Wallpaper Hanging Guide

Designer wallpaper can completely transform the look and feel of a room, but hanging it properly is essential to ensure a neat, professional finish. In this helpful wallpaper guide, we'll take you through the entire process step-by-step with helpful tips for a perfect outcome. Whether you're using traditional wallpaper or modern non-woven wallpaper, these tips will make the job much easier!

Finding the perfect wallpaper is important

Wallpaper is a popular way to add style and personality to your home. But with so many different patterns, colours, and textures to choose from, wallpaper can also be a bit overwhelming. When selecting wallpaper for your home, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, think about the overall style of your space. Are you going for a more traditional look, or something more modern?

Secondly, consider the colour scheme of your room. What colours do you want to accentuate? And finally, take into account the amount of light that enters the space. A room with lots of natural light can handle bolder colours and patterns, while a dimmer room may require something lighter to brighten it up. With these factors in mind, you’re sure to find the perfect wallpaper for your space.

To make your decision easier, we offer wallpaper samples for every single wallpaper we sell online at Naken.co.uk.

Consider the following if you are buying wallpaper with a repeat

If you've chosen a wallpaper with a pattern, you'll need to take the repeat into account when cutting and hanging it. The repeat is the distance between where one identical part of the pattern starts again. To avoid waste, it's important to measure your wall space accurately and then cut the wallpaper accordingly. When cutting, leave about an extra inch on each side for trimming later.

To work out how much wallpaper you need, first measure the width and height of the wall. Then multiply the width by the height to get the total area of Wallpaper needed in square metres (m²). For example, if your wall is 12m wide and 0.85m high:

12 (width) x 0.85 (height) = 12.60m²

Now you need to calculate the repeat. To do this, measure the width of one complete design on the wallpaper roll (including any blank space). This is usually given in centimetres (cm), so divide it by 100 to convert it into metres (m).

For example, if the design repeats every 64cm:

64 ÷ 100 = 0.64m

Now that you know the total area of Wallpaper needed and the repeat, you can calculate how many strips you'll need using this formula:

Number of strips = Total area of Wallpaper ÷ (Wallpaper width + Repeat)

For our example wall, we'll need 14 strips of Wallpaper:

12.60m² ÷ (0.52m + 0.64m) = 14 strips

Also, our handy Wallpaper Calculator can help with the calculations so you don't have to!

Now you're ready to start hanging your wallpaper!

A step-by-step guide to hanging wallpaper

Once you've found the perfect wallpaper, it's time to get started on hanging it! Wallpapering is a bit of a process, but we'll walk you through each step so that you can approach it with confidence.

Before you start, gather your supplies. You will need:

• Wallpaper
• Wallpaper paste
• A bucket for mixing the paste (if you are using paste granules that need mixing) we always think and recommend that using ready mixed wallpaper paste is best.
• A brush or roller for applying the paste
• A sharp knife for trimming the wallpaper
• A tape measure
• A level
• A plastic ruler or a flat ridged plastic wallpaper guide tool.

Now let's get started!

Step one: Prep your walls. The wallpaper will not stick to dirty or uneven walls, so it's important to prep them before you start. First, give them a good cleaning with soap and water (or a sugar soap solution). Then, fill in any holes or cracks with multi-purpose filler. Once the walls are dry, sand them lightly so that they are smooth.

Step two: Mark your wall. It is best to hang wallpaper from left to right across the wall so we need to mark a vertical plumb line to ensure we hang the wallpaper level, take a pencil and a tape measure and from the starting point of your wall to the width of your wallpaper less 2cm then make a mark at the top of your wall, using your level mark a level line down your wall using your mark as the starting point for your level.

Step three: Measure and cut your wallpaper. To avoid waste, it's important to measure your wall space accurately and then cut the wallpaper accordingly. When cutting, leave about an extra 2cm on each drop for trimming later.

Step four: Apply the paste. Wallpaper paste is applied directly to the wall using a brush or roller. Be sure to apply an even layer so that the wallpaper will adhere properly.

Step five: Hang the wallpaper. Starting at the top left-hand corner of the wall place the top right-hand edge of your wallpaper to the level line you marked earlier and slowly lower the wallpaper into place using your level line as a guide to making sure your first drop of wallpaper is applied level. then use a soft cloth to smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles. Repeat this process until the entire wall is covered.

Step Six: Trim the edges. Once the wallpaper is in place, trim off any excess around the edges with a sharp knife using a flat ridged wallpaper guide tool of plastic like a ruler as a guide by pushing the ruler into the corner and cutting along the back edge to give you a nice straight cut.

Wallpaper can be tricky, but following these steps will help you achieve a professional-looking finish! Thanks for reading! We hope this guide was helpful.
 

Disclaimer: For the best results, we would always recommend using a professional decorator to install your wallpaper. However, we understand there are some DIY enthusiasts that like to give things a go themselves, so we hope this guide helps. We do not in any way take responsibility for any misrepresentations of the above as everyone's skillsets are different.