Wallpapering a room transforms its character in a way that paint often cannot, adding texture, color, and personality to your walls. Whether you are looking to create a bold feature wall or refresh an entire space, understanding the fundamentals of how do you wallpaper is the first step toward a professional finish. This guide walks you through the entire process, from choosing the right materials to the final touches that ensure your walls look flawless for years.
Choosing the Right Wallpaper for Your Space
The market offers a vast array of wallpaper types, and selecting the correct one is crucial for both aesthetics and durability. You will encounter options ranging from traditional paper and vinyl to more modern textures and grasscloth, each with specific properties that affect application and longevity. Before you even consider how do you wallpaper, you must decide which material suits the room’s function and environment.
For high-moisture areas like bathrooms or kitchens, a vinyl or coated paper is essential as it resists steam and splashes. In living rooms or bedrooms, you might opt for a non-woven wallpaper, which offers easy installation and removal, or a grasscloth that provides an organic, tactile feel. Understanding the weight, thickness, and pattern repeat of the roll will dictate how well the final result aligns with your vision.
Preparing the Walls for Installation
Skipping wall preparation is the most common reason for wallpaper failure, leading to bubbles, peeling, or misaligned patterns. The surface must be clean, dry, flat, and porous to ensure the adhesive bonds correctly. If you are wondering how do you wallpaper over existing surfaces, you need to assess the current condition meticulously.
Remove old wallpaper or paint using a steamer or chemical remover, ensuring no residue remains.
Fill any holes or cracks with a suitable filler and sand the surface smooth to a uniform level.
Clean the walls with a damp cloth to eliminate dust and grease, allowing them to dry completely before proceeding.
Measuring and Cutting the Paper
Precise measurement is the foundation of a tidy installation. Before you mix your paste or unfold a single strip, you must calculate the exact dimensions required for your walls. This stage is where the question of how do you wallpaper begins to turn from theory into practice.
Start by measuring the height and width of your walls, noting that you will likely need to trim the paper at the top and bottom. Always add an extra 10 to 15 centimeters to the height to allow for trimming against the ceiling and skirting board. When cutting vertical strips, remember to account for the pattern repeat; a bold design may require more excess material to match the motifs seamlessly.
The Adhesive Application Process
Once the paper is measured, the next critical phase involves applying the adhesive to the back of the material. The method you use depends on the type of wallpaper you have chosen, as some require paste on the wall while others need paste on the paper. Mastering this step is central to understanding how do you wallpaper without encountering issues.
For traditional pasted wallpaper, you will roll the adhesive onto the wall using a short-nap roller, working in small sections to prevent the paste from drying out. For pre-pasted varieties, you submerge the strip in water and let it activate before hanging. The goal is to achieve full coverage without creating pools of excess paste that could seep through the design.
Hanging the Paper and Matching Patterns
Hanging the wallpaper is the step that requires a steady hand and attention to detail. You position the strip onto the wall, aligning the top edge precisely with your marked level line. However, the true test of skill emerges when you attempt to match the pattern and smooth out the air bubbles.
