Wallpaper possesses an unparalleled ability to dramatically transform a room, infusing it with character, texture, and style that paint alone simply cannot achieve. However, the cost associated with professional wallpaper installation often makes this stunning design option seem out of reach for many. A few years ago, fueled by a desire to bring beautiful patterns into my home without the hefty price tag, I decided to tackle a wallpapering project myself. I embarked on this journey with a mix of excitement and trepidation, unsure if it would be a rewarding DIY success or a complete decorative disaster.
After a period of trial and error, navigating a modest learning curve, I discovered that hanging wallpaper is not only entirely doable but also incredibly satisfying. Since then, I’ve successfully completed numerous wallpapering projects, each adding unique charm and personality to different spaces in my home. Today, I’m thrilled to share my top eleven wallpaper installation tips – insights I believe will be most valuable for anyone contemplating the rewarding challenge of wallpapering a room on their own. Trust me, you absolutely CAN do this! Let’s kick things off with essential advice on selecting the perfect beginner-friendly wallpaper project to ensure your first experience is a positive one. (This post includes commissionable links; for more information, please see our full disclosure statement {here})
1. Choose a Simple Project for Your First Wallpaper Installation
One of the biggest mistakes I made as a novice wallpaper hanger was choosing an overly complex project for my initial attempt. Against all beginner wisdom, I tried to install grasscloth wallpaper right out of the gate. What I quickly learned was that hanging grasscloth is significantly more challenging than working with standard wallpaper, primarily for two critical reasons. First, any glue that gets on the front surface of grasscloth will permanently stain it, whereas traditional wallpapers can typically be wiped clean with ease. Second, grasscloth paper is notably thicker and more rigid, making it exceptionally difficult to trim precisely and install smoothly, especially when navigating tricky room corners. Therefore, a crucial piece of advice: do NOT make grasscloth your first wallpapering project.
Despite the initial struggles with my ill-advised first project, I eventually managed to complete it with the invaluable help of an exceptionally kind local wallpaper installer (a huge thank you to Chuck!). Realizing I was in over my head, I sought professional guidance. Not only was Chuck incredibly open to the idea of me working alongside him to learn the ropes, but he also proved to be the most patient and effective teacher. Through our collaborative effort, we successfully adorned my daughter’s room with beautiful grasscloth wallpaper, a project that taught me immensely:
Room Sources: Blue grasscloth wallpaper (similar) | Gold quatrefoil pendant | Framed art (left) | Framed art (right) | Leather weave bench | Acrylic lamp | Bedding no longer available
Drawing from that initial experience, I highly recommend two approaches for your first wallpapering endeavor. If possible, enlist the help of an experienced friend, or hire a local wallpaper professional who is willing to guide you through the process. Their expertise can prevent many common beginner pitfalls and accelerate your learning. If these options aren’t available, start with a truly simple wallpapering project. Consider transforming bookshelves with wallpapered backs, a contained and manageable task:
Sources: Wallpaper | Oak shelves (Nature finish) | Large faux coral (similar) | White bubble planter | Fern art | Star pod | White square frame (8.3″ x 8.3″) | Burlwood frame (11″ x 13″) | Elephant bookend | Decorative black & white box | Coral “topper” (similar) | Bust planter | Round basket
Alternatively, a single accent wall offers a great starting point, such as this wall in my girls’ room where I applied peel and stick wallpaper:
Room Sources: Gray damask peel & stick wallpaper | Globe light ceiling fan | Arched wood beds | Framed art (left) | Framed art (right) | White dresser | Rattan lamp
This post specifically addresses tips for hanging traditional wallpaper. For those interested in the increasingly popular peel and stick option, please refer to my comprehensive guide on how to hang peel and stick wallpaper.
