First length of wallpaper
Make sure that you have all the equipment you need to hand, and suitably set up steps. Also make sure the walls have been properly prepared.
Take the first length of paper and unfold the top end.
Leave the bottom end folded for the moment.
Holding the paper in both hands, slightly away from the wall, line it up with your vertical mark on the wall.
Remembering to allow an overlap at the top for trimming, gently push the paper against the wall, making any slight adjustments to its position by gentle sliding.
Smoothing to remove air bubbles
Using your hanging brush, smooth down the centre of the paper to push out the air.
Next, smooth downwards at an angle towards the outer edges either side of the centre.
By working in one direction only you will avoid the possibility of pushing an air bubble first one way, then the other.
You will, however, need to work upwards for the part nearest the ceiling and can use the tips of the brush to stipple the paper into this junction.
Unfold the bottom section of the paper and repeat the process for this end.
Marking the paper for trimming
To mark the ends for trimming, use the back edge of your scissors to score a light line along the ceiling or skirting angle.
Lift the paper away from wall a little and trim to this line.
Brush the paper back down against the wall, expelling air from behind, particularly at the ends.
Try to avoid getting any paste onto the face of the paper – depending upon the paper you are hanging, it may discolour or damage it.
If you do get paste onto the face of the paper, remove it immediately with a damp sponge. Do not allow it to dry.
It is best to be methodical when hanging paper and to keep your tools clean all the time.
Trimming wallpaper with a straight edge and knife
As an alternative to this method, you can do as many professional decorators do.
They use a steel straight edge pushed firmly into the angle to be trimmed and slice through the paper with a craft knife.
The knife must be kept sharp at all times, as a dull blade will pull the paper rather than cut it.
If you want to use this method, practice using a couple of offcuts first.
It works particularly well with contract vinyls and other heavy-duty papers.
Hanging the next length of paper
When the next drop is pasted and ready to hang, repeat the process.
Use the edge of the previous drop to line up with.
Line up the pattern
You may find it easier to position the paper on the wall a fraction away from the edge of the preceding piece and then to slide it into position.
Be sure to maintain the pattern match. Continue hanging paper in this fashion to the end of the first wall.
If, as happens with many papers, the patterns don’t match up all the way down, make sure that it matches at eye level. The mismatches above and below eye level will not be so noticeable.
Trimming wallpaper at the corner
At the end of the wall, you’ll need to trim the paper into the corner. Do not trim it exactly to the corner but allow it to run round by about half an inch. This generates a small overlap in the corner, which provides a really professional finish. Without this, it is highly likely that the paper in the corner will not join perfectly all the way down and a gap may be left.
Remaining walls
The corner is unlikely to be perfectly square. When hanging the first piece on the next wall you will need to mark another vertical line.
You will also need to match the paper in the corner. The previous piece was trimmed, so you cannot use the offcut since it too will need to be trimmed. Take a new piece, measured and cut to allow for both trimming and matching. If more than a couple of inches will need to be trimmed, cut off most of it before pasting (but remember to allow enough for the final trimming at the corner).
Mark the vertical line on the wall for the width of this next piece, allowing for it to be trimmed to match.
Continue papering this wall as for the first.
As the paper is unlikely to match in the final corner, try to plan so that this is in the least noticeable part of the room.
Related posts:
How to hang wallpaper on stairs
How to plan wallpaper
Lining paper and cross lining