subject: The basics of hanging wallpaper [print this page] The basics of hanging wallpaper The basics of hanging wallpaper
As a painter and decorater I spend a lot of my time hanging wallpaper for my customers in and around the doncaster area where I live and I may be cutting my own throat but I allways offer to teach them to try and do it themselves and some do with varying degree's of success. In fact it was a customer's idea that I begin publishing articles on the internet in the first place, this will be my 3rd and to find out more about me and why I feel qualified to write about painting and decorating visit my web site which I built myself from scratch without any prior knowledge as to how to go about it and that is at www.dn3decorating.co.uk and there you can also view some pictures of my paper hanging and judge for yourself. So let's get started.
Tools.
Pencil, spirit level or plumb line (I use a level) , a spatula, (this is the tool used for smoothing out the paper on the walls and has replaced the smoothing brush almost completely) scissors, a modelling or stanley knife (the snap off type are best) tape measure, pasting table, 8" to 10" medium pile roller for applying the paste, ( proffesional painters and decorators have been using rollers in place of brushes for pasting for many years now) a clamp or something weighty, a clean sponge and a bucket, and a roller bucket for your paste.
Preparing the walls.
quickly go over the walls with medium to rough sand paper to remove any nibs, fill any holes and caulk with decorators caulk any cracks and gaps, (I will always caulk around the top of the skirting boards door frames and window frames as it helps with the cutting later) then size the walls, I use a pva mix of 1 part pva to 3 parts water or you can use a thin coat of wallpaper paste, allow to dry.
Laying out the job.
Every tradesman whether its a decorator or another trade has his or her way of working and this is my way. the most difficult part of papering a room is the window wall and it will pay you to take a little time to work out where best to start because if you plan this part correctly you could save yourself a lot of frustration later. I will always begin by measuring from the reveal, (where the wall meets the window frame) a roll of wallpaper is 20.5" wide, if the reveal is 10" deep that leaves you with 10.5" but you need to take off a further 1" to ensure the paper covers all of the reveal so measure out 9.5" from the corner of the reveal and make a mark with your pencil then using your spirit level or plumb line draw your line, this is where you will hang your first length of paper.
Measuring and cutting your lengths of paper.
Wallpaper has three types of pattern matches if you include no match ! which of course makes the job a lot easier, then there is a direct match which is almost as easy then there is a staggered match and we will deal with the latter first. As the name suggests the pattern when on the wall will have a zig zag shape for the want of a better description and if you look at the label on the role it will inform you of this so you will know prior to purchase.
So we have established that we are hanging wallpaper with a staggered match, next we measure the wall from the ceiling to the top of the skirting board and transfer this to the pasting table allowing aprox 10cm over this will make for easier cutting, open a role of paper and cut to length trying to ensure a full pattern at the top, ie: if the pattern will allow don't cut through the middle of a flower for example as this is what you will see on the wall of course,so try to have a full pattern at the top, it will make all the difference. Clamp the paper in place on the table and pick out a prominent piece of the pattern on the papers edge and with your pencil and mark it exactly adding a No 1 0r a letter A whichever you prefer. Now put the 1st roll to one side and open a second role, (when working with a staggered match you should work from two rolls at a time this will minimise the waste), match this second length to the first and lay it on top of the first and clamp it and using the the same piece of the pattern mark it adding 2 or B. This way you have trasferred all the relevant data to your table you know where the top of the paper is, you know where lengths A or B have to match and you know where to cut them, at this point I would cut all the full lengths required ? The above also applies to a direct match the only differnce being is that you will only need to make one mark on the table for your pattern, easy peasy.
Pasting the paper.
For mixing paste follow the manufacturers instructions. Using a roller paste the lengths 2 or 3 at a time starting at the top of the length, ensuring you cover the entire length paying particular attention to the edges, when you have pasted the part of the length that is on the table take the top of the paper and fold it almost to the other end of the table making sure the top edge is exactly on top of the bottom edge and this will stop the edges from drying out while soaking, and smooth the paper together removing any air pockets. don't worry about creasing the paper when folding this shouldn't harm it but always read the label, pull the paper along the table so the un pasted part is now able to be pasted and repeat the procedure.
Hanging the paper.
So we have the tools, the walls are properly prepped and our lengths are cut and pasted . The first length is to be hung as I said earlier into the window reveal ensuring the paper has had adequate soaking time following pasting (the roll label will inform you of the soaking time, treat this figure as a minimum time and not a precise measure). Offer the paper up to the wall ensuring the top of the paper is actually at the top, and looking down at the edge of the length bring it into line beside the plumbed line and begin tomanoeuvreit into place (if your paste is mixed right and you have applied sufficient to the paper then it should slide around making it easy to manoeuvre, if it won't then a tip is to apply some paste to the wall but don't get to far ahead as it will simply dry) smoothing it out with your spatula as you go from top to bottom but don't concern yourself with this too much at this stage as you will probably have to partly pull the paper off a little for cutting just ensure it is plumb. So to cut the paper into the reveal, using a stanley knife cut the paper along the top of the window reveal using the reveal to guide the blade then cut the paper across it's width only where it joins the window sill and now you should be able to fold the paper into the reveal following 1 or 2 minor snips with your scissors then smooth the whole length down looking from various angles to ensure there aren't any bubbles, trim the waste using your spatula to press the paper down into the right angles ensuring straight and neat lines.
Leaving the full lengths aside for a while we need to address the tricky procedure of papering along the top of the window reveal, some say this is where the decorator earns his or her money ? so if you can master this bit then you will no longer need a painter and decorator from Doncaster or anywhere else. measure from the window frame to the top of the wall and cut a piece to length ensuring it matches of course,soak and hang ensuring it is tight to the wall without baggy corners, this done their will now be a gap between this SECOND piece and the corner of the window reveal, cut a piece the same length as the SECOND that is about 1" wider than the gap, and that matches to the SECOND length, paste it, soak it then hang it covering from the window frame to the ceiling as the SECOND piece, and yes it is going over the top of the FIRST length hung, and it will match exactly but now you peel back the edge of the FIRST length and smooth this THIRD length into place below it, making sure it matches and is butted up to the SECOND length, then using your spatula hold the FIRST and THIRD lengths by pressing down hard cut through both lengths from the corner where the vertical reveal meets the horizontal across to where they are butted up to the SECOND length and remove the waste and you should now be left with an invisible splice.
Carry on across the top of the reveal and when you get to the other end you will have to repeat the procedure. after hanging a few lengths clean down with a damp sponge removing any excess paste from the paper ceiling and woodwork. Always cut paper into the corners and no matter how narrow the edge that is left plumb and hang it and this will ensure the pattern continues thru the corners. Use your spatula and knife whenever possible for straighter neater cuts. Tidy up as you go, not that it will improve your paper hanging skills whether you are a professional painter and decorator from Doncaster or Timbucktoo it is simply a good habit to have. Well that is that, I have probably made myself redundant now but after 38 years I think I'm ready for a break. Happy paper hanging.
