How to install a wallpaper DIY

Stuck at home doing nothing this lockdown period? Let’s install wallpaper DIY style! It’s a great way to get pretty prints and patterns on your wall to add some character to your room and style to your office. 

Performing wallpaper installation on your own can be a bit time consuming, but it’s a lot of fun when you have someone to do it together with you!

New to wallpapering? Worry not! After trying the first couple of strips, you’ll get the hang of it – we’ll help you to get started, just follow these steps:

Step 1: Clean & Prep Your Wall

Sanding your wall and spackle any cracks or holes to smooth out any imperfections. Then, apply a layer of wallpaper primer and leave it to dry. Cover your floor or worktable with a plastic tarp before starting the next step.

Step 2: Pre-cut Your Wallpaper Into Strips

If you’re planning to hang the wallpaper on the whole of your wall from top-to-bottom, cut vertical strips that are an additional 4-inches to your wall height. The excess will be trimmed off once you’ve put them up.

Step 3: Arrange The Strips

Arrange all your strips side by side. While you’re at it, line up the pattern between the strips correctly and tape them gently with a painter’s tape to hold them together for a while – do this on the floor where you can see the patterns being laid out properly.

Step 4: Measure & Mark The Wall

Use a pencil and measuring tape to mark on the wall where you want to place the wallpaper.

Step 5: Apply Wallpaper Adhesive Onto Your Strips

Pour some premixed clear wallpaper glue or adhesive into a paint-roller tray and use a small paint roller to apply it onto the back of your wallpaper strips.

Do this quickly and evenly. Apart from using glue, there are other types of wallpaper that are either pre-pasted or use a different adhesive method, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 6: Finally, Hang Them Up!

Apply the wallpaper one strip at a time – using a smoothing brush or plastic smoother (about 8″ will do), carefully smooth each strip from the centre-outwards to eliminate creases and air pockets underneath.

Once a piece of strip up, depending on the glue, you have about 10-15 minutes to adjust it perfectly into place before it dries up. Keep smoothing any bubbles outwards.

For a long strips, get a stepladder and work from the top-down if you have a very long strip, have your DIY-buddy to hold the other end of the strip so you can position it onto the wall without the paper tugging away.