Hey Andrew,
My partner would like to use wallpaper in the front hall. What do you think? Is wallpaper in style? Most important, if we go ahead, can you give us any tips on how to put it up without a relationship breakup? Thanks!
Wallpaper is very much alive. However, putting it up can still be a challenge. Here are a few tips to help make the wallpaper and your relationship stick:
The first thing you need to know is that there are two types of wallpaper: pre-pasted and paste. Pre-pasted paper requires you to soak the paper in water before applying to the walls. Most hardware stores sell a wallpaper tray with a long skinny bar that holds the paper in the water as you pull it through. I like to use a one-litre spray-pump bottle filled with warm water to soak my paper.
If your wallpaper requires you to apply paste, purchase a heavy-duty wallpaper paste and pour it into a paint tray. Using a paint roller, dip and roll out the paste on the back of the paper as if you are painting it. Take a paint brush and apply extra paste around the seams so that there is no lifting after the paper dries. Have a spray bottle ready to dampen your walls before you hang the paper. This allows you to move the paper around and it keeps the paste moist.
Whichever method you choose, make sure you fold the ends into the centre or ‘book the ends’ (paste side of the paper). This allows the paste to be activated and it gives you time to apply the paper before it dries. To help simplify the process, here are the steps to follow when hanging wallpaper:
1. Sand your walls first to ensure they’re smooth before hanging the paper. Even the slightest bump will cause problems.
2. Measure the width of the paper. From the first corner, measure the width of the paper and subtract by half an inch. Drop a plumb line from that point and snap your straight line. Apply your paper to the plumb line and work it toward the corner using a plastic wallpaper spreader. The overlap at the corner is now ready to cut off.
3. Using a large trowel, push it into the corner, with a clean sharp box-cutter knife, cut along the edge. This will give you a clean cut and the paper will not pull.
4. Using the putty knife, cut along the ceiling and baseboard.
5. With your first piece of straight paper in place, you can now line up your pattern, cut your next piece and apply it using the method described above.
6. Take your time and be patient. Clean up any excess glue from the top of your paper as you go.
Remember, a good job requires preparation and patience. Work with a partner for best results, but please go easy on each other.
Good luck!
IMAGE COURTESY OF GRAHAM & BROWN
