Where You’re Going Wrong When Hanging Your Wallpaper
Wallpaper has always been an extremely popular choice to quickly add vibrancy and interest to your home’s interior. Unlike painted surfaces it’s easy and not so time consuming to experiment with intricate patterns and detailing on the wall; it can be changed when desired and offers a masterful cover up for any marks, cracks or inconsistencies that you’d prefer not to be on show. However, not everyone is so masterful at hanging it up. Wallpaper is notoriously fiddly and difficult to get perfectly smooth and consistent. Getting it absolutely right does require skill and definitely patience, so it may be best to have a professional do this for you. Here are some of the biggest ways people go wrong when hanging their wallpaper and how to fix any of these issues should they occur:
Not measuring correctly
Guesstimating how much wallpaper you need for your space won’t cut it — it’s vitally important that you carefully and thoroughly measure the dimensions of the walls you’ll be papering. It’s always better to order more wallpaper than needed, in case you make any mistakes, there are variations in the dye or any part of it rips. You should also save any larger cut-offs for repairs later down the line.
Not being properly prepared
You’ll need to use the correct tools for the work at hand, as this will ensure an efficient as well as a smooth application. Additionally, it’s essential to ensure that the room is ventilated and walls have been properly prepared, that they’re even, dry and suitable for papering before you begin. If you haven’t got the necessary tools, a professional wallpaper hanger may save you money and can provide a high quality finish in a reasonable time.
Rushing the job
The wallpaper paste needs to be applied evenly to prevent air bubbles and strips should be pasted one at a time. Rushing this will only lead to you being unsatisfied with the results, so take the time and care to read the wallpaper’s instructions and ensure that you have properly cut the strips, and matched any patterns — getting the right pattern match will depend on whether you have a straight match or a drop match wallpaper.
Not paying attention to the edges
It’s never a good idea to start hanging your wallpaper at a focal point on the wall, as you may be left with an end point that doesn’t quite match up to the first piece and it could be more noticeable. Depending on the wallpaper you’re hanging you may not be able to overlap the edges as this could lead to it peeling away. The wallpaper needs to be smoothed out from the centre outwards, covering any switch and socket openings before being cut away neatly. And if it hasn’t been applied straight, it will need to be carefully stripped off the wall and re-hung.
At Marshels we have an experienced, skilled team that can carry out your wallpaper hanging and home decoration to a high quality standard. If you’re looking use wallpaper to create a feature wall, or you’d like to redecorate your walls with a new look, we have knowledge of all types of wallpapers and can give you a consistent, professional finish whatever the size and area. If you’d like to speak with us about wallpapering your home, or for a free no-obligation quotation, you can call us on 01252 377714, or use our online contact form.