Directions

Are your walls (click on one):
Previously Wallpapered,
Previously Painted
Glossy Painted
New and Unpainted

PREVIOUSLY WALLPAPERED WALLS
Old wallpaper should be removed unless in excellent condition. Wallpaper designated as strippable is easily removed by lifting a corner and pulling. Unstrippable wallpaper should be sanded, saturated with water with sponge or sprayer, then scraped off with putty knife. Walls should be washed and rinsed of the old paste. Lastly, apply sizing.

PREVIOUSLY PAINTED WALLS
After washing, scrape or sand off any rough spots. Fill cracks and holes with lightweight spackling compound, let dry and sand until smooth. Prime all spackled areas before applying sizing.

GLOSSY PAINTED WALLS
After washing, glossy surfaces should be thoroughly sanded, then sized.

NEW AND UNPAINTED WALLS
Do not apply wallpaper over new drywall or plaster without first applying a primer or sealer. Then size. Applying sizing improves adhesion and provides a smooth surface for easier positioning and hangability. Badly cracked plaster walls, concrete block and paneled walls should be covered with wallpaper liner before sizing to create an even surface.

Tip: If you are considering painting (ceiling, molding, doors, etc.) plan to do it before you start to hang your wallpaper.

Measure the distance from baseboard to ceiling line in several different spots around the room. You'll probably discover that the wall is higher in some spots than others - make a note of the maximum height. Add 4 inches to the maximum wall height. This extra 4 inches will give you at least 2 inches extra at both ceiling line and baseboard to work with (for trimming or uneven walls). Use this measurement to cut the first strip of wallpaper and to cut each subsequent matching strip.

Before cutting the first strip, check the position of the pattern at ceiling line. Hold wallpaper against the wall until you find the best point for a pattern break. Mark wallpaper where strip ends at ceiling line and at baseboard. Remove to pasting table or clean, flat area for cutting. Remember to add 2 inches to both top and bottom of strip before cutting.

Cut the second strip after matching the pattern to the first strip. Mark the top of your strips "T" on the back and number them. After cutting the first two strips, cut and paste just one strip at a time.

Tip: Fill cracks and holes with lightweight spackling compound. Let dry and sand until smooth.

A plumb line allows you to ensure that the first strip of wallpaper (and the strips that follow it) is hung perfectly straight.

Begin wallpapering in a fairly inconspicuous corner of the room. Beside a door near a corner is a good place to start (mismatches will be less noticeable). Measure from this corner to a point approximately one-half inch narrower than the width of the wallpaper, and mark with a pencil. Using your level, make a plumb line on the wall where the first two panels will meet. The first strip will be hung along the plumb line. It is your starting point.

For accuracy, you may choose to mark a plumb line on each wall.

Tip: If you don't have a level to draw the plumb line simply tie a weight to a piece of string and cover the string with colored chalk dust.

FOR PREPASTED WALLPAPER - Fill the water tray with lukewarm water. Roll the strip, pattern side out, and immerse in water tray for the recommended time in instructions found in each roll (normally 30 seconds to 1 minute). Next, take top end of strip and pull strip out of water, allowing wallpaper to unroll out of water tray. Fold strip, paste edges toward the middle, leaving a larger fold on bottom section and a smaller fold on the top. Make sure no creasing occurs. Let the strip "book" (absorb water, relax and become pliable) for the recommended amount of time. Change water in tray every 6-8 strips.

FOR UNPASTED WALLPAPER - Lay strip on pasting area, face down. Dip pasting brush or roller in adhesive, saturate evenly. Start at center of strip and work toward edges. Apply a thin, even coat of wallpaper adhesive and cover all edges carefully. After applying paste, book-fold, bringing pasted sides together at center of strip.

Tip: Do not use newspapers to cover pasting table. Newspaper ink might soil the new wallpaper.

Unfold top section of strip and place it on wall, lining up edge with plumb line and overlapping 2 inches at ceiling line. Holding upper section of strip to wall, gently smooth with brush. Stroke downward with smoothing brush, working from center out toward edges. Move any air pockets toward edges and out. If wrinkles occur, pull material away from all and rehang. (Wallpaper paste dries slowly, so you'll have plenty of time to realign it properly without damage.)

