Name: Jane Smith

Whether you' ve hung wall covering before or not, here are some great tips to keep in mind:

* Should you find it necessary, don' t be afraid to use a practice strip. This will ensure that your final project will turn out satisfactory.
* Beginners will often choose a kitchen or bathroom as their first wallpapering project because they seem to be smaller rooms. However, they should keep in mind that because there are so many partial walls and obstacles in these rooms, they are actually more difficult than a simple small bedroom. Note that bathrooms have moisture, so choosing the right type of paper is important to prevent mold and algae growth.
* Carefully follow manufacturer' s instructions on soaking the wallpaper since some types of paper require up to 30 seconds of soaking, much longer than the average 10 seconds required for most other types of paper.
* On pre-pasted wall coverings, you may test the paste to determine how long to soak them in water. Do this by putting two drops of iodine on different dry spots. If it turns brown, it indicates a starch-based paste requiring 15 to 30 seconds to soak. If it turns purple, the paste is cellulose based and only needs to be soaked for 1 to 15 seconds.
* If you plan to miter the corners of a border, order one extra roll to cover cutting and waste. Mitering requires finding the repeated pattern in the wallpaper border and positioning it so that a mitered cut leaves a closely matched design. Use this technique for bordering windows, going around cabinets and tile or for vaulted ceilings.
* If you are working with a large patterned paper, it' s best to start at the ceiling with an entire design element versus cutting through the middle of a bouquet, for instance. If you can start with a little plain background at the ceiling, it will help to mask any unevenness where the ceiling and wall meet. If there is a coordinating border going over the top, make sure the bouquet or major element starts just below the edge of the border.
* Always use a level on every wall to maintain a true vertical line, even if walls or wallpaper appear to the naked eye.
* Always cut inside corners, and then overlap the next sheet by butting it in the corner. Third, always wrap outside corners, also overlapping the next sheet to the corner.
* It' s best and most efficient to work with a partner. Partners are especially useful for tall walls or larger rooms. Usually one person activates and books the strips while another does the hanging. Establish a rhythm and you won' t get in each other' s way.
* Keep wallpaper hanging books or guides in your tool kit for reference.

Subscribe to this conversation Reply Anonymously