How to hang wallpaper

This is a pretty straightforward DIY job but some may need practice to achieve that perfect finish. You should be able to paper an average room in a day or so.

• These wall coverings are a good choice for beginners:
  - Heavy paper - easier to hang than lightweight paper, which tears easily when wet.
  - Good-quality paper - cheaper paper can stretch or tear easily.

• Always make sure that the batch numbers match when you buy your paper, or you could get some colour variations between rolls.

• Use lining paper to cross-line a wall if you're hanging embossed or expensive wallcoverings, or if the wall has imperfections that might show through your wallcovering.
• Lining paper is usually hung horizontally so the joins don't match up with those on the top layer.
• If you're going to paint over the lining paper, hang it vertically.

• Standard wallpaper rolls are 0.53m wide and usually 10m in length. Measure the total perimeter of the room in metres, including doors and windows, and divide by 0.53. This is the number of widths needed.
• Multiply the height of the room (in metres) by the number of widths needed to get the total length of wallpaper required. Divide this by the length of a roll (usually 10m). This is the number of rolls you'll need.
• Always buy an extra roll or two. We'll refund any unopened rolls!

• Remove all loose paint, plaster or old paper and fill any cracks. Wash the wall thoroughly with sugar soap.
• If the plaster is gloss painted, rub the wall down with 40 grit abrasive paper wrapped around a cork block.

• Prepare your wallpaper adhesive before pasting and always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Making the horizontal line

• Use a long spirit level and pencil to mark a horizontal line on the wall, one roll width down from the ceiling or picture rail.

Cutting and pasting paper

• Cut as many lengths of paper needed to cover one wall before starting. Cut each length 100mm longer than required. Put all the lengths facedown, rough side up, on your pasting table (fig. 1).
• Use a pasting brush to apply the paste to the top length, starting at one end, working from the middle out to the edges.
• Fold the paper into a loose concertina as you paste it (fig. 5).

Hanging the first length

• Let the paper soak for as long as the manufacturer's instructions say.
• Pick up the concertina by its top edge. Starting in the corner, line up the bottom edge with the pencil line.
• Smooth the paper onto the wall with the papering brush. Work from the centre out towards the edges (fig. 2), forcing out any air bubbles.
• Unfold the concertina as you go along, taking care not to stretch or tear it.

Trimming at the corners

• Use the tip of the brush to tap the paper into the corners. Mark a line down the corner of the paper with the back of the scissors. Ease the paper from the wall and trim the excess. Brush it back into place.

Hanging further lengths

• Each length of paper can then be butted up to the one before, working down the wall. Trim the bottom length to the top of the skirting.
• Allow lining paper to dry for 24 hours before covering it.

Deciding the order of hanging

• Start all-over patterns at a window. Then work away from the window in both directions towards the darkest corner of the room (fig. 3).
• Large patterned coverings should be centred on the chimney breast. If the room has two adjacent windows, the covering should be centred between them (fig. 4).

Making the vertical lines

• Use a plumb bob or spirit level to mark two vertical lines, one on each side of the window(s).
• Measure the depth of the window reveal and add 20mm for trimming, then deduct this measurement from the width of the roll. The resulting figure is the distance from the window to the vertical lines either side.
• Make sure you mark a new plumb line each time you turn a corner.

Cutting lengths

• Unroll the wallpaper with the pattern side up.
• Measure the length of the drop from the ceiling to the top of the skirting and add 100mm for trimming (you may have to allow more than this if the paper has a large pattern). Then cut the first piece.
• Cut several more lengths ready for hanging, making sure the pattern matches the first length, allowing for any offset pattern repeats.

Pasting the paper

• Put all the lengths pattern-down on your pasting table (fig. 1).
• Use a pasting brush to apply the paste to the top length, starting at one end, working from the middle out to the edges.
• As you paste it, fold the paper into a loose concertina with about 300mm-400mm between folds. Don't crease the paper (fig. 5).

Hanging the first length

• Unfold the top half of the pasted length and press it gently against the top of the wall, allowing enough paper (about 50mm) to trim at the ceiling (fig. 6). Use a papering brush to smooth the length into place, match the edge with your vertical line, and remove any air bubbles.

Trimming at the ceiling and skirting

• Use the end of the brush's bristles to gently tap the paper where the wall meets the ceiling and skirting. To trim any excess paper, mark a line down the corner of the paper with the back of the scissors, ease the paper away from the wall and trim it with the scissors. Brush the paper back into place.

Hanging the remaining lengths

• Hang the next length of paper loosely from the top and butt the pieces edge-to-edge, without overlaps. Match the pattern exactly before smoothing into position.

Dealing with vertical corners

• Paper into the corner, allowing a 20mm overlap around the angle. Don't try to work around a corner with a whole width of paper as corners are often not square, causing the length to hang crookedly.

Doorways

• Hang the covering from the top of the wall, smoothing it down as far as the architrave.
• Use scissors to make a diagonal cut into the corner of the architrave. Push the paper into the angle of the wall and architrave (fig. 7).
• Use the scissors to crease the waste along the architrave. Then roll back the paper and trim off the waste.

Windows

• Treat the top part of the window surround like a door. To cut round the window sill, make a horizontal cut up to the top corner of the sill. Then make a diagonal cut into the bottom corner of the sill. Feel for the end of the sill and make a series of cuts up to this line (fig. 8).
• Use the brush to force the paper into the angles made by the wall, the architrave and the window sill. Mark and trim the waste.

Window and door reveals

• Cut a width of wallpaper equal to the depth of the reveal plus 50mm over (fig. 9). Paste and fold the piece, but don't hang it yet.
• Take a second length of pasted wallpaper and butt it up against the last full width piece of paper you hung. With a pencil, mark the edge of this piece on the edge of the reveal (fig. 10). Put this piece to one side.
• Take the small piece and fix it to the reveal, lining it up with the pencil mark. Smooth it onto the reveal and make a cut through the overlap at the corner (fig. 10).
• Carefully tear 25mm off the overlap and flatten it round the corners with a brush (fig. 10). The torn edge, when covered, will show less obviously than a straight cut line.
• Hang the full-length piece. Make a horizontal cut with the scissors where the piece hangs over the opening. Fold the overlap into the reveal up to the frame. Crease and remove the waste.

Light switches and power sockets

• First, turn off the electricity for that circuit at the mains.
• Hang the covering as normal, then make diagonal cuts from the centre of the plate to its corners. Trim the waste leaving 6mm extra (fig. 11).
• Loosen the screws holding the faceplate and use the brush to tap the paper under the plate. Tighten the screws. When the paper is dry, turn on the electricity.
• Carefully tear 25mm off the overlap and flatten it round the corners with a brush (fig. 10). The torn edge, when covered, will show less obviously than a straight cut line.
• Hang the full-length piece. Make a horizontal cut with the scissors where the piece hangs over the opening. Fold the overlap into the reveal up to the frame. Crease and remove the waste.