So, You're Ready to Create Your Dream Space...
Here are some helpful tips and tricks to install your wallpaper.
Step 1: Prepare The Walls
Sand smooth with 100 grit sandpaper.
If you spend time preparing the wall, then the job will be much easier. The surface must be clean, dry and sound, and well-sized, so that the wallpaper is easy to position and sticks properly.
1. Remove any old paper. Use Active Wallpaper Remover to make that easy.
2. Repair any imperfections in the wall/plaster, and sand smooth with 100 grit sandpaper. Remove the dust.
3. Brush the wall surface with a liberal coat of size (SHUR-STIK Wallpaper Size) and let it dry. This makes it much easier to position the wallpaper when it is time to start hanging.
Tip: Surface preparation
Different wall surfaces need different preparations, so ask your retailer for their advice. Guidelines are also on the wallpaper label.
Step 2: Plan where to start in the room
Start near the main source of light and work away from it, aiming to finish in a discreet area, such as behind a door.
If you are using patterned wallpaper on a feature wall, start in the middle of the wall.
Tip: Match-the-batch (numbers)
Check that each roll is the same design and batch number before you start cutting the paper.
1. Make a plumb line
A plumb line—a straight line device that professionals use—will ensure that even if your ceilings or floors are not level, the wallpaper will still be straight. Always hang your first strip of paper next to a plumb line.
2. Mark the wall along the plumb line every 20 to 30cm.
This is how you do it:
1. Measure the width of your paper.
2. Measure the same distance out from the corner in the direction you intend working.
3. Come back 15mm towards the corner from the narrowest point of the plumb line, and make a mark closer to the ceiling.
4. Drive in a small nail to hang the plumb line from.
5. Once it is steady, with a pencil, lightly mark the wall along the plumb line every 20 to 30cm down the length of the line to the floor. This will give you a perfectly straight vertical line to hang your first strip of wallpaper against.
Tip: Plumb-lines
Remember to do a new plumb line when turning a corner on to a new wall.
Step 3: Prepare the paper
Cut the paper
1. Measure one wall from the skirting or bottom edge up to the ceiling.
2. Add 10cm to allow for trimming. Cut the first length. Use this length as your guide for cutting the rest of the paper into lengths.
If you have Paste-the-wall paper, proceed to Step 3.
3. Submerge the pre-rolled paper for 15 seconds.
Symbol for pre-pasted wallpaperFor pre-pasted paper, a brief soaking in water is vital, to activate the paste that is on the back.
1. Fill a water-trough with luke-warm water, and place it in the centre of the room, on a plastic drop-cloth/sheet.
2. Now, loosely re-roll the cut lengths of paper, from the bottom edge, with the pattern or texture on the inside.
3. Place the pre-rolled length in the water, make sure it is fully covered for about 15 seconds, then pass the top edge of the length under the water trough wire and slowly draw the paper out of the trough. Check that all the paste on the back of the paper is fully wet.
Pre-pasted paper
Soak the paper