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The Practical Website Of Painting And Wallpapering
Hanging Wallpaper
Prepare the surface and follow these simple steps to success
There is nothing very difficult about hanging wallpaper providing you follow the five steps a professional takes. These are:
PREPARE THE SURFACE
Wallpaper should be applied to a smooth, clean surface to assure proper adhesion and insure that wall irregularities won't show through the surface. Generally, cracks and holes should be filled, and rough spots and small bumps should be sanded. For a complete dis cussion of how to repair surface irregularities, see the chapter on."How to Prepare and Paint Rooms."
If there is wallpaper now on the wall and it is loose in spots or shows other signs of damage which could affect the new material, it should be removed from the wall. The best way is with a wallpaper steamer, which can be rented from a paint and wallpaper dealer. This is an electrically operated machine that ejects a spray of steam that will penetrate the pores of the wallpaper and loosen paste holding it. If you cannot take advantage of a wallpaper steamer, soak the old wallpaper with hot water, and keep applying hot water until the paper loosens.
If old wallpaper is firm and tight, there is no reason why you shouldn't hang new paper right on top. If you are hanging wallpaper on top of a painted wall, and the paint which was used is oil-base, wash the wall with trisodium phosphate to dull the gloss. Gloss will prevent maximum adhesion of the paper to the wall. Be sure to rinse the wall with clean water after the trisodium phosphate bath.
Allow the wall to dry and brush on a liberal coating of wall size. This material, which is granulated glue, serves two purposes: it fills small depressions left in the wall and prevents the wallpaper's edges from coming loose and curling; and it facilities removal of wallpaper in the future if you wish to take it from the wall. By the way, if the wall is new —never been painted or papered —apply an interior primer paint. Follow with an application of wall size. Then, you can proceed to hang wallpaper.
MEASURING AND DROPPING A PLUMB LINE
Start at a corner. Measure in from the corner to a distance which is one inch less than the width of the wallpaper. For instance, if the wallpaper measures 24 inches, you measure in from the corner along the wall to a distance of 23 inches. You do this to provide a one inch overlap around the corner and on to the adjacent wall when the first strip is hung. Drop a plumb line from the ceiling to the baseboard along the mark and snap a chalk line down along the wall.
