Unlike working with paint, wallpaper at first can seem like one of those tricky interior design elements that we’d love to try, but feel a bit nervous to! We’re here to help demystify the process of installing your first wallpaper rolls, and guide you through some straightforward steps to achieve a professional-looking hanging. With enough patience and precision, we believe anyone can do it.

Here’s some useful tips and tricks to putting up your wallpaper just right.

1. Wall prep

Before you even put in your wallpaper order, you want to ensure the walls you’re papering are beautifully prepared - no lumps and bumps, and nothing that might cause the wallpaper to peel. Remove all traces of old wallpaper and flaking paint. You can do this by using a gentle sander - we recommend 120-grit sandpaper. You can also use a scraper, and be sure to employ some filler to fill and smooth over any cracks and crevices in the wall. You want it looking as close to good as new as you can get it. This may take some time, but it’s very much achievable even for the newbie DIYer.

2. Clean and dry

Once you walls are looking smooth and satisfactory, give them a final wipe down to remove any lingering bits of dirt or dust, as we don’t want this getting trapped beneath the wallpaper.

3. Measure up

CommonRoom wallpapers come in 10 metre rolls, which cover 5 square metres. To establish the square meterage of the room:

• Measure the length of the room in metres
• Measure the width of the room in metres
• Multiply length × width to get your total m²

Use our wallpaper calculator to determine how many rolls you need.

We recommend adding an additional 10% in case of errors. For fireplaces, windows and alcoves that will not be papered, measure these separately and subtract it from your total.

4. Tools

To install wallpaper, you will need:

• Sharp craft knife
• Wallpaper scissors (to cut the paper)
• Wallpaper paste
• Bucket for mixing the paste
• Spirit level
• Plumb line
• Tape measure
• Paint brush
• Roller and tray
• Wallpaper brush or smoother
• Seam roller
• Clean damp cloth

5. Lining

If you’re working with especially bumpy walls, you might want to consider hanging a lining before you put up your wallpaper to help achieve a smooth finish. For best results, this should be hung horizontally so as to avoid matching seams and, therefore, a greater chance of peeling.

6. Paste

Make sure you buy a high-quality wallpaper paste to ensure a long-lasting job. We would recommend Solvite All Purpose for pasting the paper and Halls Beeline ready-mixed for pasting the wall. 

7. Paste-the-wall or paste-the-paper?

Different wallpapers require different installation techniques. We’ll specify whether a design is ‘paste-the-wall’ (i.e. putting the glue on the wall and then affixing it to the wall), or ‘paste-the-paper’ (i.e. putting the glue on the paper and then affixing it to the wall) on our product pages. Make sure to check this before you dive into the installation.

Visit our Hanging Instructions page for a detailed breakdown of how to install wallpaper in the two different techniques.

8. The first drop

Getting your first ‘drop’ (or, length/strip) of wallpaper perfectly vertical is vital for the entire project. Because every subsequent piece lines up directly against the previous one, even a tiny tilt at the start will worsen with every panel you add. This causes the entire room to look crooked and ruins your pattern alignment as you move along. Taking the time to ensure the first piece is perfectly straight will guarantee that the rest of the job goes smoothly. Use a spirit level and plumb line to make sure it’s right.

9. Varnish

If you’re wallpapering a high-traffic area - for example, a hallway - or a bathroom, we recommend adding a varnish over the top once your installation is complete, to help protect the design. Our preferred varnish is Polyvine Decorators Varnish in Dead Flat.  

10. How to wallpaper around sockets

This can be fiddly, so the best process is to: 

• Turn off the power: Shut off the electricity to the socket at your main fuse box.
• Test the socket: Plug a lamp or socket tester in to ensure the power is completely off.
• Remove the screws: Loosen the faceplate screws so it pulls slightly away from the wall.
• Apply the wallpaper: Smooth the paper down right over the protruding socket.
• Locate the centre: Use your fingers to gently feel for the middle of the plug socket.
• Make a cross-cut: Use a sharp utility knife to slice an "X" from corner to corner.
• Trim the flaps: Cut away the excess triangle flaps, leaving about 5mm of paper.
• Tuck the edges: Push the remaining paper edges neatly behind the loose faceplate.
• Secure the plate: Tighten the screws back up and wipe away any squeezed-out paste.
• Restore the power: Wait for the paste to dry slightly before turning the electricity back on.

11. How to wallpaper corners

To wallpaper a corner, you need to cut a length and overlap the two sections in the corner to create a clean seam. Don’t try and fold it, it will not look as neat!

Inside Corners

• Measure the gap: Measure from the edge of the last hung piece into the corner. Take measurements at the top, middle, and bottom of the wall.
• Cut the strip: Take the widest measurement and add 15mm. Cut your wallpaper strip lengthwise to this specific width.
• Hang the first piece: Paste and hang this strip, smoothing it into the corner so the extra 15mm wraps onto the adjacent wall.
• Mark a new line: Measure the width of your remaining offcut piece. Mark a straight vertical line on the new wall using a spirit level and plumb line.
• Overlap the offcut: Hang the offcut piece aligned with your level line. The edge will overlap the 15mm strip in the corner.
• Tuck and trim: Push a plastic smoother tight into the corner fold and trim away any excess overlap with a sharp knife if needed.

Outside Corners

• Measure and wrap: Measure from the last piece to the outer edge. Add 25mm to this width and cut your strip lengthwise.
• Hang the first piece: Smooth this piece around the corner so the extra 25mm wraps around onto the next wall.
• Draw a plumb line: On the new wall, use a spirit level to draw a straight line equal to the width of your remaining offcut piece plus 5mm.
• Hang the second piece: Align your offcut with the plumb line. It will overlap the wrapped edge by about 5mm.
• Match the pattern: Carefully slide the paper to match the pattern along the outer edge before smoothing it down completely.

12. Lumps, bumps, bubbles and misalignments

Any issues cropping up? Before the glue dries, gently pull the paper back and brush it back down again. Wallpaper is surprisingly forgiving - don’t be afraid to fix your mistakes!

13. Any questions?

Feel free to email us at info@commonroom.co and we will happily guide you through any issues you may encounter. But for now, be brave and go for it!