Hang peel-and-stick wallpaper

Learn to prep your wall, measure, cut and hang peel-and-stick wallpaper neatly, trimming tidily around sockets and switches.

PW-01Clear the room and gather your toolsMove furniture away from the wall and lay dust sheets on the floor. Take down curtains, pictures and anything fixed near the wall so you have a clear run top to bottom. Lay out your tools: tape measure, spirit level or plumb line, sharp craft knife, smoothing tool or squeegee, and a straight edge.

2 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Craft knife with spare blades

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1 each · Wallpaper smoothing tool

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PW-02Check your wall type and surfacePeel-and-stick paper needs a smooth, sound, flat surface to grip properly. Painted plasterboard (on timber or metal studs) and painted solid brick or block usually work well once cleaned and any holes filled. Bare, textured brick or block is too rough — line it with lining paper first and let that dry fully before wallpapering. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, press gently across the wall and listen for a hollow or soft sound over a wide patch, which can mean a failed dab behind — get this checked before you paper over it. On lath and plaster, check for flaking paint or soft, crumbly plaster; if you find either, cross-line with lining paper first, because peel-and-stick paper can pull the loose surface off with it later.

PW-03Fill and sand any imperfectionsFill small holes, cracks and dents with ready-mixed filler and leave to dry fully. Sand filled areas flush with fine sandpaper (120-180 grit) so there is no ridge under the paper. Wipe away all sanding dust with a dry cloth.

1 each · Ready-mixed filler, small tub

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1 pack · Fine sandpaper

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PW-04Clean the wallWash the wall with sugar soap and warm water to remove grease, dust and any residue. Rinse with a clean, damp cloth and let the wall dry completely before you carry on — this can take a few hours. Any dirt or grease left behind will stop the adhesive from bonding.

1 bottle · Sugar soap

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2 each · Cleaning cloths

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PW-05Prime the wall if neededIf the wall is bare plaster, very absorbent, or was previously covered in a glossy or satin paint, apply a coat of wallpaper primer or a matt emulsion mist coat and let it dry fully. This gives peel-and-stick paper a surface it can grip. Skip this step if the wall is already painted in ordinary matt or emulsion paint and is sound.

1 litre · Wallpaper primer or matt emulsion

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PW-06Mark a plumb line for your first stripPeel-and-stick strips must hang perfectly vertical, not just square to a corner, because corners and walls are rarely true. Measure the width of your first roll and mark that distance from the corner. Use a spirit level or a plumb line to draw a faint vertical pencil line at that mark, floor to ceiling — this is your guide for hanging the first strip straight.

1 each · Spirit level or plumb bob

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1 each · Pencil

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PW-07Measure and cut your first stripMeasure the wall height from skirting to ceiling and add 100mm extra at top and bottom for trimming. Cut your first strip to this length on a flat surface using a sharp knife and straight edge. Check the pattern lines up if the paper has a repeating design.

1 roll · Peel-and-stick wallpaper roll

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1 each · Straight edge or long ruler

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PW-08Hang the first stripPeel back about 300mm of the backing paper from the top and position the edge against your plumb line, leaving the 100mm overlap at the ceiling. Smooth the top section down with your smoothing tool, working outwards to push out air bubbles. Keep peeling the backing away in short sections as you work down, smoothing as you go, checking the edge stays on the line.

PW-09Hang the remaining stripsCut and hang each following strip the same way, butting the edge up to the previous strip or overlapping slightly, following the gap your specific paper needs (check the roll label). Match any pattern across the join before smoothing down. Work along the wall one strip at a time, smoothing out air bubbles as you go.

2 roll · Peel-and-stick wallpaper roll

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PW-10Work around sockets and switchesCables can run up or down from a socket or switch in ways you can't see, so never assume it's safe to poke a knife or screwdriver in near one carelessly. If you plan to loosen the faceplate screws to tuck paper neatly behind the edge, turn off that circuit at the consumer unit first — don't rely on the switch being off. With the power off, paper over the fitting, cut a cross in the paper over the middle of the faceplate, then trim back to the edges and smooth flat before re-tightening the screws.

PW-11Trim the edgesOnce a strip is fully smoothed, use your straight edge and a sharp blade to trim off the excess at the ceiling, skirting and corners. Press the straight edge firmly into the joint and cut in one clean pass rather than sawing, which tears peel-and-stick paper. Wipe the blade clean between cuts to keep the edge sharp.

PW-12Smooth, check and tidy upGo back over the whole wall and press out any remaining air bubbles with your smoothing tool, working from the centre of each strip outwards. Check joins are flat and edges are fully stuck down, pressing firmly along skirting and ceiling lines. Gather offcuts and backing paper for disposal, fold and store any spare rolls, and put your tools away clean.

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