Learn to wrap wallpaper cleanly around internal and external corners without bubbles, tears or wonky pattern lines.
WC-01Prepare the room and check the wallsClear furniture back from the walls and lay dust sheets. Check the corner and the walls either side are sound, dry and free of old flaking paper. Lightly sand any bumps and fill any dents, then let filler dry fully before you start.
WC-02Set a plumb line for the last full length before the cornerCorners are rarely dead straight, so never trust the corner itself as your guide. Use your spirit level to mark a true vertical line on the wall about 20mm short of the corner. Hang your last full length of paper to this line as normal.
WC-03Wrap the strip into an internal cornerLet the last length run into the corner and gently crease it into the angle with your smoothing brush rather than forcing it flat. Let it turn onto the next wall by no more than 15-20mm. Do not try to hang one piece flat across an internal corner — walls are never quite square and the paper will bag or tear.
WC-04Hang the return piece with a fresh plumb lineOn the new wall, mark a new plumb line that just overlaps the 15-20mm turned edge. Hang the next length to this fresh line, not to the corner. This keeps the pattern hanging straight even though the corner underneath is not.
WC-05Trim the internal corner overlapWhere the two pieces overlap in the corner, press a straightedge into the angle and run a sharp snap-off blade along it to cut through both layers in one go. Peel away the offcuts and smooth the join flat with the brush. Wipe off any paste that has squeezed out.
WC-06Wrap an external corner in two pieces, never oneFor an external corner (a wall edge sticking out into the room), hang the piece up to the corner and let it wrap around by 15-20mm onto the return wall, no more. A wider wrap will pull, bubble or tear as it dries. Smooth it down firmly along the edge.
WC-07Hang the next piece plumb over the wrapped edgeMark a new plumb line on the return wall just covering the wrapped edge, and hang the next length to this line. On thick or heavily embossed paper, lift the new piece back and trim the wrapped edge underneath flush first, so you don't get a visible ridge from double thickness. Smooth and check the pattern lines up before moving on.
WC-08Roll seams, clean up and check the roomRun a seam roller lightly along every join once the paste has slightly set, including both corners. Wipe any dried paste off skirting, glass or paintwork with a clean damp sponge. Remove dust sheets once the paper is fully dry, and stand back to check both corners for straight pattern lines and no lifting edges.