How to hang wallpaper

Furnishings-Direct sells a great deal of wallpaper. This means that we want to make sure you're investment is not ruined by poor application of the wallpaper.

Preparation

The first thing you need to check is that all your rolls are from the same batch (check the batch number) and the they are the same colour and shade. This probably all sounds very obvious, but with paler colours it can be more difficult to tell if they match perfectly. Ensure than you check them in daylight. Before you begin papering, consider whether you are going to use lining paper. It is great on dodgy walls, but unecessary on those that are better constructed.

Whatever you choose, when it comes to the actual  papering, you need a proper pasting table. Don't be afraid to spend money on a pasting table, as a sturdy one will make your papering far better and will last much longer. When pasting, use a roller rather than a brush; check on the wallpaper specification what kind of paste is best to use (as they can differ). Also have ready a plumb line, a stepladder, some PVA glue, both a big and little paintbrusg and a pencil,, scissors, some small Stanley blades and, last but not least a wallcovering smoother.

The Papering

1. The first step is to 'size' the wall. This involves filling a bucker up, half with water and half with PVA and applying the mixture to the walls with a brush before letting it dry properly. There is a point to this; the wallpaper paste sticks far better to the glue than it does to a bare wall.
2. The second step is to give yourself a perfect straight line along which to hang your wallpaper, ensuring it stays straight. Along each wall, hang a plumb line against the wall and draw along its vertical line. Do this at regular intervals on each wall, as walls tend to be uneven.
3. Next you must cut your wallpaper to size by measuring the floor-to-ceiling height of the marked walls along the vertical lines you just drew. Once you have the height, you can mark your table so you know the correct length. Don't do too many at once though, because you may need to recut them.
4. If you are using lining paper, obviously put this up first. It can have the important effect of covering structural imperfections and providing a smooth base for your wallpaper. Whichever you use, stretch the wallpaper flat along the table. Keep one edge level with the table edge. Also,  place weights at each end to keep the paper down. Spread the paste on top of the wallpaper.
5. Actually pasting the paper to the wall requires it to be "concertina-ed". Lift the wallpaper and pull it back to create a fold with the left edge (lift about 50cm from the left edge). Repeat this process until all the wallpaper is folded into a concertina, 50cm wide.
6. Take the wallpaper and attach the first pasted fold to the wall where it meets the ceiling. Don't be afraid to go higher than the wall and then to trim off any excess.
7. Gradually unfold the wallpaper down the wall, manouvering it for the best fit. Make sure the strips do not overlap but instead line up perfectly . If the corners of the paper appear to be lifting, apply more paste to the edges with a small brush and then use the smoother to flatten it and get rid of bubbles.
8. When you are removing excess wallpaper, score a mark in the paper using the edge of some scissors. Pull the paper back and cut along the mark. This can work for tricky corners too. If in doubt you should use too much paper and then cut it back. Stanley knives give a sharper cut.
9. If you have used lining paper, please ensure that it has dried before you apply the wallpaper. If there are imperfections after applying the lining paper, tap them out with a hammer.

Furnishings-Direct supplies designer wallpaper at great prices!