How to Hang Wallpaper, Like a Pro!

February 21, 2023

Beginners Guide to Hanging Wallpaper

As wallpaper becomes more and more popular, many people are considering updating the look of their homes. Oftentimes the first question becomes: can I do it myself or do I need to hire a professional? While we always hire professionals for our client projects, we know many of you are capable of making this a weekend project. Here are the top tips when it comes to a “do it yourself” wallpapering project.

Olive green tone mudroom with drop zone, hand washing station and decorative peg hooks.

Necessary Tools Needed for Hanging Wallpaper

1. Wallpaper

2. Wallpaper adhesive

3. Bucket and water/soap

4. Spackle

5. Drop cloth or Large sheet

6. Paste brush

7. New razor blade

8. Putty knife

9. Sandpaper

10. Level

11. Tape Measure

12. Sharp scissors

Wallpaper seam repair (optional)

Wallpaper primer (optional)

Historic kitchen renovation, light blue cabinets, wall paper with open shelving.

Prep Work For Your Walls

Start with clean walls (water and regular soap work). Fill nail holes with spackle and lightly sand until smooth.

You need a flat surface to lay the wallpaper down for cutting each panel. Lay down a drop cloth or an old sheet to protect your floors in case some of the adhesives fall.

Some people like to prime the wall first because it helps the wallpaper stick and helps with removal later on. This is optional.

Getting Started With Your Install

Find the center of your wall. Use a level and draw a straight plumb line (plumb means straight!) down the center of the wall. This is where your first roll will go – along the line! The walls aren’t straight, so don’t use a corner to butt your first piece against. It’s likely crooked.

Cut Your Unpasted Wallpaper

Measure the height of the wall first and then add four inches past where the panel of paper would end for a little excess. Next, make a straight cut using sharp scissors. Always measure twice and cut once.

The Paste, What You Need to Know

Lay the wallpaper print side down on your table/cloth. Start with your brush dipped in the wallpaper adhesive and brush from the center of the back of your wallpaper out. Try not to get glue on the table; this will get messy quickly. Cover the entire paper with adhesive.

You can also put the glue directly onto the wall instead of the paper. (You CANNOT do this if your paper requires booking. If it requires bookings, you will put the adhesive onto the back of the paper and let it sit for a few minutes. This allows the paper to expand.)

Line your wallpaper up against the straight line you drew on the wall, leaving about 2 inches of paper past the ceiling. Using the putty knife, press gently to crease it into the seam where your wall and ceiling join. Move down the wall, pressing the paper into the wall with the putty knife, making sure your wallpaper stays along with the level along the line as you go. It helps to put the putty knife in the center and smooth the edges to release any wrinkles. If you get a wrinkle, you can gently lift up the wallpaper as far as you need to go and then slowly put it back down, smoothing again from the center outward.

Wipe up any excess paste with a clean, dry rag.

Cutting Around the Ceiling and Edges

After a panel is up on the wall, hold the putty knife against the ceiling/edge/baseboard and run your new razor blade along the edge to cut off the excess wallpaper.

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Match up the patterns. Hold the wallpaper roll up to the first strip on the wall to find the match and cut it again with four inches of excess paper.

Pro Tip: After hanging up a few rolls evaluate how you’ve done. If you see sections of the paper that have been pulled off the wall it is likely due to a lack of paste. If this occurs, gently use the seam repair glue and move the tip of this inside the paper to apply a tiny bit of paste. Use sparingly.

Good luck. This project will be worth the effort. It is always easier if you can do this with someone else. Additional hands will always come in handy.