How to put up wallpaper yourself?

Modern wallpaper will allow us to conjure up unique arrangements. With a variety of patterns we will create an original atmosphere in our apartment. Among the advantages of wallpaper, we can point out, first of all, low price and ease of installation and cleaning. Wondering how to lay wallpaper yourself? Check out our tutorial.

Despite appearances, wallpapering is not a particularly complicated task, so we can handle it without the help of professionals. We just need to carefully choose the wallpaper and prepare the necessary tools.

Types of wallpaper

We can choose from wallpapers:

• paper – they are the most popular due to the lowest price. They consist of one or two layers of paper. Their disadvantage is low resistance to dirt, so they are not recommended for rooms where they would be exposed to moisture and stains;
• vinyl – their underside is paper, and the top is covered with vinyl, so this type of wallpaper is distinguished by its resistance to dirt and scratches. Vinyl wallpapers can be washed with a damp cloth;
• fiseline – consists of two layers: paper or vinyl and fiseline. Fiseline wallpapers are much thicker than those described above, so they are great at masking the irregularities of the wall. Resistance to dirt and cleaning depends on the top layer used – paper or vinyl;
• made of raufa – this is a wallpaper with a characteristic structure, usually in white color. It is distinguished by an uneven surface that covers imperfections in the walls. Like paper wallpaper, it is not resistant to staining, but we can paint it with paints designed for kitchens and bathrooms.

Preparation for wallpapering

First, we measure the width of the wall we want to wallpaper. The resulting number is divided by the width of the roll, the result is rounded up and multiplied by the height of the room. We divide the resulting product by the length of the wallpaper in one roll (most often it is 10 m). The rounded result shows how many rolls of wallpaper we need to buy.

After buying the wallpaper, we prepare the tools. We will need:

• wallpaper glue – we choose it according to the type of wallpaper (you will find the information on the wallpaper package),
• a large bucket for diluting the glue and a wooden spoon for mixing,
• wallpaper knife,
• level,
• a bench brush,
• rubber roller,
• pencil,
• primer,
• cotton cloth.

Wallpapering walls step by step

Step 1

The walls are cleaned of old coatings, sanded and washed. They should be degreased, smooth and dry. We unscrew sockets and switches.

Step 2

We prime the cleaned wall using a special primer or diluted wallpaper glue.

Step 3

With a level, we draw a vertical line on the wall at the place where we will lay the first strip of wallpaper. We draw the line with a pencil on the wall.

Step 4

We cut the appropriate length of the wallpaper strips. Remember that they should be a few centimeters longer than the height of the wall – this way we provide a reserve for matching the pattern.

Step 5

We prepare the adhesive according to the instructions on the package. We spread the wallpaper on the paper bottom with glue and leave it for a few minutes for the material to soak. If we use wallpaper on a fleece bottom, we lubricate the walls with glue.

Step 6

We glue the wallpaper to the wall, starting from the ceiling. We lay the first strip along the line drawn with a pencil, and we match the next strip with the adjacent one. After gluing, we smooth the wallpaper with a roller or cotton cloth. We wipe several times from top to bottom, and then from the center to the edges to get rid of air bubbles.

Step 7

Finally, trim the edges of the wallpaper at the ceiling and floor trim.

main photo: pixabay.com/Carola68