Rooms that feature wainscoting or similar molding treatments covering the bottom half to one-third of the wall are also considerably easier for beginners. This design element means you’ll be working with shorter, more manageable wallpaper strips, reducing the complexity of handling large pieces. Take this space, for instance:
Bonus Room Sources: “Feather” Herringbone wallpaper (color: denim) | Daybed | Blue & white quilt | White quilted Euro shams w/navy stitch (similar) | Blue & white block print pillow covers (similar) | Long textured lumbar pillow | Brass floor lamp (similar) | Brass sputnik flush mount light fixture (similar) | Roman shades with ribbon trim in Light Navy trim | White Moroccan leather poufs
Another fantastic beginner project is adding a wallpaper backsplash to your kitchen, provided it’s not already tiled. This involves working with small, easily manageable strips of wallpaper, making it an excellent way to gain confidence.
Beyond selecting a simpler project for your initial venture into wallpapering, I strongly advise ordering more wallpaper than you estimate you’ll need. Numerous online wallpaper calculators can help estimate the number of rolls required, but always add an extra roll or two. Wallpaper is produced in distinct batches, and even the exact same pattern can exhibit slight color variations between different production runs. Should you run short and need to reorder, you risk receiving a roll from a different batch that might not precisely match your existing paper, leading to visible inconsistencies. Giving yourself this buffer allows room for errors, ensuring you can tackle your first wallpapering job without the added stress of potentially running out of material.
Finally, invest in high-quality wallpaper. While it might seem counterintuitive for a beginner, premium papers are often easier to work with, more forgiving, and yield a superior finish. I personally adore Serena & Lily wallpaper for its exceptional quality. Although not inexpensive, most of their designs offer a luxurious feel at a more accessible price point than ultra high-end brands like Schumacher, making them a worthwhile investment for a beautiful and successful project.
2. Prepare Your Walls with Tinted Wall Sizer Before Wallpapering
When you’re new to wallpapering, achieving perfectly invisible seams between strips can be challenging. If you’re installing dark wallpaper on light-colored walls (or vice versa), even the tiniest gap in your seam can become glaringly obvious, detracting from the overall finish. This is where a game-changing tip comes in: tint your wallpaper sizing to match the color of your wallpaper. This simple step ensures that any minor imperfections in your seams blend seamlessly into the background, becoming virtually unnoticeable. It’s a wallpaper installation tip that truly makes all the difference in achieving a professional-looking result!
So, what exactly is wall sizer? It’s a preparatory product, much like a primer, that you apply to your walls before wallpapering. You treat it just like a coat of paint, using a paintbrush to edge around trim and a roller for the larger wall surfaces. Wall sizer offers several crucial benefits: it makes positioning and adjusting your wallpaper easier during installation, significantly enhances the adhesion of the wallpaper paste, and, perhaps most importantly for future renovations, simplifies wallpaper removal years down the line. It primes the surface, creating an ideal canvas for your wallpaper.
For clear sizing, I highly recommend Shieldz Acrylic Wall Sizer. This versatile product is clear, meaning it can be used as-is or tinted to perfectly match your wallpaper’s color. Another excellent option is Shieldz Universal Wallcovering Primer, which is white. This primer can be used directly or tinted to light and medium shades. However, if your wallpaper is a dark color, you’ll need to opt for the Acrylic Wall Sizer for proper tinting.
These specialized wall sizers can sometimes be tricky to locate online, but I’ve consistently found them at local Ace Hardware stores, where they often provide tinting services as well. After applying Shieldz Acrylic Wall Sizer, tinted to perfectly complement my chosen wallpaper, my bathroom walls were transformed into this prepared canvas, ready for installation:
Just as you would when preparing a room for painting, it’s crucial to address any imperfections on your walls before applying the sizer. Be sure to patch any holes, cracks, or uneven areas to ensure a perfectly smooth surface for your wallpaper. If you’re dealing with existing wallpaper that needs removal before installing new paper, consult my detailed guides on how to remove wallpaper for expert tips. And for those wondering about the suitability of wallpaper in a bathroom environment, my post on bathroom wallpaper offers essential advice, including a vital tip on sealing your wallpaper for moisture protection.
