How to Hang Wallpaper

Wallpaper hanging can be really messy so before you start move all the furniture out of the room and lay a Seriously Good Cotton Rich Dust Sheet down. We recommend you tape the dust sheet in place using some Essentials Masking Tape. Remember if you are using a ladder to follow the manufacturers guidelines, this might mean you need to move the dust sheet slightly when hanging.

To make sure the walls are ready to receive new wallpaper check out our guides for removing old wallpaper, fixing a hole and fixing a crack. When the walls are smooth and free from any debris or damage move onto the next step.

This is a small step but a crucial detail. Look at your roll of wallpaper and find the batch numbers. Before you buy the paper check the batch numbers match. Different batch numbers can have very slightly different pigments which will instantly ruin the pattern when 2 batches sit on the wall next to each other with a different shade of mauve. Learn from our painful experiences and check the batch numbers in store.

Start in the centre of the wall, make a small pencil mark at the top. Then hold the Seriously Good Plumb Bob up against the mark and make a second mark where the plumb bob settles at the bottom. This will give you a straight line to hang against. Even better if you have a length of timber cut to size you can draw a pencil line between the 2 marks for more accurate hanging.

Measure the height of the wall then roll out a length of wallpaper on the Seriously Good Paper Hanging Table, measure the wall height against the paper, plus 100mm each end and cut with the Seriously Good Paper Hanging Scissors. Now mix some paste in an Essentials 2 Litre Paint Kettle and use the Seriously Good Paste Brush to paste the back of the wallpaper. Present the paper to the wall and line up with the pencil line.

Well done you have your first piece of wallpaper up. Now we repeat the process of measuring a length with 100mm additional top and bottom, paste and present to the wall. Move the second piece up and down until the pattern matches the first piece. Lightly press onto the wall and smooth down with the paper hanging brush. And that’s it, just repeat this process.

When hanging wallpaper around a door frame, start by hanging the piece as normal. Cut a diagonal line in the wallpaper following the corner of the door frame using the paper hanging scissors. Next, smooth the wallpaper into the edges of the door and trim with the trimming knife. This should give a near perfect finish.

Start by hanging the wallpaper as normal, over the light switch. Then cut a small hole using the snap knife or scissors. Open the hole further by cutting an X connecting the edges of the light switch or plug socket fixture. Trim the triangular pieces away leaving a hole with the light switch underneath. Now unscrew the switch cover slightly and use the wallpaper smoother to push the paper under the switch for a perfect finish. Just clean the switch off afterwards with a Seriously Good Microfibre Cloth.