Doors, windows and light switches are obstacles that deter many people from having hanging their own wallpaper. Indeed there are various nooks and crannies which can cause difficulties when wallpapering, however with patience and the right tools, none of them should pose too much of a problem.
Take windows for example, wallpapering around windows is a perceived difficulty rather than it being an actual problem.
You just need to plan, take a little care, and try not to rush things. By doing so you will find wallpapering much easier, less wasteful, and less stressful and as an added bonus the finished results will be better.
Call on that favour
When wallpapering the ‘fiddly’ bits, it is important not to struggle unnecessarily, it’s often much easier if you have a helper to hold the wallpaper whilst you trim and cut. As with most jobs around the home, things are easier when you have access to the right tools. Here we look at what you need in the way of tools, and how to do it.
Use the right tools
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Plumb line
- Pasting table
- Paste brush
- Scissors
- Seam roller
- Step ladders
Tackling the window
Hang the wallpaper as normal until you reach the window: the last strip before the corner where the wall turns into the window frame. Cut and trim this next length so it roughly fits to the frame but leave about 35 -50mm excess to play with.
With a helper holding the pasted wallpaper off the wall, hang it as normal allowing it to fall over the window opening. Match it to the length already hung and after smoothing out the air bubbles cut along the horizontal reveal with a sharp knife or scissors then fold in the paper on to the vertical reveal. Tip – To prevent marks and stains, rinse scissors in clean water occasionally.
Take your time and with the paste brush push the paper into the frame. While holding it flat to the wall, run a pencil lightly down the length of the frame. This should give you a crisp cutting mark. Smooth down the wallpaper underneath the window taking care when cutting out for the sill. Use small delicate cuts when fitting to the window sill.
Next, hang a shorter length of paper on the wall above and under the reveal to the frame. You will notice that after hanging this second piece, you will have created a bare area. Cut out a patch for this space matching any pattern. With the in-fills being in the corners, if you are not too precise, the window coverings will hide it.
Cut out and hang the third piece of wallpaper under the window and continue in this manner i.e. 4th piece above the window 5th piece below window, etc. When you reach the opposite reveal, hang the wallpaper in exactly the same way as the 1st piece.
Wallpapering on the whole can be very satisfying do-it-yourself project; we see the transformation with each strip put up. Window reveals when done well, finish the job off nicely as opposed to making do with a poor effort which we hope will not show when curtains or blinds are fitted.
Here at Fashion Wallpaper we pride ourselves on giving quality service, advice, and supplying fantastic designer brands, delivered direct to our customer’s door in a fast and efficient manner.
