How To Put Up Wallpaper

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How To Put Up Wallpaper

Wallpapering can transform a room; whether you’re revamping a single feature wall or taking on all the sides of a bedroom or lounge. But hanging paper can be tricky. Before you start, check out the top tips from the ToolStore UK team.

Which tools are you going to need?

Most wallpapering projects will involve the following:

Scraper
Sponge
Wallpaper stripper
Filler
Bin bags
Wallpaper paste
Paste brush
Pasting table
Dust sheets
Ladder

To help you get started, ToolStore UK carries a range of items from Harris, the UK’s favourite decorating brand, including paintbrushes, paste brushes, abrasives and much more. Harris is just one of the brands available within the decorating products section of our website, including Everbuild, Gorilla and Ox Tools.

READ MORE: How To Put Up A Curtain Rail

Preparing To Put Up Wallpaper

Successful projects start with good planning. Ask yourself a few questions before you begin the work and you’ll save time, effort and potentially money too. Here are a few points to consider:

How much paper do you need?

It is always a good idea to make sure you have enough wallpaper. Using a tape measure, measure the total perimeter of your room (or the area you want to wallpaper) in metres, including any doors and windows. Divide this measurement by the width of the wallpaper you’re buying, e.g. if the area you want to cover is 10m wide and the wallpaper is 0.53m wide, divide 10 by 0.53.

Then, take the height measurement of the room/area in metres and multiply it by the number of widths needed. Divide that number by the length of the wallpaper roll – usually 10m – and you’ll have the number of rolls needed.

For example:

2.4m (height of room) x 19.2 (room width ÷ by wallpaper roll width) = 46.08

46.08 ÷ 10m (length of the wallpaper roll) = 4.6

So, in this example, you'd need at least five rolls; you might want to pick up an extra one or two to make sure any patterns, etc are correctly aligned.

Are the walls in good condition underneath the existing wallpaper?

Be prepared to fill cracks and repair and damaged plaster. You can find sealants, adhesives and fillers here at ToolStore UK to help you start off on the right foot.

How smooth is the wall finish?

Even once any cracks or damage have been made good, there may still be bumps and marks which will show through the paper. Make sure these have been filled and sanded before hanging new paper and you’ll be one step closer to the perfect finish.

Is the new wallpaper ‘paste the paper’ or ‘paste the wall’?

Not all wallpapers are the same and neither are all pastes. Most traditional wallpapers expand when wet, which means they must be left to soak before hanging. Paste the wall products have a specially developed backing which does not expand, allowing it to be hung dry, straight from the roll. Check which kind of paper you have and match the paste to it. If you’re using ‘paste to wall’ paper, you will only need to paste the individual section of wall you’re working on and there’s no need for a pasting table, unless you’re using it for measuring and cutting your lengths of paper.

Will you be working at height?

If you are hanging paper from ceiling to floor, make sure you have the right ladder for the job. At ToolStore UK, we have a comprehensive range of ladders and platforms so, no matter how high your ceilings are, we’ll have the tool to suit.

Common Wallpapering Mistakes

Going too far with the scraper

Push too hard when using a wallpaper scraper and you may find yourself removing the plaster as well, adding more work and expense to the project.

Not preparing the surfaces before hanging new paper

If you have a wall pockmarked with dips, bumps and scraper mishaps and you just paper straight on to it, you’ll probably end up with a wall that looks terrible. Plus, if you don’t make sure the surface is free of dirt, mould and mildew before hanging your new wallpaper, you’ll ruin the paper before the job is finished. Fill and sand any damage as discussed above, then wash the wall down with sugar soap before you get your paper and paste out. Sugar soap won’t leave behind residues that will affect the adhesive(s) but if you have any issues with mould or mildew, it is a good idea to size the walls as well. Sizing involves covering the walls with a thin layer of diluted wallpaper paste (approximately 50% water to 50% paste) and allowing it to dry.

Our team’s top tip: Measure twice, cut once

The mantra of anyone taking on a DIY project, this old saying is especially true when hanging paper on a wall. Get your measurements wrong when cutting lengths of wallpaper and you can end up with mismatched patterns, as well as potentially running out of paper before the job is finished.

READ NEXT: How To Mount A TV To The Wall

Talk to ToolStore UK, whatever the project

The ToolStore UK prides itself on helping our customers get the #JobDone. If you need advice before making a purchase, send us a message via the contact form, or give us a call on 03330 043777. As an independent, family-run firm, we offer a personal touch that many online retailers lack, whilst making sure we offer you the best prices possible, checked every day against our leading competitors.