3. Assemble the Essential Tools for Flawless Wallpaper Installation
Before you even think about unrolling your first strip of wallpaper, it’s absolutely crucial to ensure you have every necessary tool at hand. Having the right equipment makes the entire process smoother, more efficient, and significantly reduces frustration. First and foremost, you’ll need a large, flat, and stable surface for cutting your wallpaper and applying adhesive. Keep in mind that this surface will inevitably get cut marks and glue residue, so choose something you don’t mind potentially damaging. I personally rely on this sturdy 6-foot long folding table, which has served me well through many projects:
Alternatively, a thick sheet of plywood placed securely on top of sawhorses can work just as effectively, as long as the wood surface is perfectly smooth to prevent any damage or snagging of your delicate wallpaper.
Beyond your primary workspace, here’s a comprehensive list of other essential supplies you’ll need:
- A 48-inch metal level, such as {this one}, is indispensable for ensuring your first strip is perfectly plumb, setting the foundation for a straight installation.
- Two wallpaper smoothing tools, like {this set}, are vital for pressing out air bubbles and wrinkles, ensuring a smooth, professional finish.
- A 9mm snap-off razor, such as {this type}, paired with ultra-sharp snap-off blades – I highly recommend {these} for clean, crisp cuts.
- A small pair of {precision scissors} is perfect for intricate cuts around outlets or trim, alongside a standard pair of regular scissors for general use.
- A ⅜-inch nap roller, along with a roller handle, paint tray, and a paintbrush (any size) for applying paste.
- A large, absorbent sponge, similar to {this one}, and a bucket of clean water for wiping away excess paste and cleaning tools.
- A seam roller is crucial for firmly pressing down and sealing the seams between wallpaper strips, ensuring a flat, virtually invisible transition.
- A metal straight edge, such as a 6-inch putty knife or taping knife, to guide your razor for perfectly straight cuts.
- High-quality wallpaper paste (unless your paper comes pre-pasted). I’ve experimented with several brands and consistently find Roman Pro-880, available {here}, to be superior. Its unique gel-like consistency prevents it from drying out too quickly, giving you ample time to reposition strips and smooth out any air bubbles, making the installation process much more forgiving.
Additionally, you’ll need a few common household items you likely already have: a tape measure, a pencil, small clean cloths or rags, painter’s tape (essential for planning and holding), drop cloths to protect your floors, and a sturdy ladder for reaching high areas.
4. Meticulous Planning is Key Before Applying Paste
Just like with painting, a significant portion of a successful wallpaper installation lies in the meticulous planning and preparation phase. Before you even think about applying paste or cutting your first strip, you need to strategically plan the optimal starting and stopping points within your room. It’s highly improbable that your wallpaper pattern will perfectly align where your very first and last strips meet, creating a potentially noticeable seam. Therefore, you want this inevitable mismatch to occur in the most inconspicuous spot in your room, which is most often a discreet corner.
Another crucial consideration, especially when working with wallpaper that features a large or prominent pattern, is whether you desire to center this pattern in a specific location. This could be above a key furniture piece, such as a bed or sofa, or other architectural focal points in the room like a fireplace or a prominent window. Planning this in advance ensures your design vision comes to life exactly as intended, creating a balanced and aesthetically pleasing result.
In our bathroom, I was installing a wallpaper with a subtle, non-directional pattern, so there was no need to center it over any particular feature. My primary goal was simply to identify the most inconspicuous spot to begin and end the installation. After careful consideration, I determined that the corner above the doorway into our powder room would serve as the ideal starting point:
Once you’ve pinpointed your optimal starting point, take painter’s tape and mark where each subsequent strip will begin. This visual planning allows you to ensure your layout works cohesively for the entire room. You can simply measure the exact width of your wallpaper roll, or for a more precise visual, cut off a small strip of your wallpaper to use as a template for marking:
It’s crucial to avoid certain scenarios. You definitely don’t want a wallpaper seam to fall within an inch or two of a window, door frame, or an outside corner. Working with such a tiny strip of wallpaper is incredibly difficult, prone to tearing, and will look unprofessional. Similarly, avoid having any strips terminate smack in the center of an inside corner. If your initial planning reveals you might encounter one of these problematic situations, consider an adjustment. See how each strip would fall if you trim, say, 4 inches (or any other strategic measurement) off the width of your *very first* strip. If this adjustment resolves the issue and all subsequent strips fall into place neatly, then proceed by carefully cutting that determined measurement off the left edge of your first wallpaper strip. Always save this cut-off strip; it might prove useful for filling small gaps or for future repairs.