Next, open folded bottom section and hang it in the same manner as top section. Slide bottom section into position with palms of hands and check alignment with plumb line. For unpasted wallpaper, immediately sponge off any extra paste with clean water and dry with soft cloth. Using your broad putty knife as a guide, take single edge razor knife and trim excess that overlaps ceiling line and baseboard. Change blades frequently (e.g. every couple of strips) to assure a clean, even cut. Rinse baseboards, ceiling molding wand wallpaper with clean water and sponge.

Tip: Use toothpicks to mark nail and screw holds that you will be searching for after the job is completed. Simply remove toothpick when covering over it, push back through when strip has been put up.

After cutting the next strip, hang it in the same manner as the first. Use edge of first strip as your vertical guide. The two strips should be butted at edges, without overlapping. Do not push or pull seams into place. Instead, move the whole strip by sliding it over, using palms of hands in center, rather than at edges. Work as tightly a seam as possible to insure a smooth seam-free look.

After 10-15 minutes, firmly press all seams and edges against the wall using the seam roller. If any paste is squeezed from seam, remove with sponge and clean water. Be sure to wash seams after rolling.

Continue hanging strips until you reach the last strip. The last strip will overlap the first. Using a razor and straight edge, cut a seam in the overlapping portion (through both the first and last strips) at an inconspicuous point in the pattern. Remove excess wallpaper - both overlapping and underlying strips. Smooth into place. Double cutting provides a neatly fitted edge.

Tip: If you are installing flocked or raised patterns, do not use seam roller. Just firmly press seams and edges with damp cloth or sponge.

Resist the temptation to wrap the entire strip around the corner. To do an inside corner, measure distance from edge of the last hung strip to corner at three points: ceiling, middle and baseboard. Using the widest measurement you've just made, add 1/2". Cut this width from the next strip of wallpaper and hang. Measure width of remaining piece of wallpaper. Use this width to measure on corner's adjacent wall and draw a plumb line. Hang strip along line, slightly overlapping the two trimmed edges in corner. Minor mismatches will be hidden by natural shadow. Continue hanging down adjacent wall.

Unlike inside corners, outside corners can be wrapped with a full strip. As you smooth strip around corner, make two small slits in the excess material, one at ceiling line and one at baseboards, so strip can be pulled snuggly against wall.

Tip: Buy an extra roll of wallpaper to keep in case an area is ever damaged.

Don't plan to skip windows and doors and then backtrack - instead, work straight around room. Hang wallpaper over door or window. Carefully measure and cut out excess material with scissors, leaving about 2" of overlap all around. Make a diagonal snip at corners, fitting and pressing material into place. Use a putty knife as a guide and trim excess with a razor knife.

To wrap recessed window casing, hang wallpaper over opening. Run razor along top and bottom outside edges of casing. Wrap material into vertical side of casing. Find matching scraps to cover top and bottom edges. Repeat for opposite side.

Remove switchplates before hanging wallpaper. Hang wallpaper over switch and outlet openings. Then cut an area slightly larger than the opening, but smaller than plate covers and remove. Trim away excess along each edge. NOTE: For safety, turn off power to electrical outlets.

Tip: Unwanted bubbles are easily removed by cutting an "X" in the bubble and carefully lifting the edge. Apply paste and then press back against surface using seam roller. Remove excess paste with sponge.

BORDERS - To add decorative borders, simply measure, cut and apply...that's all there is to it! Start by measuring wall width, corner to corner. Cut border sections according to entire width of wall,adding an extra 3-4" to wrap into corners. Measure width of border paper, pencil width on the wall. Apply primer/sealer to wall surface in the penciled area. Let dry. (When installing border over existing wallpaper apply vinyl-to-vinyl adhesive to border.)

Wet border in water tray. Fold and book according to manufacturer's instructions. Hang border, wrapping corners about 1/4" and smoothing as you go. Wipe with damp sponge to remove excess paste. Dry with clean rag. Continue in the same manner for remaining border lengths, matching and overlapping slightly at corners.

COVERED SWITCH PLATES - Be sure pattern matches the surrounding area. Cut piece slightly larger than the cover plate. Paste cover and wallpaper. Apply. Snip excess wallpaper around plate so you can wrap edges tightly. When piece is dry, use sharp razor blade to cut out openings.

Tip: Always make a note of the dye lot number, pattern number and collection name of your wallpaper.

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