4 Tips for Installing New Wallpaper in Your Home

Putting up new wallpaper is a fantastic way to freshen up a room's look. Pick the right wallpaper and you can create whatever look you want. There is a huge variety of colors and patterns to choose from.

It is also easy to install and relatively inexpensive. If you choose removable wallpaper you don't even have to commit. If you don't like it you can simply take it back down.

But, for new wallpaper to look truly amazing, you have to install it right. Here are 4 tips for installing wallpaper and making it look fantastic.

Measure With Care

Before you even go out and buy your wallpaper, measure your walls with care. Always round up your measurements and give yourself a little extra room. You can always trim the paper a bit to fit perfectly, but if you add more you'll have an ugly seam.

When you do buy your paper, be sure to buy a little extra. It's a big pain to almost finish a project only to find you don't have quite enough materials. It's even worse if the store has run out of your paper.

If you choose patterned wallpaper, you should buy even more extra. You'll have an easier time matching up the pattern if you have some wiggle room.

Keep the Area Clean

Move furniture and other portable items out of your workspace. Get some good drop cloths and cover your floor. There's nothing worse than a fancy new wallpapered wall with a paste stain on the carpet.

Sometimes people use newspapers to protect their floors. We don't recommend that as the papers can get wet and smudge newsprint on your carpet.

Prepare Your Walls First

Before you begin to wallpaper, you should prepare your walls. The surface needs to be clean, smooth, and dry.

If you have old paint chipping away, you will need to clean that off before wallpapering. If it's bad enough you will have to put in some time sanding it down until it is smooth.

Wash the wall to remove any dust from sanding. Be sure that it dries before your begin wallpapering.

Smooth, Blot, and Trim

Use a straight edge to smooth out the new wallpaper as you work. Otherwise, you will end up with little bubbles or wrinkles in the paper. Trust us when we say that does not look professional at all.

Keep a rag on hand to blot up the extra adhesive as you work. It's a whole lot easier to do it as you go. If you try to clean it up later, it will have dried and you'll have to chip it off.

Trim off the excess paper with care. Using a straight edge and utility knife is a good way to do this.

Hang Your New Wallpaper!

Follow these installation tips to hang your new wallpaper the right way. Then, let us know how your project turns out in the comments.

For more great home improvement and design ideas, check out our blog. We have a tone of information that will help make your home look amazing!