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Wallpaper

 Today I am following on from last week's theme of tasks that are manageable and safe to do by yourself. My earliest first-hand memories of wallpapering are rather dramatic - my mom (always a sucker for a bargain) had been to a closing-down sale where you could have as much wallpaper as you could carry for some ridiculously small amount. Despite being less than 1.5m tall, she managed to carry a boot-load of rolls out of the store, leaving my dad and myself with a legacy of many weekends of DIY joy!

Back in the day (and even now in some countries), wallpaper was not just a decorative finish, but an important part of the construction of a house, sealing off all porous building materials and gaps in boarding to make the rooms more airtight. People would simply add another layer of paper when the old one became a bit faded and torn, improving the insulation with each refurbishment. In places where lightweight boarding is the main external and internal walling method, plain paper is used as the foundation for a painted finish.

A crack with many attempts to repair it
If you have moved into a home that has uneven surfaces, either through repeated maintenance or because it has many layers of paint that have not always been well prepared, wallpaper may be a good option. With any damaged surfaces, good preparation is essential for a professional finish - sand down any prominent bits and fill the larger holes. It is a good idea to wash down the walls with sugar-soap to remove any greasy marks that will stop the wallpaper sticking.

For cracks, if you have any concerns, it is hugely advisable to call in a structural engineer to make sure they are not serious. Once wallpapered over, you will not be able to monitor them and they could be kept beautifully hidden until they open up massively, causing you much cost and heartache to remedy.

Next comes the choice of wallpaper - here the colour and size of pattern should work with the size and shape of the room, as well as the position of windows. In a previous blog I looked at the design principles to consider when adding or changing colour in your space - here we have the additional considerations of pattern and texture. 

A traditional wallpaper design with repeat pattern
Creative commons licensed: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=205464&picture=damask-vintage-wallpaper-green
A small texture is very versatile and can look great in any application, from a small powder-room to a large open-plan space. Bolder designs need far more courage, both from a design perspective and in terms of application, but more of this later. From the design angle, a bold design will be the centre of attraction in the space - is this the wall that you would like to be "centre-stage"? How does your furniture and other decor work with this focus - balanced and complementary or just overwhelming?
This dramatic mural is balanced by the minimalist furniture in muted greys
Creative commons licensed: https://wallpaperwarehousesa.co.za/products/flair-bloom?
So on to the technical aspects: before you go out to buy your paper, measure the wall that you are planning to cover - you need the height and width. It is worth popping into your supplier to have a look at what is on offer and what the width of the roll is and the length, so that you can do a bit of planning. First work out how many "drops" you will need, by dividing the wall width by the roll width (you will need a small area of overlap that will be built in to the design). If you find there will be a very small strip on one side, then look at a new layout that works from the centre of the wall, either with a join in the middle, or a central drop.

The length of a drop will depend on the height of the wall, but for a repeat pattern, add in the height of one of the repeats of the pattern for each drop length, so that you can adjust to let the pattern run through. If the wallpaper is "peel and stick", then there is no need to get wallpaper glue or "size" - much more tricky to use, and quite messy, so try to avoid. You now have all the measurements to be able to buy your materials.

Before starting to install, it is a great idea to mark the position of each drop on the wall at the top, bottom and in the middle. Make sure the marks are exactly vertical by using a plumb-bob or a small weight tied to a piece of string - not all walls are perfectly vertical, so double-check the width marks to make sure you do not have a gap near the top or bottom. 

For the next step, it is preferable to have a helper: align the wallpaper (still on the roll) with the top of the wall and get your helper to check your pencil marks for the side. You may find that the top of the wall or ceiling is not horizontal, so this tells you that you most add a bit to your measured length. For the first drop, you just need to check the sides as you are sticking and leave a bit extra top and bottom that you can trim off later. Working from the top centre, smooth the paper, working down and to the sides to remove any bubbling. Gradually remove the backing paper as you work your way down. Some people like to use a roller for this, but clean hands can be just fine.

For the subsequent drops, you need to be more precise: hold the paper (still on the roll) at the top of the wall, and adjust up or down so that the pattern matches and the paper lines up neatly with the side of the first drop. Make pencil marks at both sides at the top, so that you have an exact measurement for the top of the drop. Use a straight-edge to join the two marks and measure the height of the wall, leaving a bit extra at the bottom before cutting. Now your piece should be exactly correct for the top of the wall and match perfectly on the side, with the built-in overlap.

For the very bold, non-repetitive design, the drop will be pre-cut and numbered so that you can match up easily and get the sequence right. Still take the time to mark up the sides of the drops on the wall and try to leave a bit extra top and bottom for the final trim - be sure to calculate this in when buying the paper and ensure that the drops are at least 10cm longer than the height of the wall.

Finally, when all the drops have been installed, do a final trim top and bottom, and also trim the side of the last drop.


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