Here are some tips for first-time wallpaper hangers:
– You`ll find prepasted, pretrimmed wallpaper the easiest to hang, bedrooms the easiest place to begin. (Kitchens and bathrooms require more cutting.)
– Prepasted papers call for a water tray; other papers require a trimming/pasting table, which can be rented for $5 a day from one of J.C. Licht Co.`s 10 Chicago-area locations. You also can use a sheet of plywood laid atop sawhorses.
– You`ll need a stepladder or a stepstool, a dropcloth and several small tools, many of which you may already own. They include a yardstick, pencil, thumbtacks, chalkline, plumb bob, scissors, screwdriver, paint roller or brush for applying sizing and paste, seam roller, short-bristled smoothing brush, putty knife, razor-blade holder, single-edge razor blades, sponges and buckets for paste and cleanup. What you don`t have is available at your local paint/
wallpaper store in kits or individually.
– You`ll also need spackling compound for patching walls, paste (if you`re not using prepasted paper) and sizing (premixes are the easiest to use).
– Seek out knowledgeable salespeople and ask questions about various products before you buy.
– Look for free, step-by-step ”how-to” booklets in wallpaper departments. Imperial, a Collins & Aikman Co., publishes Get the Hang of It!
and Tricky Spots.
– Measure the number of square feet to be covered and determine how many rolls of wallcovering you`ll need, keeping in mind the difference between metric and American calculations. Store employees will help, although they`re not responsible for computation of rolls needed.
– Ask the store for a list of its wallpaper policies regarding returns, defective paper, cutting charges, etc. Save your sales receipt.
– Prepare surfaces to be papered by removing old paper, patching, sanding, cleaning and sizing. The finished job will be only as good as the walls underneath.
– Before opening packaged paper, check to make sure the print run numbers match. After opening, check each roll to make sure there are no defects in the paper.
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– Read the instructions and follow them carefully.
– Measure twice; cut once.