Wallpaper has always been one of the best ways to bring a room to life. Wallpaper has been used for hundreds of years, and comes in a wide variety of colors and textures. However, wallpapers have been made from different materials and some of them were more toxic than decorative. Modern wallpapers are made can be applied with either paste, or with a self-adhesive backing.
Before choosing a wallpaper, you’ve got to decide on what you want the end result to look like. Are you looking for a warm color, a light color, or patterns? Take stock of the other items in the room and go from there. Remember, too much of a good thing can turn out bad. If you have a floral theme to the room, you may not want a heavy floral design to your wallpaper.
Once you’ve made a decision on style, you’ll need to decide on adhesive types. If you choose to use paste, you’ll need to know what type to use, and how to apply the paste. You’ll also need a brush to apply the paste, a plumb line to help keep your paper straight, scissors or a utility knife, and a tray to hold the paste. If you choose to go with a pre-pasted wallpaper, you’ll still need all of the above, but the tray and brush will be for the water needed to wet the back of your paper.
Before you apply your wallpaper, you’ll need to ensure that your walls are prepared for the paper. Remove all traces of older wallpaper and thoroughly clean your walls. Make sure to fill in any holes before beginning, and it’s a good idea to add a coat of primer to the walls. Go over the walls to make sure there are no lumps or blemishes that will tear the paper or cause problems with the process. Once you’ve done all this, you’ll be ready to apply your wallpaper.
When putting up your paper, always start from a corner in the room and hang from top to bottom. If your working with an abstract pattern, you may not have to worry about alignment. However, if you’re working with specific patterns, you’re going to want to try and match up pattern sides as best as possible. Use a rubber roller to help press out any air bubbles that may occur.
Once you’ve finished hanging your wallpaper, you might decide to add a border or other effects to the room. In the end, if you’ve done your research and followed directions, you should have a beautiful room that will last several years to come.
