Wallpapering
takes some skill and lots of patience. If the room is a "simple"
one-few windows and doors, no alcoves, sloped ceilings, and so on-papering
it will be almost as easy as painting it. Also, simple non-repeating
wallpaper patterns are easier than the repeating ones that require
extra careful planning about where the papering project should start
and end within the room.
WALLPAPER
SELECTION:
The selection of wall coverings is very wide, ranging from the traditional
paper with standard prints to durable and washable cloth backed
or vinyl backed vinyls. Also available are hand scrolled prints,
solid vinyls, blown or extended vinyls, natural fabrics, foils,
mylars, and flocked paper.
You
need to go over the choices with your retailer to suit your needs
and to match your skills.
PLAN
THE PROJECT:
Wallpaper is sold in various widths with each roll having a certain
number of square feet. American rolls come up to 36" in width, averaging
30" in most stores. Euro-rolls are by far the most readily available
wallpaper, ranging 20" to 27" but measured in metric sizes. Square
footages will vary from paper to paper and pattern to pattern, so
always check with your retailer.
Because
patterned wallpapers must be matched side-to-side along the edge
of the strips, there is a fair amount of waste in trimming to keep
the pattern repeating properly. For example, "repeat" will be marked
on the paper. The pattern, also an example, repeats every 20". The
wall you are papering is 100" from the ceiling to the floor. Divide
20" into 100". You get 5 repeats per strip.
To
determine your overall requirements, measure the height of each
wall and determine the square footage (Height x Width = Square Footage).
Subtract major obstacles like doors or large windows, ignore small
windows (smaller than 3' square).
Divide
the square footage needed by the square footage in a roll of your
choice of paper to determine your total rolls needed. A rule of
thumb is to use 28 square feet for American rolls and 21 square
feet for Euro-rolls.
It
is better to overestimate than underestimate your needs, because
matching hues and colors, even if you have the roll and lot number,
may be difficult. Many retailers will credit you for unused rolls
that you return.
WALL
PREPARATION:
The first step in wall preparation is to remove all cover plates,
wall hangings, fixtures, and mountings. Repair all cracks, holes,
and nicks. You can paper over old wallpaper, provided it still adheres
tightly. If it is loose in spots, remove the loose parts and sand
torn edges. If a large area is loose or there are more than two
layers, it should all be removed. Don't hang a vinyl wall covering
over old paper; it will pull the paper off when it dries.
Old
wallpaper can most easily be removed with steaming equipment, which
you can usually rent locally. Soaking with a sponged-on solution
of paper remover such as TSP and water also works, but it takes
much longer. Once the wallpaper has soaked long enough to soften
and shred, scrape it off with a putty knife. Take care not to gouge
the wall with the knife.
New
walls should be primed or painted to the background color of the
wallpaper. Old painted walls may be suitable for papering if they
are well bonded and withstand cleaning and deglossing. Sizing, a
wallpapering undercoat, may be required with certain types of papers.
Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for specific details.
