Hanging Your Wallpaper

Wallpaper installation is sometimes very tricky, difficult. It takes many years of practice and experience to become a master hanger. For the sake of your walls, and your wallet, we highly recommend using a professional installer. It is the responsibility of the decorator to ensure the wallpaper is correct and, during hanging, to check there are no visible faults. No claim for hanging costs will be accepted.

You can find a qualified local wallpaper installer through the Wallcovering Installers Association.

If you choose to do this on your own, here are basic instructions:

MATERIALS

Painter’s tape
Paint roller or sponge
Sharp utility knife
Drop cloth
Bucket of clean water

Unroll each strip so that they face the same way. The top of the strip has no white space, and the bottom has a narrow line of white labeled “bottom”. Don’t trim any part of the paper before hanging, unless your hanger decides to trim the overlap.

The wall you’re applying your paper to should be smooth, clean and dust free. Patch or sand any damaged areas of the wall, especially where sharp edges might pierce or tear the wallpaper. For best results, apply wallpaper to a surface that is a solid, light color. If your wall has been recently painted, allow at least 4+ weeks for the paint to cure before applying wallpaper. Applying wallpaper over uncured paint can lead to bubbling.

If you’re applying multiple strips of wallpaper, hang them from left to right for a smooth repeat of the design. Start with the upper left corner of the room, wall, or other surface you’re covering. If covering an entire room, choose an inconspicuous corner to begin since the repeat will not match up on the final seam.

Using a clean paint roller or sponge, thoroughly wet the back of the paper, making sure not to leave any dry spots. Once it’s wet, gently fold the pasted side in on itself by folding the top and bottom of each piece to meet in the middle, taking care not to crease the paper. This is called booking. Set the paper aside for 3-5 minutes to rest and activate the adhesive.

Pick up your first strip and unfold just the top half of the paper, leaving the edge labeled “BOTTOM” still booked. Align the top of the wallpaper with the ceiling, making sure the edge is straight and even on the wall. Check that the strip is straight and level. Painter’s tape can be used to secure the paper if it begins to slip. Once the paper is in position, unfold the bottom half of the strip and smooth downward with a damp sponge. Take care to remove large air bubbles as you go; smaller bubbles will dissipate as the wallpaper dries.

Pick up your second strip of wallpaper and apply it so that its left side overlaps the right side of the previous strip by approximately ¾ inch, carefully visually matching the repeat. Unless you prefer the look, there is no need to trim the overlap; it guarantees that the wallpaper will repeat seamlessly. Repeat this step, moving from left to right and aligning each new strip over the strip to its left.

Let your wallpaper dry completely — this usually takes about 3 hours — before using a sharp utility knife to trim the extra paper at the edges of the paper. Wipe the walls with a damp sponge to remove excess adhesive.

If you need to clean your wallpaper, just gently wipe down with a damp cloth. The use of industrial cleaner or heavy rubbing can cause color to lift