Our wallpapers are artworks and we suggest they are hung with the same care and precision we put into making them. To help you get it just right, we’ve drawn up a few pointers on how to hang our papers.

PREPARATION

Preparing a wall for papering is like laying strong foundations for a house. It needs to be done methodically and thoroughly. So find the perfectionist within you and follow these steps:

1. You want the wall as clean as possible, so remove all traces of dirt, old wallpaper, and flaking paint. Also, we strongly advise never to hang wallpaper on any wall with a history of dampness.

2. With a suitable filler, even out cracks and irregularities to achieve a satisfyingly smooth surface.

3. Once you’ve smoothed, filled, and sanded your wall, make sure all surfaces are clean and dry.

4. To achieve the perfect edges, before you paper your wall, you might want to paint the wall in a similar colour to the wallpaper, to ensure that the background does not show through at the seams where the edges of the paper meet.

5. Our wallpapers tend to be 140gsm, and are classified as a medium to heavy grade paper. Nonetheless, if the walls are significantly uneven, then you may want to use lining paper to ensure a faultless finish. For best results, this should be hung horizontally so as to avoid matching seams and, therefore, a greater chance of peeling.

WALLPAPER PASTE

We recommend getting a high-quality wallpaper paste for the job. There are many on the market but we often use Solvite products when we hang our papers. We would recommend Solvite All Purpose for pasting the paper and Halls Beeline ready-mixed for pasting the wall. 

APPLICATION – PASTE THE PAPER

The art of how you hang wallpaper involves care and attention to detail. But it also requires confidence. If you’re unsure, please employ a professional.

1. Before cutting into lengths according to the height of the wall, check the rolls are undamaged and the batch numbers match. Also, check that the pattern repeat will align with the previous/next drop and that you have the design the correct way round. And don’t forget to allow 2-3 inches at the top and bottom for trimming.

2. Measure the water into a plastic container following the advice on the packaging, and whilst stirring add the paste. You’ll feel the mixture gradually thicken. When the stick can stand up by itself, it’s ready. If it’s too watery, overstretching can occur, which causes the paper to shrink back when dry. If you have a ready-mixed paste you can ignore this section!

3. Carefully brush an even coat of paste over the paper, making sure the edges are well pasted. 

4. Take care when applying the paste, because if the paper becomes too wet it will shrink back when dry, and if too little is used, it will not stick to the wall and be difficult to move to the final position.

5. Allow the paper to soak for up to 5 minutes, until pliable.

6. Now for the precision. As a guide, draw a vertical line on the wall for hanging the first drop. For the next drop, you can use the edge of the first drop and the pattern, to achieve the perfect position.

7. When hanging your wallpaper take care not to stretch it, as it will shrink back when dry, exaggerating the seams. Also, we recommend that the paper is allowed to dry out naturally and suggest turning off central heating so it can do this.

8. When you’re happy with the position, cut off the excess paper with a sharp blade to give a clean, straight edge.

9. Carefully wipe off any excess paste with a damp sponge. Then use a soft clean dry cloth to remove residual water after cleaning to stop any marking.

10. Now take a step back and admire your beautifully hung CommonRoom wallpaper.

The following wallpapers are paste the paper: 282 Ways of Making a Salad, Love Leaves, Old Oak, Thicket, Solstice.

APPLICATION – PASTE THE WALL

The art of how you would hang wallpaper involves care and attention to detail. But it also requires confidence. If you’re unsure, please employ a professional.

1. Before cutting into lengths according to the height of the wall, check the rolls are undamaged and the batch numbers match. Also, check that the pattern repeat will align with the previous/next drop and that you have the design the correct way round. And don’t forget to allow 2-3 inches at the top and bottom for trimming.

2. Measure the water into a plastic container following the advice on the packaging, and whilst stirring add the paste. You’ll feel the mixture gradually thicken. When the stick can stand up by itself, it’s ready. If it’s too watery, overstretching can occur, which causes the paper to shrink back when dry. If you have a ready-mixed paste you can ignore this section!

3. Now for the precision. As a guide, draw a vertical line on the wall for hanging the first drop. For the next drop, you can use the edge of the first drop and the pattern to achieve the perfect position.

4. Apply the paste evenly to the wall to an area slightly wider than the width of the roll.

5. Press the dry lengths on the wall with a soft brush.

6. When you’re happy with the position, cut off the excess paper with a sharp blade to give a clean, straight edge.

7. Carefully wipe off any excess paste with a damp sponge. Then use a soft clean dry cloth to remove residual water after cleaning to stop any marking.

8. Now take a step back and admire your beautifully hung CommonRoom wallpaper.

The following wallpapers are paste the wall: Best Buds, Chequerboard, Climbing Curios, Curious Creatures, Dressing & Undressing, Harlequin Pearl, Hatch, Lioness & Palms, Lucky Leaf, Paper for Peace, Ribbons Wrap You Up, Twin Flower, Wave, Ivy Chaplet.

You can browse our selection of wallpaper here.

In high traffic areas, we like to use a wallpaper varnish for an added layer of protection. Our preferred varnish is Polyvine Decorators Varnish in Dead Flat.  

Visit our Sketchbook for ways to use our wallpapers in your home, colour matches in our Colour Notes series and lots more inspiration.

Disclaimer: The information given in these specification sheets and technical advice – whether verbal, in writing or by way of trials – is for guidance and is given in good faith but without warranty, since skill of application and site conditions are beyond our control. For further information please contact the studio. We can accept no liability for the performance of the products arising out of such use, beyond the value of the goods delivered by us. This does not affect your statutory rights.