Wallpapering is one of the trickier home improvement jobs, but with the right advice and tools anyone can do it. Let’s take a look at a few top wallpapering tips for beginners.
Plan Before you Hang
Before you start trying to hang your wallpaper it is important to plan ahead. Think about where you want your seams and think about how you are going to deal with walls and ceilings that aren’t quite straight. You should also determine the starting point for your first strip of wallpaper before you begin hanging.
Get a Quality Cut
If you need to cut your wallpaper to get a great fit firstly rough-cut it, and then trim the wallpaper in place. Place it pattern down and cut on your wallpapering table, leaving a couple of inches excess at the top and bottom. Good scissors are important items in your wallpapering tools.
Prepare your Paste
Once you have cut your paper it’s time to prepare your paste. It is important to know that some wallpaper is already coated with dry paste, which just has to be moistened to create the adhesive surface you need. Traditional wallpaper paste should be applied smoothly to the back of your wallpaper on your table. Do not overdo your pasting otherwise your paper could wrinkle if too damp.
Start Hanging
Hold your pasted paper by the top corner and with your other hand position it where you want it to hang. When you are happy about its position gently press it onto the wall. Stroke vertically to begin with and then horizontally to get a smooth finish on your wall. Move onto your next piece of wallpaper and repeat.
Trim Precisely
For a professional finish you need to precisely trim the edges of your wallpaper, removing any unrequired excess. Trim at the ceiling and baseboard using a breakaway razor knife and make sure you have a sharp blade so that you don’t tear your paper.
