DIY Wallpaper Hanging Tips

Choose Your Wallpaper Carefully
If you are new to wallpaper, you may want to choose a pattern with little or no matching to keep things easier. An intricate match often leads to more wasted paper (and thus more money spent).
Pattern repeat refers to the size of the pattern that has to be matched to each panel of paper and can affect how much wallpaper you need. The types of repeats are:
Straight Match: Every strip is the same at the ceiling line; the pattern matches straight horizontally.
Drop Match/ Half Drop Match: Every other strip is the same at the ceiling line. The pattern drops down on the paper every time it is repeated. A large pattern drop means more waste on each roll.
Random Match: The pattern matches no matter how the adjoining strips are positioned.
When choosing wallpaper, think about the room and what might come into contact with the wallpaper. For example, vinyl-coated wallpaper is suitable for a kitchen and bathroom because it has a higher tolerance for grease and moisture. On the other hand, a coated fabric covering makes more sense for living rooms and bedrooms because it is more breathable.
Measure the Room Carefully
Measure your room carefully so you order the right amount of wallpaper. You can consult with someone at your local home or decorating store.
Step 1: Determine the square footage of each wall to be covered by multiplying the ceiling height by the wall width.
Step 2: Add the square footage of all walls together to get the total square footage.
Step 3: Divide the total square footage by 25 to determine how many single rolls you need. The number 25 allows for a large repeat pattern to ensure you have plenty of wallpaper for your projects.
Step 4: All wallpaper is sold in double rolls. So after you get your number in step 3, divide it by two to figure how many double rolls you will need.

Make Sure You Have the Right Tools
Have a knife and scissors for trimming the paper and a measuring tape or a ruler. Sponges and a seam roller are important because they help you remove bubbles from the paper before it dries. A ladder, buckets, and seam sealer (or vinyl adhesive) are also useful to have on hand.

Properly Prepare the Surface
Before you hang the wallpaper, make sure that the surface is properly prepared. Start by removing outlet and light switch plates. Clean the surface to remove any grease or stains. Fill any holes and repair imperfections in the wall’s surface.

Choose a Starting Point
Pick a spot to begin hanging the wallpaper, taking into consideration the layout of the room and the pattern of the wallpaper. Usually a door or a window is a good place to start, especially a corner behind a door where any mismatch will be inconspicuous.
Once you’ve picked a place to start, draw a plumb line— a straight vertical line from ceiling to floor—with which to line up your first strip of wallpaper.

Hang the Paper
If you purchased pre-pasted paper, activate the paste by dunking it in water. You can get special wallpaper trays that help you with this process and prevent your paper from becoming creased.
If your paper is not pre-pasted, apply paste and book the strips (fold paste to paste without creasing the paper). It’s important that you not crease the paper because those creases can be seen after the paper is hung. If you do crease the paper, removing those creases is next to impossible.
Next, you hang your first strip. Use the plumb line to ensure that your paper is hanging straight. Use your sponge to remove any air bubbles and ensure that the paper is pressed firmly against the wall. Once the paper is up, trim the top and bottom of the paper using a razor knife.
Move on to hanging the next strip. With each piece, make sure that you slide it into place so there is no overlap or gap with the adjacent pieces. You also want to watch carefully for matching points.
When you have three strips up, you can run over all of the seams with a seam roller, but avoid pressing too hard, which causes excess glue to seep out, making the paper stick less well to the wall. Also have adhesive on hand to put on any spots that are not sticking.
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