So you want to install traditional wallpaper huh... It's not as hard or intimidating as you might think! When I found THIS WALLPAPER from Home Depot I fell in LOVE! (And if you're following along with me and the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE on INSTAGRAM you know how many wallpapers I looked at. hahaha!) But I was so intimidated that it wasn't peel and stick that I scoured the internet looking for something similar or that I liked better... Long story short, I kept coming back to the Home Depot one and so I showed Court, who also really liked it, and it was decided. I was going to install non peel-and-stick wallpaper.
I called the most experienced, expert wallpaperer (Hi Mom!) I know and made sure she could come help me install. Because, INTIMIDATION. She told me all the things that I was going to need and I complied it all here for you along with step-by-steps to help you with a great installation! Ready? Here we gooooooo!!!
Your supply list....
120 or less grit sand paper
Wall Size
brush
roller
tape measurer
scissors
bath tub
towels
towels
square
plastic scraper
razor blade
Washcloth
bucket of mildly soapy water
Wallpaper
opt. corner razor- but this makes any corners soooo much easier.
Prep. First things first, you will need to do a little prep... if you have a textured wall, grab your sandpaper and sand the whole wall you're going to wallpaper. Just enough to knock off any sharp points and peaks. Next, and maybe the most important step.... roll THIS WALL SIZE onto your wall as it if were paint. And get in the sides and corners with a paint brush. It won't take you very long and will save you a TON of time and heart ache when you are applying your wallpaper. wall size is important because it will make it so your paper is easy to move around once it's on your wall. Without it your paper will stick to the wall too easily and it will be a nightmare for you to install so don't skip this step!
Measure. Next measure top to bottom of where you will be wallpapering. You're going to want to measure several places around the room to make sure you are going to cut the paper long enough in all the places.
Cut. If you are papering around an entire room, start in the most inconspicuous or easiest end of the room and go from there. You're going to want to start on one end of the room and wrap continually around the room. If you are just doing one wall, start on the corner farthest away from the entrance to the room. This is so the seems will be least visible as you walk into the room. Take your paper and measure it an inch or two longer than the length you will need and make your first cut! Next, line up the next length of wallpaper on the correct side of the paper. Meaning, when that first paper is up, you want to line up the paper on the side that will come next on your wall. Cut any extreme excess off the top, leaving about an inch or two up top and also an inch or two on the bottom. You basically want to leave a little extra on each end just in case any measurements were off. Then, make that cut. Using a pencil, mark a "T" on the back of the top end of your wallpaper.
Book. Fill up your bathtub, or another long basin, with about 4-5 inchces of water. (If you have kids, make sure you clean out the toys from the night before and rinse out your tub so you don't have any soap residue in the water.) Lay out a few towels on the floor. (I laid them in my bathroom so water wouldn't be dripping through my house.)Take one length of wallpaper at a time and roll it up. Submerge it in the water, and then pull it out from one end ensuring that the entire length gets wet. Take the paper and fold both ends to center (hamburger style), careful not to make any creases in the paper! and then fold the new ends together again. (see photos) Let it sit for a couple minutes (This activates the paste!) and then it's time to get it on the wall!
Application. This is where you will want to keep your level, razor blade, wash cloth, bucket of soapy water (use a mild dish soap), and plastic scraper available. Unfold your first length of wallpaper, find the "T" and then line the top of the paper up to the top of where you are wallpapering. Use your level to make sure your paper is level and use your washcloth to lightly smooth your paper to the wall. Check with the level often to make sure your paper stays level.
Next, use the plastic scraper to smooth out any air bubbles. Do this by angling the scraper on a diagonal and move towards the sides/top/bottom. This will also move the excess glue to the edges of your paper. Take your washcloth and wipe the excess paste away. Make sure you occasionally rinse out your washcloth so that you aren't just wiping paste everywhere. Using your razor blade and slice away the excess paper from the bottom of the first length of wallpaper. And from the top and bottom of each additional paper. You can use a straight edge to help guide the razor along. We started using a metal square to guide the razor, but switched to use the scraper and it worked just as well. Note: make sure you use a new blade. Cutting will be soooo much easier.
Corners. Corners can be tricky. Unless your corner is perfectly square... You will need to measure from the side of your last wallpaper strip to the corner, in a few places. And then measure into the center of the wallpaper from the side that matches up to the side on the wall a little bit bigger than your biggest wall length. For example. If the biggest measurement from the side of the wallpaper to the corner is 9 1/2" then measure on your wallpaper 9 5/8". Then cut that wallpaper to that size so it will fit that space on your wall. The reason you want to cut that wallpaper is to adjust to any imperfections there may be in your wall and corner. Apply it like everything else. Then take the other part of the sheet you cut and make sure that it is level as you apply. If you have to adjust to imperfections in the wall, then it's ok to over lap your wallpaper a little bit. Just make sure it's lined up before you overlap. If you have a corner razor, then you can get your paper on the wall without cutting first and then use the corner razor to cut right in that corner. Then finish and overlap if necessary to keep the paper level.
Repeat as necessary until you are done!
NOTE: if you have doors and windows that you have to cut around, then just measure, cut, and apply like normal, but cut the large excess that would be in front of the door/window off once its on the wall so that it's easier to get everything nice and tight. Cut any corners on an diagonal to get it around those corners nice and tight. (See Photo)
And there you have it! Follow these steps and your wallpaper install will be soooo much easier and look so good! I can't wait to see you projects!! Make sure you tag me on INSTAGRAM so I can see and share!
And don't forget to check out the other designers doing the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE!! I love seeing all the progress!!
Happy wallpapering! xoxo, Sharee
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