Hanging Wallpaper: It's Easier Than You Might Think

For 20 years, we lived in a house that had been constructed in 1905. Tall ceilings, large rooms, and hardwood floors were some of the features that caught our attention when we bought the place. One thing that was apparent, however, the original owners must have been very fond of wallpaper, because, with the exception of the front room, most every room had wallpaper hanging on at least one wall. What did this mean for us? Well, if we were going to survive in the house, we were going to have to learn to hang wallpaper.

As it turns out, hanging wallpaper is not as difficult as it used to be. Nowadays, with pre-pasted paper and tougher fabrics (like vinyl-type paper), the job is much easier for the amateur, and can allow the do-it-yourselfer to end up with a room that looks professionally done. It does take a little practice, and you may have to scrap a few sheets here or there in order to be totally satisfied with your finished product, but even the novice can quickly pick up on methods that work, and should not be afraid to try his/her hand at changing the looks of a room in the house.

Here are a few ideas for the amateur wallpaper hanger to keep in mind:

a) Select a workable pattern. If you are fairly new at hanging wallpaper, it might be wise to select a paper pattern that is rather small, easily matched, or repeats itself within a few inches throughout the length. This way, if you have to scrap a piece of paper that has been cut wrong, or mishandled, you don't waste so much paper. Also, be wary of striped patterns in some cases. Plaster-and-lathe type walls that are in some older homes may not be truly flat, and it will be like trying to hang straight stripes on a basketball...you'll end up having to overlap areas that should be hung parallel. Newer homes, where sheetrock walls have been hung probably won't present this kind of problem for striped patterns.