Contents
Do you wallpaper towards or away from a window?
Also, it’s best to work away from the window, so the paper edges don’t cast a shadow if they overlap slightly. And try to avoid having to hang narrow strips against a window or door. If necessary, cut the first length in half vertically along the edge that’ll overlap the corner.
Where should you start when wallpapering?
How to wallpaper a room – In a simple rectangular or square room with a small-patterned paper, always look to begin close to a corner, whilst never using the corner itself as a true vertical guideline.
Hang the first piece of wallpaper close to the corner, leaving perhaps half a width to hang to the left depending on if you are right or left handed (see below). Continue all the way around the room until you get back to the first corner. The join is therefore made along the corner with the final piece being the half hang to the left of your first length.
Note that right handed people are best wallpapering clockwise around the room (as shown), as they tend to trim the paper from left to right i.e. from the edge of the last hung length across to the one just hung. Left handed people may therefore find it easier to go anti-clockwise, as they will normally trim from right to left.
Centralise your pattern using the central vertical guideline of the chimney breast as your starting point. Continue around the external corner to the right of the first length, and into the internal corner. Continue around the external corner to the left of the first length, and into the internal corner. Paper all around the room finishing in the internal corner to the left of the chimney breast.
Joining in an internal corner is normally the best option as your eye doesn’t pick up the inevitable pattern discrepancy in a corner as it would if the join was in the middle of a wall. Choose your joining corner according to whether it is the most inconspicuous in the room.
For example, in a room that is square, the corner that is behind where the door opens is a good option, and where there is a chimney breast the internal corner next to it is ideal. Both above examples necessitate having a join between where the wallpaper starts and finishes. If no such join is necessary, in a room that has a floor to ceiling bookcase for example, then you are best off starting to one side of the bookcase and finishing around to the other side.
Please review some of our other guides in particular how to wallpaper a room which shows a photographic step-by-step sequence of working your way around a room. We have more information about centralising patterns, as shown in our guide how to wallpaper a chimney breast, and contains a few more detailed points on where to start wallpapering.
What do you put between a window and a wall?
Dealing with Large Gaps Around a Window Frame – If you have very large gaps around a window, you can fill them using expanding foam, Expanding foam is perfect for filling large gaps around windows as it allows for a degree of movement without cracking or breaking.
- It can also provide a good moisture barrier between the brickwork and the window frame.
- Carefully inject the foam right into the gap until it fills up and expands well outside of the hole.
- The foam will expand into all of the cracks and crevices inside the hole and provide a really good seal.
- When the foam has fully set, you can trim it off, sand it down and even plaster and paint over it.
DIY Tools, Materials and Equipment
How do you hang wallpaper around a window UK?
How to Wallpaper Around a Window: Where to Start – Once prepped, with your equipment ready, the starting point when learning how to wallpaper in a room with a window is establishing where you’ll hang your first drop. You should hang the first drop of wallpaper near the window, so you have a full roll to use as your reference point.
Take your roll of wallpaper, hold horizontally and place the mid–point on the window edge and mark on the wall where the edge of the wallpaper will sit. Now take the roll, place it next to the point you just marked and work towards the corner marking where each roll will drop. If the corner drop is going to be really narrow i.e.
less than three inches (2.5cm), adjust so that you have a larger gap in the corner. But ensure you do not have too narrow a gap by the window; create a happy compromise. Once you have established where your first full roll is going to sit, get a long spirit level or a laser level, and mark with a pencil to get a level vertical line to work with.
Why do you start wallpapering in the middle of the wall?
Deciding Where to Start. – My recommendation is to start in the center of the wall if you are doing a single feature wall. If you were wallpapering an entire room, you would want to start in an inconspicuous corner. I found the middle of the wall and made plum lines where the edges of the first piece of wallpaper would hit. This wallpaper is unpasted so you will need a wallpaper adhesive to apply to the wall. I’ll include a full list of supplies in my Amazon shop ! Some wallpaper will come pasted so make sure and check which kind of wallpaper you buy. I will also note that this wallpaper has the most beautiful texture which really added to the final result.
I used a 3/8″ nap roller to roll it on the wall being careful to only apply it to the area where the strip would go. The instructions called for it to only be applied to the wall, but I chose to apply it to both the wall and the back of the paper. I found the paper to slide better and allow me to get perfect seams.
You can also use a brush for tight areas or along eges.
I use a large framing square to make all of my cuts. If you have a big table, you can use a utility knife. I found that making a clean pencil mark and using scissors worked just fine.
This post is specifically showing how to wallpaper a feature wall with trim – so it was not necessary to have exact edges. I knew there would be trim covering those areas. I also skipped an inch (see below pic) strictly to save myself from having to open another roll. Trim would be covering it so it wasn’t a big deal but it does look a little funny here!
