Prep your walls properly, then paste and hang paste-the-wall wallpaper from a plumb line for a smooth, bubble-free finish.
WP-01Clear the room and set upMove furniture into the middle of the room or take it out altogether. Lay dust sheets along the skirting and floor. Take down curtains, blinds and anything hanging on the walls. Wipe dust off skirting boards and windowsills so paste doesn't pick it up.
WP-02Turn off the power before you touch any socket or switchYou'll need to loosen faceplates later to tuck paper behind them. Switch off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit, or turn off the whole board if you're not sure which one, before a screwdriver goes anywhere near a socket or switch. Check it's dead with a socket tester or a lamp. Leave the power off until every faceplate is screwed back on at the end.
WP-03Strip old wallpaper or check what you're dealing withPaste-the-wall paper doesn't stick well over old wallpaper, so strip back to bare plaster or plasterboard first. Score vinyl paper, soak with stripping solution or a steam stripper, then scrape off. Solid brick or block walls usually strip easily once soaked. Plasterboard needs a gentler touch so you don't tear the paper face on it. Lath and plaster is the trickiest — the plaster can be soft and crack away from the laths if you scrape too hard, so work slowly.
WP-04Fill, sand and clean the wallFill holes, cracks and gouges with multi-purpose filler, let it dry, then sand flush. Wash the whole wall with sugar soap to shift grease and old paste residue, then rinse with clean water. If you're papering onto bare new plaster, let it dry out fully first — papering over damp plaster traps moisture and causes bubbling and mould later.
WP-05Seal or line the wall depending on typeOn bare new plaster or any very porous wall, brush on wallpaper size or diluted PVA and let it dry — this stops the paste soaking in too fast and stops the paper bonding permanently to the plaster. On lath and plaster or an uneven stud wall (timber or metal studs behind plasterboard), hang lining paper horizontally first to even out joints and movement, then leave it a few hours before papering over the top. On dot-and-dab or standard stud-wall plasterboard, just make sure joints are filled and sanded flat — lining paper is optional there but gives a better finish.
WP-06Mark a plumb line for your first lengthMeasure one roll-width out from the corner you're starting in. Use a spirit level to draw a vertical plumb line at that point, from ceiling to skirting. Every length lines up against this line, not the corner, because corners are rarely truly straight.
WP-07Cut your first lengthMeasure the wall height and add 100mm extra at the top and bottom for trimming. Cut your first length from the roll, matching the pattern repeat to where it will meet the next length.
WP-08Paste the wall and hang the first lengthUsing a paint roller, apply paste-the-wall adhesive directly to the wall in a strip slightly wider than your paper, working top to bottom. Line the top of the paper up at the ceiling with about 50mm spare, and align the edge to your plumb line. Smooth the paper down and outward with a smoothing brush, pushing out air bubbles as you go.
WP-09Trim the top and bottom edgesPress the paper into the join between wall and ceiling and run the smoothing brush along the crease. Cut along the crease with a sharp trimming knife against a wide filling knife or metal straightedge, rather than freehand. Repeat at skirting board level.
WP-10Hang the remaining lengths and match seamsPaste the next strip of wall and hang each length butted edge-to-edge against the last — paste-the-wall paper shouldn't overlap. Match the pattern as you go, sliding the paper gently into place rather than stretching it. Smooth each seam flat so no gap or overlap shows once it's dry.
WP-11Cut around sockets and switchesWith the power still off at the consumer unit, hang the paper over the switch or socket as normal. Cut a small diagonal cross from the centre of the faceplate out to each corner, then trim the flaps back to about 5mm from the plate edge. Loosen the faceplate screws, tuck the trimmed edges behind, and rest the plate back in place. Don't touch any terminals, even with the power off, and wait until the paper is dry before fully retightening the screws.
WP-12Finish internal and external cornersWalls are never perfectly square, so don't wrap a full length round a corner. Hang paper up to the corner, then cut a strip to turn onto the next wall with about 20mm overlap. Paste and hang the overlap piece, smoothing it flat so there's no visible seam.
WP-13Restore power and check your socketsOnce every faceplate is dry and fully screwed back on, turn the circuit back on at the consumer unit. Test each socket and switch works normally before putting furniture back against the wall.
WP-14Clean up and let the paper dryWipe excess paste off skirting boards, switches and woodwork with a damp cloth before it dries hard. Remove dust sheets, collect offcuts and empty paste buckets. Keep windows and doors closed for 24 to 48 hours so the paper dries evenly — draughts can lift seams and edges before they've bonded.