Part 2 - Hanging wallpaper - Papering - Hanging the wallpaper

30 November -0001

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Step 1: If possible, start by papering a wall that contains neither door nor window. Begin at one corner, working away from the window. When hanging paper with a large regular pattern, start at a central feature such as a chimneybreast.
Walls and corners are rarely true or square, so they cannot be relied upon as a guide. The trick is to mark a vertical guideline on the wall, using a plumb line.

Step 2: Mark the line on the wall, slightly less than one roll width away from the corner
Unfold the top half of the paper and lightly press it to the wall using a paperhanger's brush.

Step 3: Slide the strip to align its edge with the plumbed line on the wall. Allow the paper to overlap the ceiling by about 50mm (2in). Brush out from the centre to exclude air trapped under the paper. Unfold the bottom half and brush it into place in a similar way.

Step 4: Using the back of your wallpaper scissors or sharp knife, score a line along the corner between the wall and ceiling. Peel back the paper and cut along the crease to remove the waste, then smooth the paper back into place. Use the same method to trim the strip to length at skirting level.

Step 5: When you get to a light switch, make two diagonal cuts across the centre of the faceplate, running from corner to corner. Tap the paper in around the faceplate and trim off most of the waste with scissors. Turn off the electricity at the consumer unit and loosen the faceplate so that you can tuck the paper behind it. Turn the power on again when the paste is dry.
Paper around flush wall sockets in a similar way: cut the wallpaper to butt against the mounting box of a surface-mounted socket or switch. Cut the diagonals with scissors and use a sharp knife to trim off the waste.
Use the pasting brush to stipple the paper down firmly around the edge of the mounting box.
Hanging wallpaper - Papering around doorways
When hanging the strip of paper next to the door, butt it against its neighbour in the usual way, allowing the other edge to overlap the doorframe. Make a diagonal cut in the waste towards the corner of the doorframe.
Brush the paper down against the side of the frame, make a crease with your scissors and cut off the waste.
Smooth down what's left of the strip above the door, then trim off the waste, leaving a 12mm (1/2in) overlap pasted to the top of the frame.
Continue with short strips over the door, hanging the next full strip down the other side of the doorframe. Crease and trim off the waste as before.