My trick for getting wallpaper to line up is to go from the seams and work down and out. The paste allows you to move it quite a bit before it dries. I can slide it around pretty easily until I get the seams lined up perfectly! I mainly use my hands to smooth it out and then will use a wallpaper brush to really get a firm adhesion.
I also take the time after each strip to take a very lightly damp rag and wipe off the seams as there is most likely glue that has escaped.
After the full wall received the wallpaper treatment, it was time for the trim! I used 1×4 select pine and started with the bottom and top. I used 12′ boards so I didn’t have to have a seam. I wanted to beef up the bottom so I used a piece of base cap to place on top of my trim before adding the 1×4.
I nailed each piece of trim in, trying to hit studs where I could. I used 2″ brad nails and a nail gun to make sure the nail went through the trim, drywall and potentially a stud.
At this point, you could paint and easily be done! I knew I wanted to add some dimension so I chose to add some cove moulding inside each box. First, I cut each piece to length, then I primed and painted each piece before installing since these pieces would fit tight against the wallpaper and I didn’t want to have to worry about painting the wallpaper!
I used DAP wood filler on all the seams and nail holes sanding the seams smooth after it dried. I also caulked any corner as well as the space between the trim and wall with paintable latex caulk.
The cove moulding adds such a nice touch doesn’t it?
Almost done! I had a color matched to the wallpaper that was a paint and primer in one and painted all the trim, including the baseboard.
I really love this brush for trimwork!
This wall is full of character and I couldn’t be happier with how it transformed this room!
I already had most of the furnishings so I just brought everything back into the room and hung these new sconces right on the trim (Yes, this was planned!)
What do you think? Would you tackle a feature wall like this? Stay tuned for some finishing touches on the rest of her room!
Are you supposed to overlap wallpaper?
How to Double Cut Wallpaper It is often necessary to overlap two lengths of wallpaper to ensure the edges meet perfectly, and to accurately align the pattern. The technique known as a ‘Double Cut’, is commonly used when papering internal and external corners, as well as windows with a recess.
Does peel and stick wallpaper come off easily?
Ready to See My Wallpaper Come Down? – Curious to see how peel and stick wallpaper really comes down? I documented the removal of the nursery closet wallpaper so you can see it all in action! (Video not loading for you? You can watch it !) Soif there’s a chance removable wallpaper will damage my rental walls, why do I continue to use it? A few reasons actually:
- Compared to painting a room, peel and stick wallpaper is much quicker and a lot less messy. So even if damage does occur, it’s MUCH faster and easier to fix small spots than re-paint an entire wall or room.
- Compared to traditional wallpaper or strippable wallpaper, removing the peel and stick version is so much easier. It doesn’t require hot water, vinegar, chemicals, a spray bottle, or even soap and a damp sponge to deal with wallpaper glue. You literally just peel it off!
- In my experience, peeled paint happens so infrequently. So I’d hate to discount this great design product for something that may or may not actually happen.
- And finally, wallpaper provides so much “bang for its buck,” that I’m simply willing to assume the risk of damage. It’s no different than potentially spilling paint on carpet or hanging items with drywall anchors (that you will then have to patch).
All things considered, I still find peel and stick wallpaper a completely temporary, removable product that is ideal for renters or even homeowners who are craving a quick and affordable update in their home. Does peel and stick wallpaper damage walls? Yes, it might peel off the paint.
Is it OK to overlap peel and stick wallpaper?
Conclusion – In conclusion, the overlap is a small but important detail that should not be overlooked when installing any type of wallpaper or mural, including peel and stick wallpaper. By maintaining the overlap, you can ensure a seamless and professional-looking installation that will last for years.
Should you wallpaper every wall in a room?
Do All The Bedroom Walls Need To Have Wallpaper? – No, not all the bedroom walls need wallpaper. Wallpaper is commonly used in two ways: applied as a focal point on an accent wall or to all the walls. Some even apply wallpaper to the ceiling, often referred to as the fifth wall.
- Accent walls have been popular in bedrooms for the past few years.
- However, the size of the room plays a huge part in determining whether or not the wallpaper should be on all of the bedroom walls.
- Hanging wallpaper on all of your bedroom walls is pretty common if you have a small bedroom.
- This is because having an accent wall in a small bedroom can diminish the room’s size and make it feel significantly smaller.
Wallpaper is generally placed only on one wall in an oversized bedroom.
Does wallpaper stick to glass?
4. Can peel and stick wallpaper be applied to different surfaces? – Painted Walls: It can be applied to properly prepared painted walls, including those with a flat, satin, or semi-gloss finish. Ensure that the paint is fully cured before applying the wallpaper.
