Instructions for Hanging Wall Paper

Textured wallpaper can add a new look to a room.

Interior decorating often gets a bad rap for being expensive and complicated. Changing a single wall can make a dramatic difference in the look and feel of a home, yet won't break the bank. While most people simply choose to paint a wall, wallpapering offers its own set of unique qualities and textures that paint can never match. Hanging wallpaper may be a little more involved than just painting a wall, but the results will leave you proud and eager to tackle more advanced design projects.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloth
• Paste
• Razor knife
• Level
• Pencil
• Paint roller
• Screwdriver
• Sponge
• Bucket
• Water
• Seam roller

Instructions

1. Remove any thumbtacks, nails or adhesives from the wall before starting the project. The wall should be clean, dry and free from any debris. If there are holes in the wall, patch them up with patching paste, leaving a smooth surface to work on. Let the paste dry overnight before you apply primer or hang wallpaper. Remove all power outlet face plates and light switch plates.

2. Apply wallpaper primer to the wall to protect it from damage and help the wallpaper adhesive stick to it. The primer also slows the drying time of the adhesive you will use so that you have enough time to smooth the wallpaper into place as needed to match the pattern.

3. Use a pencil and a level to draw a straight vertical line at the center of the "focal wall," or the most visible wall as you enter the room. This mark will act as your leading edge for your first piece of wallpaper.

4. Cut your first strip of wallpaper with the razor knife. Make sure that the length is at least two inches longer than the wall is tall. This will allow an extra inch at the top and another or so at the bottom to trim as excess after you match pieces together.

5. Use a paint roller to apply paste to the entire backside of the wallpaper strip if it is not already pre-pasted with adhesive. Fold both ends toward the middle so that no part of the backside is exposed to air. This is called "booking" and allows the adhesive time to activate. Allow the wallpaper to book for three to five minutes.

6. Unfold the first strip of wallpaper and apply it to the wall along the straight line drawn on the focal wall. Allow a one-inch overlap at the top and bottom. Smooth the edges with a wet sponge, working from the center of the wallpaper outward to the edges. Wipe the excess paste off the baseboards and ceiling. The water will get cloudy with paste, so rinse the sponge frequently in the bucket.

7. Wait at least 15 minutes before using the seam roller to seal the edges of the wallpaper. Doing so any sooner risks squeezing out excess paste from behind the wallpaper. Apply gentle, even pressure along the seams between strips of wallpaper all the way from floor to ceiling.

8. Apply the second strip of wallpaper to the wall in the same way as the first, making sure the pattern butts up against the previous strip so that the pattern matches precisely. If the pattern doesn't match at first, the wallpaper can be smoothed and adjusted slightly before it dries. Continue with each subsequent strip until you reach the end of the wall.

9. Trim edges around wall outlets and light switches with the razor knife as at the ceiling and baseboard of the first strip. Alternatively, you can completely wallpaper over the removed outlets and light switches and simply cut out the excess just enough to allow room to replace the outlets and face plates on top of them.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a drop cloth to prevent spills of water or paste on the carpet.

• Handle wet wallpaper carefully and move slowly to prevent getting paste on the outer surface of the wallpaper.

References

• Ask The Builder: How To Hang Wallpaper
• This Old House: How to Hang Wallpaper
• Repair Home: How to Hang Wallpaper