5. Mark the Top of Every Wallpaper Strip
With your meticulous planning complete and tools at the ready, you’re finally prepared to begin the exciting process of wallpaper installation! Start by cutting your first strip of wallpaper. It’s best practice to make it approximately 4 inches longer than the actual height of the wall you intend to cover. This extra length provides a comfortable 2-inch allowance at both the top and the bottom, giving you wiggle room for precise trimming later:
If your chosen wallpaper features a large-scale or repeating pattern, take a moment to evaluate where the pattern will be cut off at the ceiling and baseboard. Ensure you are satisfied with this visual break before making your final cut. While some experienced professionals opt to pre-cut all their wallpaper strips before installation, I strongly advise against this approach for beginners. A single error in cutting one strip can cascade, rendering all subsequent pre-cut strips incorrect. From personal experience, I’ve learned that it’s far safer and less wasteful to cut one strip at a time, ensuring accuracy throughout the process.
Once your strip is cut, immediately place a small piece of painter’s tape at the designated top end, clearly labeling it as “TOP.” While the orientation of some patterns might be obvious, others—like the one I used—can be quite ambiguous. This simple labeling step will prevent confusion and save you valuable time and effort when it comes time to hang the strip, ensuring your pattern flows correctly.
6. Apply Paste with a Roller, Not a Brush
A quick note: Traditional wallpapers require a separate adhesive to secure them to the wall. However, some modern options come pre-pasted and only need water to activate the adhesive. These instructions are specifically tailored for traditional wallpaper that requires paste application.
Begin by pouring a generous amount of wallpaper adhesive into a clean paint tray. Using a ⅜-inch nap roller, apply the paste evenly onto the back of the top half of your wallpaper strip. Always start from the center of the strip and work your way outwards towards the edges. It can be tempting to use a paintbrush for this step, but I’ve made that mistake before and highly advise against it. A roller is far more effective at distributing the paste uniformly, preventing unsightly blobs or uneven patches that are difficult to smooth out once the paper is on the wall. The ultimate goal is a thin, consistent, and even coat of adhesive:
To prevent the wallpaper strip from curling up while you work, you may find it helpful to place a gentle weight (such as your level or another sturdy object) on both ends of the strip as you paste. Ensure you roll the paste meticulously over the entire back of the top half, paying special attention to the edges for optimal adhesion. If your cutting table has perfectly straight edges, a clever trick is to align the edge of your wallpaper strip flush with the table’s edge. This allows you to roll the paste thoroughly to the very edge of the paper without inadvertently getting adhesive on your table (unfortunately, my table has rounded edges, making this specific trick less effective for me).
Once the top half is fully pasted, gently fold it in half, ensuring you do not crease the paper at the fold. This delicate fold is crucial:
This technique is known as “booking” the wallpaper. It allows the adhesive to thoroughly soak into the paper and relax its fibers before it’s hung on the wall. This relaxation is vital because it prevents the wallpaper from expanding once installed, which is a common cause of bubbles and wrinkles. Now, use your damp sponge and warm water to meticulously clean any glue residue that may have transferred onto your table during the pasting process. Next, apply adhesive to the bottom half of your wallpaper strip. Once completed, fold the bottom portion of the strip in half, just as you did with the top, ensuring no creases:
Consult the instructions provided with your specific wallpaper to check for a recommended booking time, which is typically around 3-5 minutes. Use this waiting period productively, perhaps to draw a level line on your wall (as detailed in the next tip). However, be mindful not to let your booked paper sit for too long, as the glue will begin to dry out. If you anticipate a longer waiting period than the recommended booking time, place the booked strip inside a plastic bag to keep the adhesive moist and workable.
