How hard is it to hang wallpaper?

[Coventina]

Anybody here done it before?

As I posted in an earlier thread, Mr. C. and I bought a fixer-upper.
It's been my dream since early adulthood to have William Morris wallpaper, so I fully intend to realize that dream with this house.

So, before I buy hideously expensive wallpaper, does anyone have words of wisdom for me?

[NYC]

1. Practice in a closet with cheap wallpaper.

I have a neighbor who hung his wallpaper alone. He said it isn't that hard, but I have a feeling it is.

[yellowdogintexas]

2. it can be very difficult, or very easy, depending on the

paper.

It can also be hysterically funny with the right person to help you.

Bathrooms are the hardest due to all the weird shapes and corners.

Large rooms w/lots of wall are easier.

you might want to do up a voidable divorce settlment just in case you are not speaking after you do it LOL

With really expensive paper, I probably would contract it out.

But often there are folks out there who are really good at it, from their own home improvement stuff who will assist for not a whole lot of $$

have fun andpost pictures

Oh yeah, lock the cats in the garage

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

5. Never hang wallpaper...

with someone you aren't prepared to murder at three o'clock in the morning.

[Spinzonner]

3. Depends on

the type of material, matching of patterns required, aspects of the room including height and any corners, doors, windows to work around (if any).

I suggest getting one of the self-help books that cover it and study it for a bit. Considering what you're likely to spend on the paper and equipment and the frustration and waste of doing it wrong or the hard way, it's a good investment.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. I've done it

the difficulty really depends on three factors: the height of the wall (obviously, taller involves longer strips of paper, which usually takes two people to handle), the trueness of the wall (since this is a fixer-upper, I'd check first to see how level the walls really are), and the pattern of wallpaper you decide upon. Take it from someone who has helped do wallpapering since she was 6-select a wallpaper with "no match", meaning you don't have to match up a pattern. If you've never papered before, or if you have out of true walls, matching a pattern can be maddening, because you have to make sure it matches all the way down the length of the wallpaper. Matching also means you waste a certain amount of paper because you usually have to cut off a certain amount so that you can match the pattern.

Make sure you have properly prepped the walls as well. I've had the 'fun' of watching newly placed wallpaper peel right off walls that had not been prepped. Make sure there isn't anything slick on the walls. Used to be, back in the 60s, we'd sometimes have to put sizing on the walls, but I don't know if that was for prep or not. Check with your wallpaper store for advice.

Make sure you have the proper tools. A measuring device is essential; we used a yardstick because it was also a straight edge for your cutting line. Make sure you get a tool that looks like a squeegie-you go over the paper with it after it is hung to make sure to get all the air bubbles out and to make sure it is sticking to the wall. After you've done that, go back and make sure your seams all butt and that any pattern you have still matches.

I'd suggest that you start by papering a small room with a wallpaper with no match. That way, you'll have gotten the hang of doing it, and decide if you want to do any more.

One more word of advice: NEVER wallpaper a ceiling. Been there, done that, and it is a mess and a literal pain in the neck.

[Wilber_Stool]

6. It's easy if you follow the directions

Use the best paper you can afford.
Start in a corner and get the first piece "STRAIGHT"
Get a knife with snap off tips and never make more than six cuts with the same tip. Don't try to save money here. Blades are cheep.
Empty the room. You'll need a lot of room to work.
I'll probably think of more later.

[madrchsod]

7. go to a local

paint and wallpaper business and ask them about-how to apply- how to measure,which is very important because of the cost and you`ll need all the paper from the same die lot-prepare the surface-what kind of paste to use-you`ll need proper tools. you`ll need another person preferably someone who that you can yell at,believe me it happens.....my wife sold wallpaper and paint for 5 years..good luck!