Wallpaper has become hugely popular again in recent years after falling out of fashion through the 1990s. We’ve all embraced the concept of having a feature wall in a bold pattern in living areas, and all over wallpaper is becoming more popular too. You can even buy treated wallpapers which are suitable for use in the kitchen or bathroom. Putting wallpaper up isn’t too difficult and is definitely a job which you can tackle on your own if you have the right tools and take the time to follow the correct steps.
Get the Right Tools For the Job
Preparations
Sometimes it is possible to stick new wallpaper on the top of existing wallpaper, but you’ll get a better finish if you remove the old wallpaper and start with a smooth surface. The first job is to clear the room of as much furniture as possible, and move the rest into the middle of the room so that you can get easy access to all of the walls. Put dust sheets or plastic protective sheeting down around the bottom of the walls as however careful you are, you are going to get paper on the floor. Next, score the wallpaper in a criss cross pattern. You can do this with the edge of a wallpaper scraper, or can even buy a special tool to do the job. The idea is to not score through the paper completely, but to break the top layer to help water penetrate.
Filling the holes
Stripping wallpaper can leave a bumpy and uneven surface, especially when small pieces of plaster have come away with the paper. Get a commercial ready mixed filler product and work methodically around the room, filling in any gaps, cracks and holes as you go. Leave the filler to dry completely according to the instructions on the tub, and then go over the areas you have filled with a sheet of fine grade sandpaper to provide a very smooth surface. It’s very important to take your time over this step as properly filling all of the holes and cracks at this stage will guarantee a better finish later on. If after filling and smoothing your walls still don’t look smooth, you can hang lining paper first which will help to cover up imperfections and give a smooth surface for hanging paper.
Starting to Hang the Paper
Wallpapering around tricky areas
Once you’ve mastered putting full lengths of wallpaper onto the wall, you’ll have to cope with papering around a window, or around a light socket. Where possible, unscrew light fittings and plugs to allow you to get in behind them with the wallpaper. It goes without saying that you should always disconnect the electricity when doing this. Take your time, measure twice before cutting paper, and if you are in doubt about what to do, look online for a video tutorial which can walk you step by step through the process.
