Hanging wallpaper

Wallpaper is back in full force! More and more people are turning to this type of wall covering to decorate their interior and add an original touch to a particular room, such as the living room. The wallpaper found on the market these days is of unlimited texture and colour and can enhance the appeal of any room in the house. Wallpaper also lasts much longer than paint, an undeniable advantage for those people who dread using a paintbrush!
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Before starting
Pre-pasted or unpasted wallpaper
Determine the number of rolls required
1. Prepare the surface
2. Hang the wallpaper
3. Prepare the first drop
4. Measure the reference points
5. Hang the first drop
6. Trim the wallpaper
7. Finish the seams
8. Hang wallpaper on the ceiling
9. Hang wallpaper behind a radiator
10. Hang wallpaper around an electrical outlet or a light switch
11. Hang wallpaper in a corner
12. Hang wallpaper as a border
13. Trim around the windows
14. Reseal a seam
15. Eliminate the blisters

Before starting

Before starting, it is important to carefully choose your wallpaper. It must suit the room which you are papering as well as the state of the walls on which you will be hanging the paper. For example, a vinyl wallpaper is well suited to the bathroom, whereas an embossed paper may be used on irregular walls. Furthermore, to avoid unpleasant surprises, when you are purchasing your paper ensure that each roll indicates the same number. For the purposes of our project, we are assuming that the room to be papered contains mouldings, in consideration that this situation may apply to your project.

Pre-pasted or unpasted wallpaper

There are two main types of wallpaper : pre-pasted wallpaper (on which has been applied a layer of adhesive) and unpasted wallpaper (which requires the application of an adhesive). Our article treats only the hanging of pre-pasted wallpaper as this is type which is the easiest to install. Unpasted wallpaper requires its own specific technique, necessitating the use of an adhesive, and is much more difficult to work with.

Determine the number of rolls required

Wallpaper is usually sold in rolls which are 10 m long x 0.53 m wide. Our internet site contains a wallpaper calculator which can help you to determine the exact number of rolls which you will need to complete your project. Simply enter the measurements of the room into the calculator, and it will automatically tell you the quantity needed.

note : When you buy your wallpaper, take careful note of the lot number in case you decide to install more, as the colour may vary from one lot to another.

1. Prepare the surface

Adequately prepare the surfaces which you wish to paper. Thoroughly wash and rinse the walls before hanging the paper. Use a degreasing cleanser ("TSP" type) on painted walls.

Where there has previously been wallpaper, use a steam stripper or wallpaper remover and a scraper.
  • Cover woodwork, trim and floors, and remove peeling or strippable wallpaper.
  • Apply a thick coat of stripper on the surface with a roller or wallpaper brush. You can use 3MTM gel stripper. Allow to penetrate for 20 to 30 minutes. If stripper dries out, apply another coat.
  • Use a putty knife to remove softened wallpaper. If any glue remains on the wall, moisten the surface again with stripper to dissolve it.
  • Clean the wall with a pad or wallpaper sponge. Rinse wall with a sponge and clean water. Let dry completely.
  • For hard-to-reach places, small surfaces and borders, you can use 3MTM spray stripper.

Fill in the cracks and the holes left by nails or screws with a specialised product.

2. Hang the wallpaper

Important : Start hanging the wallpaper at a window, to the right or the left of it (follow the numbering as illustrated). It may also be advantageous to paint the ceiling before hanging the new wallpaper.

3. Prepare the first drop

Measure the height of the wall (excluding the bottom and top mouldings). Trace this height on the roll and add between 5 and 10 cm for trimming the ends. Using scissors, cut the first drop.

Tip : For wallpaper without pattern repeats, cut the other drops in advance, measuring their length against the first drop. For wallpaper with pattern repeats, cut the drops as you advance. This way, you will avoid errors (add the height of the repeat to each drop and indicate the direction).

4. Measure the reference points

Using a plumb line, trace a vertical line 50 cm from the window (this corresponds to the width of a drop less 3 cm).

5. Hang the first drop

Place the drop, folded accordion style in the rectangular water tray. Do not let it soak too long!

5.1 

Grab the upper part of the drop and bring it to the top of the wall allowing a 3 to 5 cm section to overlap (leave the other half of the drop folded). Carefully line up the drop with the line traced with the plumb line.

5.2 

Press the paper against the wall with your hands and eliminate the air bubbles with a smoothing brush or a cloth. Unfold the other half of the drop, holding the upper half so that it does not slide. Smooth out the lower half. You may now proceed with the other drops.

6. Trim the wallpaper

Trim the paper before the adhesive dries, this will allow you to obtain a clean line along the mouldings, the windows, the ceiling, etc.
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