Hanging Patterned wallpaper

[stevenrafferty]

I'm looking for tips on hanging patterned wallpaper?

Quite handy at hanging lining paper but never attempted patterned paper?

The pattern is quite large but does repeat obviously.

Cheers

 

[HandyJon]

Allow for more wastage then with unpatterned paper. Especially true for large patterns and if you're unlucky you'll have 90% of the pattern wasted on each drop. Worst case you'll only get 2 drops out of a roll!

 

[confidentincompetent]

Remember most papers need to soak approx 5min (check label) before hanging.
Check ceiling/ coving is level, if not, try get a plain part of pattern to show along ceiling joint or you'll get bits of pattern starting to creep in as you hang each length.
Main thing obviously is to get first length up level and not under stress. i.e dont lean too hard on brush this will stretch paper and squeese paste out leaving dry areas. Just gently brush over the paper remember that paste will pull in the paper when it gets absorbed into wall so dont be tempted to smooth out paper too much. Dont play with joints too much if you think theres a problem do three lenghts first and see how they go, you might be suprised to find they dissapear prefectly.
Good luck.

 

[Zampa]

As above and.....

Check all the batch numbers before you start

Measure up and make sure youl have enough paper......DONT open the rolls until your confedent that you have enough......it may be the last of a batch or end of line.

Set the wall out first.....dont start in a place that will leave you putting a half inch strip in at the end of a wall

Always keep the labels..even if the batches are the same...shading problems cans till occur......if you throw the labels youl have no comeback

Check to see what the pattern type is...ie a drop or offset match..or a straight match

Try to restrict the wastage in corners...allow the bare minimum...3mm...if you cut too much off you will lose the pattern.

If its a drop match then you can measure the first length, put it on the paste table and cut it, then match the second length to it and cut that, take the second lenth away for a while and cut 4/5 pieces the same as the first length.......then bring the second length bcak and cut 4/5 pieces the same as that......then take one length from the first pile and put it on the table...then one from the second.....repeat this until you have ten 8/10 pieces on the table

pieces 1,3,5,7,9 should all be the same and pieces 2,4,6,8,10 should all be the same.

If its a straight match then all pieces will be the same.

--> l
l <-- drop match

-->l<-- straight match

You said the paper has a big pattern....so my guess is that its a drop pattern

You can try using paper from a couple of rools....they say that helps reduce wastage....personally I dont think it makes any difference

As CC said...make sure you dont end up with half a flower running through the ceiling line.....try to find a section of the paper without a pattern..if your ceiling line is uneven this will help hide it.

The same goes if you have a dado rail.....dont chop half a pattern off......find a blankish area of the paper....if possible.

If you have a chimney breat cut a few strips of paper and tape them together...then jiggle them around to ensure the pattern is equally spaced on both external corners of the breast wall.

Dont rely on starting in the centre....this doesnt always work.

Above all....read the instructions.......thats what they are there for

Not being funny, but there are sooooooooo many aspects to papering its difficult to cover them all on here.....and rqually difficult to express it (especially when you have just had a couple of stella's)

If you hit on a specific problem....write in again

 

[stevenrafferty]

Thanks for the very useful tips

In terms of trying to keep a blank area at the top of the wall (which makes complete sense) how would this work with the second strip? ie if I keep the pattern away from the top of the wall for the first strip, the second strip would have the pattern at the top?

 

[Zampa]

hat means you almost certainly have a drop pattern...in this case the problem may unfortunatly be unavoidable...try and experiment while the paper is on the table.