When cutting strips from your wallpaper roll, you’ll inevitably accumulate several remnant pieces. Resist the urge to discard any of these leftover wallpaper fragments! Many of these pieces can be strategically utilized in other areas of your room, such as above a doorway where only a short strip is needed, or for patching minor errors. Furthermore, explore these creative wallpaper ideas, many of which demonstrate how small remnants can be transformed into charming decorative items like coasters or used to add flair to stair risers, showcasing their unexpected versatility.
7. Ensure a Perfectly Straight Start for Wallpaper Installation!
Are you now ready to initiate your wallpaper installation? This step is paramount: it is absolutely critical that the very first strip of wallpaper you install on any wall is hung perfectly straight. This initial alignment sets the precedent, ensuring that every subsequent strip you hang on that wall will also maintain a perfectly vertical orientation, resulting in a flawless overall look. To achieve this, grab your 48-inch level and use it to draw a precise, plumb (perfectly vertical) line where the right edge of your first wallpaper strip will fall. In my current project, I’m starting in a corner and my wallpaper strip measures 27 inches wide. I’ll delve more into corner techniques later, but for now, remember that you want your paper to fully extend into the corner and overlap onto the adjacent wall by approximately ½ inch. Therefore, I drew a level line exactly 26 ½ inches out from the corner, marking the exact placement for my first strip:
To install your first wallpaper strip, begin by carefully unfolding only the top half of your booked strip. Gently slide it into position on the wall, meticulously aligning its right edge with the plumb line you just drew. Remember to maintain that 2-inch excess paper allowance at the top edge, which you’ll trim later. Once positioned, use your smoothing tool to gently but firmly press the paper down, working from the center outwards to eliminate any bubbles or wrinkles. After the top half is securely in place and smooth, unfold the bottom half of the strip and repeat the same smoothing process. Continue working the entire strip, systematically smoothing from the center towards the edges, until every wrinkle and air bubble has been meticulously removed, ensuring a perfect adhesion to the wall.
8. Maintain an Ultra-Sharp Razor Blade
Once you’ve meticulously smoothed down your first wallpaper strip, ensuring it’s free of any bubbles or wrinkles, the next step is to trim off the excess paper at both the top (ceiling line) and the bottom (baseboard or floor). To execute this task with precision, you’ll need two crucial tools: a reliable straight edge and, most importantly, an exceptionally sharp razor. The emphasis here is unequivocally on “sharp”! Always use a razor featuring snap-off blades of high quality, resisting the urge to use cheap, dull alternatives. With each significant cut, make it a habit to snap off the used segment to reveal a fresh, pristine blade. This ensures every trim is clean, preventing tearing and jagged edges.
To make your cut, firmly hold your chosen straight edge against the wall at the precise point you wish to trim. Then, take your ultra-sharp razor and carefully glide it along the straight edge, using it as your guide. While it’s traditionally recommended to use a metal straight edge for this, I’ve personally discovered that my wallpaper smoothing tool often works best for me. Its smooth surface allows the razor to glide with incredible ease, which in turn helps me achieve more even and consistent cuts:
I encourage you to experiment with both a metal straight edge and a smoother to determine which tool provides the best results for your technique. I find it helpful to have two dedicated smoothing tools: one I reserve specifically for the cutting process, and another for smoothing out the paper. This way, if I ever accidentally nick one of the smoothers while trimming (which, thankfully, hasn’t happened yet!), I still have a pristine one readily available for flawless smoothing.
