How to Hang Wall Paper

Hanging wallpaper is easy if you follow these easy steps outlined within this article.

Things You'll Need

• Murphy’s oil cleaner diluted with two parts of water to 1 part Murphy’s in a spray bottle.
• A clean cloth
• A bathtub with a few inches of water in it
• Enough pre-pasted wallpaper for the job
• A medium sized book or block of wood
• Pre-pasted wallpaper border (optional)

Instructions

Hanging Wallpaper

1. Properly cleaning the wall is always the first step. I choose to use my Murphy’s solution because it cleans different types of grime for many surfaces. It is safe for painted walls and paneling as well. Spray your cleaner on area of the wall you wish to hang your wallpaper upon and allow this to dry for a while.

2. Cut your wallpaper in manageable sizes, which you can safely handle, and take one piece to the bathtub, which has a few inches of warm water in the bottom. As its nature to roll back up, you will need to unroll it and make sure to submerge the wallpaper for a few seconds. Remove it from the water and shake the excess water off.

3. Carry the wallpaper to the location and press it in place on the wall, using the book or block of wood to smooth it into place. While it is still wet you can move it a bit, and cut all of your wallpaper the same size. The wallpaper should be in a straight line. The book is smoother then a piece of wood, which may have, slivers which will rip your paper. If you hold the book tightly in both hands where the pages of the book open, and drag the binding of the book down the wallpaper it will apply smoothly without tearing.

4. Placing the first sheet of wallpaper near the ceiling is a good place to start, lay the next piece to the right of it, and continue around the room until it is all hung. Look at the wallpaper. If it looks good to you, go ahead and hang the rest as you did the first piece. Allow it to dry in place for a few hours to adhere to the wall properly. It is far easier to hang the long pieces first, then go back, and cut smaller pieces to fit above windows and doors.

5. Finish the wallpaper by placing the bottom sheets of wallpaper and those above windows and doors.

Tips & Warnings

• If you experience the wallpaper starting to peel away after a few months simply spray back of that section with a bit of plain water and press it to the wall to fix it.

• Pull downward on the book, and it will smooth on your wallpaper this, is a trick I learned from a professional wallpaper installer.

• You can use a medium to heavy smooth object to run down wallpaper to smooth it on the wall.