first-time paperer. Any tips?

ScottishDanny

Hi,
I'm going to be wallpapering a room. The walls are not in great shape so after getting the holes and cracks filled in I'm going to cross-line with lining paper before covering in wallpaper. I've never done papering before so any tips are appreciated.

what should I do at corners, stop or continue the sheet around?

Can I use ordinary wallpaper paste to size the wall before applying the LP?
Thanks

SD

mags16

I bought the Readers Digest DIY book when I bought my house and it gave great instructions for papering. Especially where to start and going around corners. It says to start at the wall adjoining the window and work away from the light. If the paper is 21" wide, make the plum line 19" from the corner so that 2" turns onto the window wall.

When you are approaching an internal corner, measure the distance between the last length you have hung and the corner at different points down the wall. Take the biggest distance and add 1/2 ". This is the width of the paper that you need to cut. The extra 1/2 " will turn the corner. When this length is hung, measure the width of the off cut. Make a plum line this distance from the corner. Hang the length with the cut side into the corner which will overlap the last length. You are left with a nice straight plum line.


You can use ordinary paste to size the wall. Just follow the instructions on the packet. it needs to be more dilute.

Get the book, it gives great advice. I papered my whole house with lining paper (my walls are terrible). It looks great.

mags16

Also, there will be lots of bubbles. no matter how hard you try to smooth them out. Lots of them will disappear as the paste dries but if there is a massive one, get a sharp pin and pierce the bubble. Smooth the paper to squeeze out the air until wet paste oozes out. It's quite pleasurable - I don't know why!

ScottishDanny

Thanks Mags