Match a wallpaper pattern

Hang wallpaper so the pattern lines up perfectly across every join, corner and switch in one room.

WP-01Clear the room and check the wall surfaceMove furniture away from the walls, take down curtains, pictures and curtain poles, and lay dust sheets. Look closely at the wall: lath and plaster can be soft, crumbly or uneven; dot-and-dab plasterboard often shows ridged joint lines; solid brick or block can be rough and absorbent. If the surface is patchy or uneven, hang cross-lining paper first so the pattern sits flat and doesn't follow every dip and bump.

2 each · Dust sheets

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1 roll · Lining paper (if needed)

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WP-02Check the pattern repeat and buy extra paperFind the pattern repeat measurement in mm on the roll label or wrapper. This tells you how far the pattern shifts between drops, and how much waste you'll cut off when matching. Check whether the paper is 'paste the wall' or 'paste the paper', as the hanging method differs. Buy 10-15% more paper than the room measurement suggests, to cover pattern-matching waste.

1 roll · Wallpaper

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WP-03Turn off power before working around switches and socketsIf any wall has a socket or switch, turn off that circuit at the consumer unit before you loosen the faceplate to tuck paper behind it. Never assume a faceplate is safe to touch just because the room light is off. Leave the circuit off until you've finished trimming paper around that fitting and retightened the screws.

WP-04Mark a true plumb line for the first dropUse a spirit level or a plumb bob to draw a dead vertical line on the wall, usually starting near a window or a focal wall. Walls and corners are rarely straight, so working from a plumb line keeps the pattern square even where the wall itself isn't. This first line sets up every drop after it.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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WP-05Measure and cut the first two dropsMeasure the wall height and add 100mm at the top and bottom for trimming. Cut the first drop to length. Lay the second length next to it, unrolled, and slide it up or down until the pattern lines up exactly with the first drop, then cut it to match. This sliding and cutting is where most of your extra paper gets used.

1 each · Wallpaper scissors

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1 each · Pasting table

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WP-06Paste and hang the first dropFor 'paste the paper' rolls, apply paste evenly to the back of the drop and fold it loosely, pasted sides together, to let it soak for the time stated on the label. For 'paste the wall' papers, apply paste directly to the wall instead. Hang the first drop against your plumb line, smoothing outward from the centre with a smoothing brush to remove air bubbles.

1 tub · Wallpaper paste

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1 each · Pasting brush

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1 each · Smoothing brush

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WP-07Hang the second drop and match the seamPosition the second drop next to the first, butting the edges together rather than overlapping them. Slide it slightly up or down until the pattern lines up exactly at the seam, then smooth it flat. Run a seam roller gently down the join once it's positioned, to press the edges flat without squeezing paste out.

1 each · Seam roller

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WP-08Continue around the room, checking the match as you goKeep hanging drops in sequence, working away from your starting point in both directions if you began at a focal wall. Check the pattern match every few drops with your spirit level, since small errors add up over a long wall. Slow down rather than force a match if the paper starts drifting off-level.

WP-09Handle internal corners carefullyInternal corners are almost never perfectly square, so don't try to wrap a full width around one. Cut the drop so a small amount, around 20-30mm, wraps around the corner, then hang the next piece slightly overlapping it on the new wall. Accept a small pattern break in the corner itself - this is normal and expected, even on a good job.

WP-10Trim at skirting, ceiling and around switchesPress the paper into the angle at the ceiling and skirting with the back of your scissors or a straight edge, then trim along the crease with a sharp trimming knife. At sockets and switches, cut a cross in the paper over the faceplate, tuck the flaps behind, then re-fit the faceplate screws once the paper is dry. Only turn the circuit back on at the consumer unit once the faceplate is secure and dry.

1 each · Trimming knife

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1 each · Straight edge

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WP-11Clean up and store leftoversWipe any paste off skirting boards, door frames and switch plates before it dries. Dispose of paper offcuts, wash your brushes, roller and pasting bucket, and wipe down the pasting table. Store any leftover full rolls flat in a dry place, in case you need to patch the paper later.

1 each · Cleaning cloth

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