- Striped paper on the walls makes the ceiling seem higher.
- To make a large, formal room more intimate, use a small overall pattern, or paper the top half of the walls and add rustic wood to the bottom portion. Warm colors such as sunny yellow and rosy pink also add an atmosphere of intimacy.
- Making a small room look big is tricky. Cool colors such as mint green, pale blues, and shades of white and beige are best.
- To calculate the number of rolls you'll need, measure the distance across the room, multiply that figure by the height of the room, and then divide by 22--about the width of a roll of wallpaper. Subtract two rolls for each standard door or window opening.
- Metallic wallpaper can conduct electricity. Don't use it around switches and sockets.
- Try to wallpaper during the daytime with as much natural daylight as possible. This will help you spot problem areas as they develop.
- Before you start papering, cover grease spots with shellac and let dry.
- Before wallpapering over dark or bright paint, apply a 1-inch stripe of white paint along the top of the wall. If the wallpaper fails to align exactly with the edge of the ceiling, the white stripe will mask the original wall color.
- Be sure to patch any holes or irregularities before papering.
- If you've never papered before, you might want to use pre-pasted wallpaper. Start with the longest uninterrupted stretch of wall.
- If you are using patterned paper, start in the center of the room and work to the right--especially if you have to deal with a fireplace or windows.
- Walls are rarely square, so be sure to drop a plumb line at the edge of your first paper run. A slight slant at the beginning becomes the leaning tower of Pisa by the time you're finished!
- To cut a straight edge use a 6-inch putty knife with a sharp blade, a utility knife or an X-acto knife.
- Cut each run as you go so that you are able to match patterns.
- If using wallpaper paste, add a drop or two of food coloring to the paste so you can easily see where you have pasted and spot the places you missed.
- After papering a moist room, such as the laundry room or bathroom, paint all the joints with clear varnish.
- If you develop a bulge, slit it with a razor blade, insert a knife under the paper to release the air, then smooth with a wet sponge.
- It's best to have a friend helping you paper the ceiling. You might want to rent a scaffold--but in a pinch you can make a platform of a long board supported by two stepladders. Take great care assembling and using the scaffolding or the board and ladder arrangement.
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Quick Tips