- Smooth Surfaces: Smooth surfaces like smooth drywall, plaster, or smooth wood paneling are ideal for peel and stick wallpaper.
- The smoother the surface, the better the wallpaper will adhere.
- Glass: Peel and stick wallpaper can be applied to glass surfaces, such as windows, glass doors, or glass cabinets.
Ensure the glass is clean and free of any residue before applying the wallpaper. Furniture: Transform the look of furniture pieces by applying peel and stick wallpaper to surfaces like tabletops, drawer fronts, or cabinet doors. Ensure that the surface is clean, smooth, and free of any debris or loose paint.
Doors: Give your doors a new look by applying peel and stick wallpaper. Whether it’s interior doors, closet doors, or even the front door, the wallpaper can adhere to various door surfaces. Tiles: Update the appearance of tiles in your kitchen or bathroom by applying peel and stick wallpaper directly over them.
Ensure the tiles are clean, dry, and free of any grease or grime.
Is it OK to wallpaper over wallpaper?
In most cases, non-coated paper can be wallpapered over. However, vinyl-coated paper unfortunately can’t. Vinyl is nonporous, so new wallpaper will not stick to it and adding a layer on top of it will only create mould, therefore you must remove vinyl wallpaper before putting new wallpaper up.
How long do you leave paste on wallpaper before hanging?
You will now need to let the paste soak into the wallpaper (the time required for this should be stated on the packaging of the paste – usually between 5 and 10 minutes ). Fold the pasted wallpaper strip in from the outside edges to the middle point that you marked earlier.
Do you wet wallpaper before pasting?
1. Choose a paste-the-wall option. – Wallpaper comes in two varieties – the type where you apply the wallpaper adhesive to the wall, and the type where you paste the paper. Paste-the-paper is actually a euphemism for “RUN FROM THIS OPTION LIKE THE DEVIL IS CHASING YOU WITH A FLAMING PITCHFORK STRAIGHT FROM THE FIRES OF HELL.” (They don’t tell you this because it’s no good for PR.
Also, “Paste the paper” is shorter and kind of snappier.) Here’s what it entails, not that you’ll need to know, unless you’re some kind of masochist. Depending on the manufacturer’s instructions, you will probably have to pre-soak the paper. This expands the fibres, so that when you apply the glue, it won’t expand unevenly from the moisture and therefore bubble and warp.
This is exactly as painful as it sounds. I mean, before you can even get started, you’ll need a large shallow container big enough to soak your wallpaper in. (Who has one of those just lying around in their kitchen? Maybe if you’re a giant. With a giant’s kitchen.
Do you wet wallpaper before hanging?
HANGING PREPASTED WALLPAPER – Roll your cut strip loosely with pattern side in, paste side out. Then submerge the rolled strip in warm water for 30 seconds to activate paste. You can also use a Wallpaper Hand Sprayer, to get the same effect and activate the paste by spraying a fine mist of water to the pasted surface.
- We recommend this method!) Spray in long strokes the length of the paper making sure to thoroughly wet the entire back of the strip, paying close attention to the edges.
- Fold each end of the moistened strip toward the middle, pasted sides together, aligning the edges carefully so they do not dry out.
Avoid creasing the paper. Roll the strip up as you would a loose newspaper, set aside for 3 minutes allowing the paste to activate and the paper relax.
How do you hang wallpaper around a window UK?
How to Wallpaper Around a Window: Where to Start – Once prepped, with your equipment ready, the starting point when learning how to wallpaper in a room with a window is establishing where you’ll hang your first drop. You should hang the first drop of wallpaper near the window, so you have a full roll to use as your reference point.
- Take your roll of wallpaper, hold horizontally and place the mid–point on the window edge and mark on the wall where the edge of the wallpaper will sit.
- Now take the roll, place it next to the point you just marked and work towards the corner marking where each roll will drop.
- If the corner drop is going to be really narrow i.e.
less than three inches (2.5cm), adjust so that you have a larger gap in the corner. But ensure you do not have too narrow a gap by the window; create a happy compromise. Once you have established where your first full roll is going to sit, get a long spirit level or a laser level, and mark with a pencil to get a level vertical line to work with.
How do you hang wallpaper around objects?
Be very careful when applying wallcoverings over, under or around electrical switches, sockets and similar items. We recommend turning off the supply at the electrical panel. – Remove screws and switch plate, smooth the wallcovering down very gently over the fitting. Take care when wallpapering around sockets. For circular objects, such as ceiling centers and light fittings, make a series of cuts producing a star shape. Press down around the outline, mark and trim in the same way. Some decorators prefer to slightly unscrew the fitting so that the wallcovering can be tucked just behind its edges.