A vital tip while trimming the top and bottom edges of your wallpaper is to avoid lifting your razor from the paper for the entire duration of a single cut. Instead, either glide your razor and straight edge along the surface in perfect unison, maintaining continuous contact, or carefully lift and reposition your straight edge while keeping the razor firmly in its cutting path. This continuous motion is key to achieving a beautifully crisp, clean, and unbroken line, which is the hallmark of a professional-looking installation:
The same precise trimming method you use for the ceiling and baseboard (or bathroom shiplap, in my case) applies when cutting away excess paper around doors and windows. These areas often require careful attention to detail. If, after making a razor cut, you find yourself pulling away the excess paper only to discover a small spot where your razor didn’t quite cut through completely, don’t force it. Instead, a small, sharp pair of scissors can be incredibly helpful for making a quick, clean snip, ensuring that perfectly crisp and unblemished edge remains intact.
9. Promptly Wipe Away Excess Glue
It’s almost an inevitability that you will get some wallpaper paste on the front surface of your wallpaper. For most types of wallpaper (with the notable exception of grasscloth, as discussed earlier), this is absolutely no cause for alarm. The vast majority of wallpaper adhesives will wipe clean effortlessly with a damp cloth or sponge, provided you attend to it before it has a chance to dry. This makes immediate cleanup a crucial step in maintaining a pristine finish.
Therefore, after you successfully hang and smooth down each new sheet of wallpaper, make it a firm habit to grab your sponge or a clean cloth, dampen it with fresh water, and meticulously wipe away any glue residue from the wallpaper’s surface. Pay particular attention to the seams and edges, as these are common areas for paste to squeeze out.
Additionally, don’t forget to wipe down adjacent surfaces that might accumulate glue. This includes your baseboards, crown molding, and the ceiling, as these areas commonly get soiled by paste from the back of the excess wallpaper that you trim away. A quick wipe-down as you go saves you from a much harder and messier cleaning job later, ensuring a clean and professional outcome for your entire room.
10. Master the Art of Setting the Seam
Now that your first strip is perfectly hung and trimmed, it’s time to move on to the next one! Begin by holding your wallpaper roll up against the strip you just installed, carefully sliding it until you find the point where the pattern precisely matches. Once you’ve identified this alignment, place a piece of painter’s tape on the wallpaper roll at the spot where the new strip will meet the ceiling (or crown molding). Return to your cutting and pasting table and cut the roll of wallpaper approximately 2 inches above this marked spot. Then, unroll it further and cut it to the appropriate length at the bottom, ensuring the full strip length is the wall length plus your 4-inch allowance.
While your very first wallpaper strip was simply lined up with a level line on your wall, every strip thereafter (from your second strip onwards) will require you to butt its left edge precisely against the right edge of the already-installed strip, creating a seamless join. A fantastic wallpaper installation tip I learned from the professional who mentored me is to “set the seam” before fully laying the entire strip of wallpaper onto the wall. This technique is invaluable for achieving a truly professional finish.
What exactly does “set the seam” mean? When you’re ready to install a new strip of wallpaper, carefully place only the side of the strip that will form the seam (the left side, in this case) onto the wall. Keep the other side of the wallpaper (the right side) held away from the wall. You can observe this technique here: I’ve positioned the left side of my new strip against the wall, meticulously matching the pattern and creating the seam with my left hand, while my right hand keeps the rest of the paper lifted away from the wall:
Adopting this method allows you to manipulate and slide the paper on the wall much more easily, enabling you to achieve perfect pattern alignment and a tight seam. Once you’ve successfully matched the pattern between the two sheets and created that snug seam, use your smoother directly over the seam to firmly press the new sheet down and set it securely in place. Only after this critical step should you carefully lay down the remaining side of the sheet and smooth it out as well. Work in sections of a few feet at a time, starting from the top: match the seam, set it in place with your smoother, and then smooth out the full width of that section. Once the entire strip is hung, finish by running a seam roller along the entire length of the seam to ensure it’s firmly bonded and virtually invisible.
