Tips and Advice for DIY Wallpapering

Wallpapering the correct way for DIY enthusiasts

Wallpapering for many people seems like an easy task. However, to do an excellent job of it, there are some important factors to consider. Selecting the right paper and the right amount of it, must first be tackled. Any DIY enthusiast should take the cost of wallpapering into account rather than the quantity of paper rolls. Some shops will accept the return of the unused rolls so consider this beforehand. Other than budget, it is very important to choose the right colour, texture and design in order to suit the rooms you are planning to decorate. The last thing you want is to select wallpaper that spoils the look of the room. Below is a detailed guide to help anyone who wishes to wallpaper their rooms.

Paper types

It is useful to know that not all wallpapers are appropriate for the interior of your rooms. You should bear in mind the following tips before deciding which wallpaper is suitable for you.

If the surface of the wall is uneven, first and foremost, some lining paper should be hung for ease of wallpapering. Wallpapering the bathroom or kitchen wall, one must bear in mind that there is bound to be some moisture in these rooms, which would ruin your efforts. Thankfully, there are vinyl papers available that must be used due to high condensation possibilities. The advantage of using vinyl is that by using a damp cloth, the PVC paper can easily be wiped clean.

Colour, texture and designs

Normally people tend to use brighter colours for the kitchen area as this is the room you spend most of your time. For reception rooms, warmer colour like magnolia should be used so not to overshadow the furnishings. Dining room and lounge must be as light and airy as possible. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the room, the brighter the wallpaper should be to give it a more spacious feeling.

Textured wallpaper can be expensive, so choose carefully. Their purpose is to hide any undesirable marks on the wall. The most favoured ones these days are tinted or plain that can be painted on.

Designed papers must suit the flooring or carpet colour. As these colours are dominant, it is important to match the tone to the pattern.

You should by now have a clearer idea of the right wallpaper. There are many different types of wallpaper and each serves a different purpose; therefore, the room must compliment this otherwise your efforts could be wasted. The next step is the other materials that you will need.

Wallpaper Pastes

You can either buy ready mixed pastes or mix the powder with water yourself. Depending on the texture of the wall, you may either need heavy-duty or fungicidal paste. Thick papers need heavy-duty pastes, whereas a fungicidal just as its name suggests, prevents mould forming behind the wallpaper, so most DIY shops do recommend this sort of paste.

Don't forget to use a suitable brush unless your paper is hand printed or pasted. A pair of sharp, large scissors is also required to cut the paper. For pasting the paper, you need a firm, flat surface. The cheapest option will be your kitchen worktop to lay the paper on. Prior to wallpapering, there should be minimal furniture in the room for safety reasons. Plastic sheets should be used to cover the flooring to avoid spillages of pastes and other materials.

Preparing the wall surface

Preparation is vital if you want to achieve the ultimate finish. The perfect wallpaper on a dirty, oily and dusty wall will only be in a sorry state. If the surface is newly plastered, no wallpapering should be done for at least 6 months until it is dried. The last thing you want is the damp bubbles seeping through the wall! After the wall is completely dry, sand it down and any holes should be filled in to give the perfect smooth finish.

Always refrain from wallpapering over the old wall covering as so many times they will peel off afterwards. The only exception to this is if the wallpaper is made of vinyl in which case, a simple surface peeling will be sufficient. Use a blade knife to strip the old wallpaper and begin from the bottom work your way to the top. Be careful not to damage the plaster this way. The wall must then be washed and allowed to completely dry prior to pasting.

Many walls have old wallpaper on them, which need to be removed upon hanging new wallpaper. With your knife, pull the paper down NOT away from the wall to avoid tearing. The old wallpaper will quickly come off using little force. However if this doesn't happen, then you will have to resort to dry stripping or a steam process. An electrical steamer will easily steam the old paste behind the old wallpaper and allows it to be stripped off. This can be bought or hired from DIY shops. However, remember to always work from top to bottom, not the other way round.

If your budget does allow for a steam stripper then this method is a lot simpler. This is advisable for heavier papers, particularly if there is a large quantity of paper that you are stripping. To remove the painted walls, scrape and sand any residual paint. By mixing sugar and soap, a better result can be achieved instead of soap on its own.

If the wallpaper is still too stubborn to remove, use a conventional scraper. Although this method is time consuming, it will at least produce a neater outcome.

On the pasting service, place half the paper and apply the paste, brushing out towards middle direction. Lay the paper on the surface so that it overlaps in order to avoid spilling paste on the worktop. Then fold the paper on the paste and carry to the wall.

If you followed the above directions carefully, you should be now prepared to hang the paper. Now here is the exciting part!

Hanging and trimming the paper

Now you are ready to start with the first piece of paper. A step ladder will be necessary as hanging of the wallpaper will be from top to bottom. The paper must be aligned vertically to the wall and the top part should be unfolded. Use a leveller if aligning is not easy. Smoothing can be done using a moist sponge.

If any misalignment has occurred, you must start again.

Repeat this with the lower part of the paper. Each strip of paper should be hung just like its previous one. If patterned paper is used, you must ensure that each pattern section is matched up with the next strip. Any air bubbles should be removed by smoothing the paper with a seam roller.

To trim, any surplus papers at the top and bottom must be cut using the blade knife. The knife should be pulled carefully and firmly along the straight edge, where the wall joins the ceiling. Sharp trimming knives are more likely to tear the paper; hence some people actually prefer using the back of the scissors to cut alongside the paper. Although By changing the blade often, the cutting process will be a lot simpler for you.

"Thanks for sharing these valuable tips with all of us.For commercial use, wallpaper can contribute in a big way to a customized, finished look. I've used wallpaper on numerous office projects in bathrooms, hallways, waiting rooms, and lounge areas. It adds a layer of visual interest and keeps things from being too bland. Interior Ideas"

Interior Ideas