Firstly you have to chose the correct type of wallpaper for your room,
- Heavy Wallpaper is easier to hang than lightweight paper, which tears easily when wet.
- Good-quality paper is easier to hang than cheaper paper which 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
The Next Step- Do you need lining paper
The Next Step is the measuring up
- 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 the stores are usually happy to refund extra rolls bought.
The Next Step Preparing The Walls
- 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
Mix Adhesive to manufacturers instructions then you are ready to hang your long awaited wallpaper
Dealing with Awkward bits
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
- 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.
- 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 . 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. 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.
- Carefully tear 25mm off the overlap and flatten it round the corners with a brush. 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.
- 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. 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
You are left with a beautiful room, that is if you have the patience, if not we at PMH Builders & Decorators are on hand to complete the jobs you cannot, Our work includes domestic properties, Holiday Homes In Devon & Cornwall, First Class Hotels in Devon, Cornwall & Bristol, Restaurants & Bars.
For a free quotation visit our website www.pmhbuildersdecorators.co.uk