How to refresh any room in a weekend

Easy peasy paste the wall wallpaper

With our range of paste the wall wallpaper, it’s never been easier to add some style to your walls! It’s a great option if you’re a beginner or don’t have a lot of time of your hands. Plus, you can cut out the mess of having to use a pasting table, and you don’t even need to wait for the paste to soak into the paper before hanging it! Follow our quick and easy steps:

You will need:

• Paste the wall wallpaper
• Wallpaper adhesive
• Pasting brush
• Trimming knife
• Plumb bob
• Tape measure

Step 1 – Prep the wall

First, start by removing any existing wallpaper and paste using a wallpaper stripper solution. Our concentrated wallpaper stripper is fast acting and will work perfectly for this. If you're working with multiple layers of wallpaper, a wallpaper stripper device may be the best solution, the steam penetrates deep – perfect for vinyl, multi-layered and heavily textured wallpaper designs. If you need more tips on removing wallpaper, or a detailed guide on hanging paste the wall and paste the paper wallpaper, check out our blog here.

Once you’re happy you’ve removed the existing wallpaper, it’s time to give the surface a good clean. Use a bucket of hot soapy water and a sponge to thoroughly clean the wall – and allow to dry thoroughly before the next step.

Step 2 - Draw a line down the wall

Using a plumb bob, draw a vertical line down the wall you’re going to apply the wallpaper to. This makes sure the pattern of the paper stays straight. The first drop of wallpaper is key as all the others will align to it, so it's important to ensure it’s right, otherwise your wallpaper could look wonky.

Step 3 – Paste the wall

Using a wallpaper pasting brush, apply an even layer of wallpaper paste to a section of the wall. It's important to work in sections here, as you don’t want the paste to dry before you’ve had chance to attach the paper. Make sure you paste a little further out than the wallpaper you’re about to hang. Use a 2” paint brush to add paste at the top of the wall, around sockets, and just above the skirting. This will ensure even coverage in difficult areas and stop the wallpaper "lifting" when dry.

Top tip: Try using a roller instead of a brush to apply the paste for quicker application.

Step 4 – Hang the paper

First cut the wallpaper roughly to the length of your wall (hold up to the wall to measure). Be sure to allow a little extra just in case, you can trim the excess off later. Hang the wallpaper on the wall onto the section you’ve just pasted. Use ladders to get to the ceiling or coving. Smooth the paper down, removing any bumps. Use a wallpaper trimming wheel to remove the excess paper and wipe away any paste with a sponge.

When adding the next piece it’s important to make sure the patterns match up correctly. Paste the wall wallpaper is great because you can easily adjust the paper after applying for a perfect pattern match, before the adhesive dries. When you get to the bottom of the wall, check the pattern matches and that there aren’t any gaps. If there are bubbles or if the pattern isn’t quite matching, you can gently pull back the paper and reapply.

Step 5 – Ta da!

Repeat until you’re done. Don’t worry about taking breaks or giving up for the night, you can pick up wherever you left off, just make sure to reapply the paste.

Sit back, make a cuppa, and enjoy your freshly decorated room or feature wall!