The installation process varies slightly depending on the type of wallpaper you choose. Some are prepasted (with dry paste already incorporated) while others require wet paste.
Using a level, draw a plumb line on the wall where you want to start hanging. It’s usually best to start in an inconspicuous corner.
Prepare the Walls
The first step is to accurately measure the walls you’re going to be wallpapering. This will ensure that you order the correct amount of wallpaper and don’t waste any material.
Next, you should smooth the wall down to eliminate any bumps or craters. This will prevent tearing in the wallpaper when you hang it and make the process of hanging it much easier. You should also remove any hooks, nails and light switch plates from the wall. This is important because they may leave holes and raised areas behind which can show through the wallpaper. If your wall has texture it should be “mudded” to create a smooth surface, then sanded down to get rid of any bumps.
After all this preparation, you should wash the walls with sugar soap or hot water and cleaning vinegar. You can then allow the wall to dry thoroughly. Depending on what type of wallpaper you are using you may need to size the wall too. This involves applying a diluted solution of paste to the wall and allowing it to dry.
Cut the Paper
If you’re wallpapering a room, it’s best to remove as much furniture as possible and cover flooring with a canvas drop cloth. Also, turn off electricity and remove switch and outlet covers. It’s a good idea to clean any woodwork or ceiling before you start. Finally, if necessary, give walls a light sand and sandpaper wash, to make them smooth and ready for papering.
Using your folding ruler or tape measure, cut the first length of wallpaper on the pasting table to match your measured vertical drop (plus 5 cm). Then loosely fold it and let sit 2-3 minutes (this is known as booking). It’s important that the first length of wallpaper is ‘plumb’, as all subsequent seams will align to this line. If it isn’t, you could end up with wonky walls and a pattern alignment that gets worse as you go on. So, take your time and get it right! The rest will come easy.
Apply the Paste
When it comes to paste the paper, you need a pasting table or an area big enough to stretch out your wallpaper panels and apply the paste. Before you start, make sure your paste is mixed and ready to use. Most manufacturers suggest a specific paste to work with, so read the directions carefully. For more info, do visit this website wallpaper singapore.
Apply the paste to one panel at a time, being careful not to get it on the face of the wallpaper. Once it’s wet, fold each end in towards the middle (this is called “booking”) and allow it to tack up for 3 – 5 minutes.
Once the panel is hung, smooth it and trim the seams. Repeat the process for each strip. Be careful to match the pattern up at the seams and don’t forget to leave a hair’s breadth of overlap on the ceiling and baseboard. This will help prevent the wallpaper lifting when it dries. A wallpaper smoother is very helpful for pushing out air bubbles and ensuring that the seams are tight and straight.
Hang the Paper
A lot of people struggle with hanging prepasted wallpaper and getting that first strip straight. A piece of equipment called a plumb line makes this job far easier. It is basically a weight at the end of a string that you suspend from the ceiling. When you’ve marked a plumb line on the ceiling you can use this to guide your first strip of wallpaper and it should go up perfectly vertically.
It is worth taking a minute to think about where you are going to place your first strip of paper before you activate the paste and start hanging. The reason is that your walls are not likely to be perfectly square and if you don’t line up your first strip everything else could look wonky.
So before you hang that first length or “drop” of wallpaper, measure the height of it and mark this on your wall with a pencil. Then, when you cut it, make sure the first edge of your concertina runs down that pencil line.