11. Master the Art of Cutting Corners for Perfect Installation
Oops – I initially promised 10 tips, but this one is simply too crucial to leave out! Unless you’re exclusively wallpapering an accent wall or the back of a bookcase, you will inevitably encounter a corner. Here’s a golden rule: you should *never* install a full strip of wallpaper that spans across part of one wall, wraps into the corner, and then continues onto the next wall. Why is this so important? Because walls, especially in corners, are rarely perfectly plumb and square. Attempting to wrap a single strip will almost guarantee that the edge of the paper on the second wall will not be perfectly straight up and down, setting you up for a cascading disaster as you continue along that wall. Furthermore, wallpaper installed in this manner tends to pull away from corners over time, leading to unsightly bubbling or peeling.
Instead, the correct approach is to cut your strip of wallpaper into two distinct pieces when approaching a corner. The first piece will cover the current wall, extend into the corner, and overlap onto the adjacent wall by approximately ½ inch. To determine the precise width to cut this first strip, measure the distance from the end of the last installed strip into the corner at three different points: the top, the middle, and the bottom of the wall:
Ideally, all three measurements should be identical or very similar. For my project, the measurements were 6 ⅜ inches at the top and middle, and 6 ½ inches at the bottom. Take the longest of these three measurements (in my case, 6 ½ inches) and add an additional ½ inch to it, bringing the total to 7 inches. Now, cut your wallpaper strip off the roll as you normally would for length, and then cut it lengthwise into two pieces. The strip destined for Wall A should be exactly the width you calculated (7 inches in my example):
Since my original roll was 27 inches wide, I now have a 7-inch wide strip for Wall A and a 20-inch wide strip for Wall B. Install your 7-inch strip on Wall A as usual, carefully setting the seam with the previous strip:
and then smoothing the paper down, pressing firmly into the corner to ensure good adhesion. Here’s how it looked once completed:
Now, remember how crucial it was to start straight with each new wall? We’re going to apply that same principle here. Just as we did at the very beginning of the project, use your level to mark a straight, plumb line down the adjacent wall (Wall B). This line will serve as your guide for aligning the edge of the wallpaper strip that will be installed on Wall B:
You will now use this new plumb line as your guide to hang the second piece of the strip you cut in two. This piece will overlap some or all of the first strip, depending on how perfectly even (or uneven) your corner happens to be. Try your best to match up the pattern with the strip you installed into the corner, but be aware that if your corner isn’t perfectly plumb, the pattern won’t align flawlessly at every single point. And that’s perfectly acceptable – corners are remarkably forgiving and do an excellent job of disguising minor pattern mismatches. For instance, this corner in our bathroom appears to have a perfect pattern match to the casual observer:
However, if you were to scrutinize it closely, you would likely notice that the pattern doesn’t align absolutely perfectly at all points. The key takeaway here is that by ensuring the sheet you just installed on Wall B is perfectly level, you’ve successfully set yourself up for continued success, allowing you to proceed down the rest of the wall with beautifully straight and consistent wallpaper sheets. After meticulously continuing around the five walls of our bathroom (yes, five! This room features two challenging 135-degree angled walls), this is the stunning final result of my powder room wallpapering project:
Sources: Wallpaper | Shiplap | 2-Light sconce | Round rattan mirror | Vanity | Faucet (brushed nickel) | Striped planter | Woven soap pump | Towel ring (stainless) | Towel | Vanity baskets (large) | Toilet | Toilet paper holder (brushed brass) | Woven toilet tray (small) | Woven canister | Bird art print (18 x 24) with White wood frame (similar) | Waste basket covered with grasscloth wallpaper remnant
That wraps up my comprehensive list of wallpaper installation tips! I sincerely hope that these insights empower you and prove immensely helpful if you decide to undertake a wallpaper project on your own. Remember, while these tips cover the fundamental techniques, every wallpapering project presents its own unique nuances and potential obstacles. I aimed to keep this post focused on the essential basics, as it was already growing quite extensive! However, if your project involves specific challenges such as wallpapering around a pedestal sink, navigating an arched window frame, or dealing with other intricate architectural features, it is always wise to research and understand those particular situations thoroughly before you begin. And above all, never forget Tip #1: always keep your first wallpapering project as simple and manageable as possible!
XO,
