or not to line
Always line the walls first. The technique for hanging the lining paper is exactly the same as for hanging wallpaper, except for one major difference. Lining paper should be hung horizontally.
If the walls are very uneven then you should consider double lining them to achieve a quality finish. This means lining them first vertically, then adding a second layer horizontally. It will take extra time, but is worth it for the overall result.
The tools for the job
Several items of equipment are needed to make hanging your wallpaper go smoothly:
Paste brush
Paper brush
Sponge
Fold away pasting table
Craft knife
Bucket
Stepladder
Plumb line/spirit level
Pencil
Measuring tape
Paper shears/big scissors
Wallpaper (no really!)
Wallpaper paste
Several items of equipment are needed to make hanging your wallpaper go smoothly:
Paste brush
Paper brush
Sponge
Fold away pasting table
Craft knife
Bucket
Stepladder
Plumb line/spirit level
Pencil
Measuring tape
Paper shears/big scissors
Wallpaper (no really!)
Wallpaper paste
Depending on whether you are left or right handed, start from one side of the door and simply work your way around. If you're right handed then start from the left side.
Bold patterned paper?
Start between two windows or in the centre of your chimney breast. If your paper has a large or bold pattern, the most visible parts of the room are where you paper need to look neatest, so this is where you should start papering.
Starting straight
You need to mark a straight, vertical line on the wall. It has to be perfectly vertical, so how do you achieve that? Well, there are two options. Both work equally well, so use whichever your available equipment allows you to.
- Use a plumb line and bomb
- Use a spirit level, but make sure you rotate it as you move it down the wall. This helps to ensure the accuracy of the reading
