Are you nervous about tackling a wallpaper project? I'm sharing my best tips for hanging pre-pasted wallpaper for newbies!
Newbie here! From one beginner to another, I'm going to share how I hung pre-pasted wallpaper for the very first time. I was so nervous to start. I'd been wanting to wallpaper a room for a couple of years but was too scared to begin. So if you're nervous, I get it.
I would have loved to start my wallpapering journey with a peel-and-stick style, but I fell in love with real, pre-pasted wallpaper, so I jumped in with both feet. Honestly, I kind of enjoyed the process. It wasn't nearly as challenging as I expected (although I cursed a few tight corners), and I'll definitely be hanging wallpaper in more rooms in my home!
The end result was totally worth any cursing at the corner door frames.
This is one step in the girls' bedroom/bathroom makeover I'm working on. Below is a reminder of where we started…
Wallpaper Installation Tips for Beginners
Things I wish I'd known before I started.
Pick an Inconspicuous Room: I started my first project in the girls' bathroom. It's an en suite bathroom upstairs, so nobody really sees it except my little family of four. (It's a bit sad because the pattern is so cute, but it's also fine because it was my first job.) So maybe start in a secondary bathroom or bedroom, not in, let's say… the living room.
Choose a Small Space. Maybe an accent wall or a small room. I picked a small room, which was good, but it was also a challenge because of all the doorways and corners I had to plan around.
Check for Level Frequently. I missed this step, and my wallpaper got a little out of level at one point. I was able to shave a little off the edge and fix it, but this would have bothered me more in the kitchen or a room that gets seen more often. (I didn't even think about using a chalk line or plumb line, but those might have been handy. I just used my level to check.)
Be OK with imperfections. I'm not saying you won't nail your wallpapering skills right out of the gate, but you might have to accept a few small imperfections here and there. Ha!
Change your cutting blade frequently. You'll never regret having a sharp blade!
Overestimate your paper needs. Measure the square footage of the space and then plan for double. Just make sure you can return any unused rolls.
Supplies You Will Need for Hanging Wallpaper:
- Wallpaper – I chose this adorable Watercolor Flora Wallpaper. It's pricey, but worth it!
- Tape Measure
- Pencil
- Seam Roller
- Straight Edge Ruler
- Level or Plumb Line
- Smoothing Tool – this thing was my BFF for this project. Do not skip this one!
- Wallpaper Sprayer – I used this small plastic sprayer, but I also saw this wallpaper sprayer tool.
- Sponge
- Razor Trim Knife with extra blades
- Drop Cloth
- Step Stool or Ladder
Step-By-Step Instructions for How to Install Wallpaper
Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the wallpaper you bought, but I hope that walking you through the steps I took will help you feel more comfortable hanging your own paper.
1. Prep the Walls
Make sure any holes are filled with spackling and sanded smooth. I've heard something about wallpaper primer, but I didn't look into it any further, so you might want to.
I also knew I'd be swapping out the ginormous circus light fixture above the mirror for a much less offensive bathroom light.
So I did that before I got to that wall, and I had to paint over the old wallpaper we discovered under the old light fixture. Do any of that stuff first!
2. Measure the Length of the First Wall
Tip: When choosing where to start your paper, pick a spot that isn't noticeable or is behind a piece of furniture. I started somewhere that wouldn't be looked at all the time, above the closet door. I also figured out a starting point that let me use the most whole pieces across the full wall. I hope that helps!
3. Cut Wallpaper to the Length of the Wall
Cut each piece a couple of inches longer than the wall on both ends, then trim off the excess after you've stuck it to the wall.
Check each piece for level before you hang the next strip, just so you stay aware of any drift.
4. Lay the wallpaper down, pasted side up, and mist it with water.
Put down a drop cloth or something under the wallpaper to protect your floors from the overspray.
I used this basic pump sprayer, which worked perfectly! Follow your wallpaper instructions, but I sprayed my paper from long end to long end, making sure I got the edges and corners.
5. Immediately fold each long end in to meet the middle, then roll it up like a newspaper. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
Make sure not to crease the paper during this step!
This is called "booking" wallpaper. It helps the paper expand and relax before you hang it, keeps the seams from separating and makes it easier to maneuver.
I was most worried about this step, because once you mist the water on, you're on a clock to get the paper up and in place. But it worked out fine! Don't be nervous.
This helpful guide from Magnolia really helped me picture this step before I did it the first time.
6. Unfold the top part of the paper and apply it to the wall
Match up the pattern at the edge of the paper, if it's a repeating pattern.
7. Use a smoothing tool to smooth any air bubbles out of the paper
Smooth from the center out to the edges and from top to bottom. This was the most satisfying step for me, and I could NOT have lived without my smoothing tool. Do NOT try this project without one.
8. Cut off the excess paper with a straight edge ruler and razor trim knife
Don't forget to change the blade often for a clean cut! The corners were a doozy for me, but fresh blades helped tremendously. This was definitely the most challenging step for me, since I had so many cuts to make.
9. Run a damp sponge over the paper and the seams. Use a seam roller to get the seams nice and sealed together.
Make sure everything is stuck down! Some pieces were tricky, and I had to spend a LOT of time making sure the top was in place before I could get to the bottom. The adhesive dried quite a bit before I got to it, so the damp sponge really helped with those pieces.
That's it! Just repeat all the steps until your room is done.
I LOVED watching the girls' lime green bathroom transform into this beautiful jewel box between their water closet, clothes closet and bedroom.
It's the cutest view from any spot in their bedroom, and it goes perfectly with the Pink Ground paint color in their room. I still want to change the green paint in their water closet, but I haven't decided on a color yet. Honestly, the green doesn't look so terrible anymore, but the room needs fresh paint, so I'll do something in there.
Isn't it just the cutest pattern ever?
And that aged brass vanity light is the perfect addition to the room! I would have ideally hung it higher above the mirror, but I didn't want to take the time to change the light box on the wall. It's fine!
Find more of my plans for the girls' bedroom makeover here! Here's where we stand:
- Paint the bedroom walls Pink Ground by Farrow and Ball – I got a sample of Pink Ground from Anthropologie and had it color matched at Lowe's.
- Add an accent wall with wallpaper or stencil – still deciding, but I'll definitely be using the wallpaper in the adjoining bathroom. DONE!!
- Buy loft bed with full size bed below. (I've had my eye on this full loft bed over full bed for years!)
- Buy new bedding from Beddy's! I swore I'd never get a loft bed or bunk beds without also getting Beddy's bedding. We already have them and we're in love! It's so easy for the girls to zip it up, and there are no more wadded-up sheets at the ends of their beds! (Use code TURQUOISE to get 15% off your order!)
- Either buy new or get an old dresser and paint it white. I'm still waiting for the dresser I want to go on sale.
- Reuse old decor for the walls. I'm using as much decor from their old bedrooms and bathroom as possible!
- Hem the curtains.
- Change out their ceiling fan for one without exposed blades. We had to put the loft bed close to the ceiling fan, and we can't turn it on anymore, so I needed to find something that works with the loft bed in place.
