How to hang wallpaper
Our made-to-measure wallpaper is easy to hang, even on your own. Follow these steps calmly: care in preparing the wall and aligning the first strip makes all the difference to the final result.
What you'll need
Check the material as soon as it arrives: it must be undamaged and complete. Let the rolls acclimatise in the room for a few hours, check the quantities against your order confirmation and make sure every strip belongs to the same print batch.
Stop after the first three strips and check them for colour consistency and surface texture. If something looks wrong, do not carry on: claims cannot be accepted once more than three strips have been hung.
The steps
Prepare the wall
The surface must be smooth, sound, dry and free of mould or algae. Strip off any old wallpaper, paint or limewash and remove every trace of ink or crayon, which can bleed through the print. Fill holes and sand down imperfections.
- Absorbent surfaces such as plaster and skim coats must be primed. Let the primer dry fully, following its manufacturer's instructions.
- Painted walls should be washed with water and an environmentally friendly degreaser, then sanded lightly to key the surface and give the paste something to grip.
- Remove switch and socket plates (with the power switched off).
- With the level, draw a vertical reference line positioned so that the first strip turns 2 cm around the corner: everything that follows is aligned to it.
Check and lay out the drops
The drops arrive already cut and numbered in hanging order: there is nothing for you to cut to size. Lay them out on the floor in that order and check how the pattern matches from one drop to the next.
The only spare material is the safety margin per side included when you measured: you trim that against the ceiling, the skirting and the corners once the wall is finished.
Apply the paste
Use a PVA dispersion adhesive for wallcoverings and stir it thoroughly before use. With a lambswool roller or a block brush, spread it evenly on the wall, covering an area slightly wider than the strip. Work the paste properly into corners and edges too, without excess that could drip.
Always check the data sheet of your chosen medium: some finishes have specific hanging instructions.
Apply the first strip
This is the most important step: the alignment of every other strip depends on the first. Position the strip from the top, matching it to the vertical line you drew and leaving the trim margin above it. Then, with the smoother, work from the centre towards the edges and vertically, from top to bottom, to push out air and bubbles.
Apply the following strips
Bring each new strip against the previous one edge to edge (butt join), without overlapping, matching the pattern. We print every drop to your exact measurements precisely so it can be hung butt to butt: there is no overlap allowance to trim.
Smooth every strip with the tool, keep checking the vertical alignment and wipe excess paste off the joins straight away with clean water and a damp sponge.
Tip: on dark designs, paint a band of dark colour on the wall along the joint. If the edges do not meet perfectly, no white background will show through.
Trim and leave to dry
At the top and bottom, use the smoother as a guide and trim the safety margin with a fresh utility-knife blade: move the smoother and keep the blade still in the cut, never the other way round, or the line will wander. Finish precisely around sockets, windows and skirting boards. Finally leave to dry at room temperature, without forced draughts or direct heat sources.
Surfaces vary enormously, so it is always worth hanging one strip as a test before committing to the whole wall. Adhesion is compromised by:
- dusty, damp, dirty, oxidised or heavily textured surfaces;
- release agents left on plastic or concrete;
- existing paint that is not properly bonded to the substrate;
- working below the minimum temperature or outside the recommended range;
- chemical spills or vapours in the room;
- paints containing dirt-repellent additives such as silicones.
- Work at a mild room temperature with the window closed while hanging.
- Keep your hands and the smoother clean at all times so you don't mark the print.
- Take your time on corners, sockets and switches: they're the trickiest spots.