How to glue wallpaper correctly. How to glue wallpaper: main rules and nuances of work How to glue wallpaper alone
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Self-repair saves money and allows you to perform certain work more efficiently, because a person does everything for himself. There are a lot of features in the process of wallpapering that you should know in order to complete all the steps quickly and competently. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the full instructions, supplemented with photos and video materials, so that your repair brings you only positive emotions, and the work performed is of high quality.
Preparatory work
Initially, a series of preparatory work should be completed, which can also include the selection of wallpaper, glue and the process of preparing the wall for applying the material. Initially, you need to study the wallpaper market to choose options by color, size and special qualities.
Today, paper, non-woven and vinyl options are relevant. Paper ones are relevant because they are inexpensive, and the process of gluing them will be quite simple. Nevertheless, non-woven wallpaper one meter wide is considered a better and more rational option. These wallpapers are stylish, original, and high quality. In addition, gluing them will not cause any particular difficulties.
Glue selection
A very important element of finishing work on pasting is glue. When choosing, you should give preference to options with the following characteristics:
- Chemical neutrality;
- After drying, the glue should be transparent;
- It must be environmentally friendly.
Depending on the type of wallpaper used, you can choose the right brand of glue. If it is paper wallpaper, ordinary glue will do, which is diluted with water based on clear instructions (located on the glue packaging). For synthetic paper-based wallpaper, it is recommended to purchase glue containing synthetic resin (the same glue will be required for non-woven wallpaper). For wallpaper to be painted, you should purchase especially strong adhesive - dispersed in ready-made form. For velor options, a special composition of glue is used.
Preparing the walls
The preparatory process begins with removing old coatings from the wall. If the wall was covered with wallpaper, then it must first be wetted with water; for this it is better to use a sponge. You should wait until the wallpaper is soaked, after which it can be easily removed using a metal spatula.
If the walls have been whitewashed, they also need to be wetted with water and the coating removed using a metal spatula. To clean the wall of paint, the surface is initially treated with sandpaper (with coarse grain), after which the peeling paint is removed with a spatula.
After removing the decorative coating, you need to inspect the wall for defects. If there are cracks and chips, they need to be puttied, then we carry out the process of priming and drying. Due to the fact that the wall will be initially primed, this will increase the level of adhesion and reduce glue consumption. For the initial treatment of the wall, it is better to take a special primer, or you can use glue diluted with water (no more than 30% of water is added) and treat the wall.
What tools are needed?
To carry out the gluing procedure you will need a set of the following tools:
- Stationery knife;
- Tape measure and plumb line;
- Scissors and bucket;
- Roller and brush;
- A clean rag (necessarily soft).
For paper and vinyl wallpaper, glue should be carefully applied to the strips. If you use non-woven wallpaper, then the glue is already applied to the wall. When you have prepared the wall and have all the necessary tools, you can start wallpapering. It is recommended to turn off the electricity when working in the area of switches and sockets.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Preparing the Wallpaper
If the wallpaper does not have a pattern, then the process of cutting the wallpaper will not be difficult. If there is a drawing, then you will have to immediately carry out measurements and adjustments, otherwise certain difficulties may arise during the pasting process.
Step 2: Begin pasting
The pasting procedure should begin exclusively from the window. In many rooms, the corners are not as straight as they should be. Therefore, before gluing the first strip, it is necessary to draw a vertical line along a plumb line on the wall.
Step 3: Applying Glue
The glue should be applied with a roller or a wide brush to a previously prepared canvas. It is imperative to wait a certain amount of time for the material to become saturated. So, paper wallpaper is soaked for five minutes, if the material is dense - 7-8 minutes, after applying glue to textile wallpaper you need to wait at least ten minutes. When using non-woven material, glue is applied to the wall, after which pre-prepared strips of material are glued to it. Be sure to make a slight overlap on the baseboard and ceiling, so that in the future it will be possible to carry out alignment if necessary.
Step 4: Smoothing
After applying a strip of material to the wall, smoothing must be done. To do this, you can use a rubber roller or a dry, clean cloth. If significant folds form, you need to tear off the strip and then carefully glue it back. Remember that you cannot stretch the material beyond the edges, as after drying you will get gaps at the joints.
Little tricks for wallpapering
- You need to start the pasting process from the window and finish above the door;
- It is recommended to stick the strips vertically, and you can use a laser level or a plumb line to mark the boundaries of the intended location of the strip on the wall;
- When carrying out the process of gluing wallpaper in the area of switches and sockets, it is recommended to remove them, this way you can eliminate unnecessary difficulties with cutting holes inside the strip. First you need to turn off the electricity in the house;
- If there is any excess (overlap on the baseboard or ceiling), it is better to cut it off after it has dried.
We also recommend watching the training video - .
If you decide to do If you are renovating an apartment yourself, then you will probably be gluing wallpaper and then this article will be useful to you. In it we will tell you how to properly glue wallpaper with your own hands.
This detailed instruction on the website is dedicated to gluing wallpaper with your own hands using photo and video materials. You will learn how to correctly complete all stages from preparing the walls to finishing the work.
Having learned how to properly glue wallpaper once, you will be able to use this skill in the future, since for many years these methods have remained unchanged and differ only depending on the type of wallpaper.
Preparatory work
Wallpapering with your own hands should begin with preparatory work. This includes choosing wallpaper, glue and preparing the walls.
The choice must begin with choosing the type of wallpaper, its color and size.
The main types that are most often found in the store are:
- paper;
- non-woven;
- vinyl.
It’s better to choose non-woven wallpaper 1m wide, see the colors for yourself, but the best design is one that won’t need to be adjusted. This will save your time and money.
You can find out whether the wallpaper needs adjustment or not by looking at the label. If the word “Rapport=0” is present on it, then such wallpaper does not need to be adjusted, but with “Rapport=30” you will have to leave a margin of 30 cm.
It is also worth considering when choosing wallpaper that a large pattern does not make the room smaller, while a small one, on the contrary, enlarges it.
Wallpaper placed under the ceiling with a vertical pattern increases the height of the room, and the border under the ceiling reduces it.
Blue shades make the room larger, while brown shades make the room smaller.
Also make sure that all rolls have the same batch number, as different batches may have different shades.
Types of wallpaper
Paper
Usually this is two layers of paper.
- The first is the paper base.
- The second decorative layer, on which a pattern is applied, and can also be embossed.
They have the property of splitting, that is, when removed from the wall, the first layer remains on the wall and can serve as a basis for subsequent wallpapering, and the top layer is removed.
Structural
These wallpapers have a special colored paste applied to the base in the form of some kind of patterns. They are highly resistant to washing and other mechanical influences, and do not fade in the sun.
When removed, the first base layer remains on the wall and can also serve as the basis for new wallpaper.
Vinyl
They consist of two layers, the first is a base material, and the second is a vinyl seal. They are very firmly connected to each other.
May have embossing. Vinyl wallpaper is used where wear resistance is required.
Non-woven
In this wallpaper, instead of a paper base, a special non-woven fabric is used. Non-woven wallpapers come either ready-made or for subsequent painting.
When gluing non-woven wallpaper, the glue is applied not to the wallpaper, but directly to the wall. They are not deformed and can be removed completely when removed.
Glue selection
Glue is a very important element when gluing wallpaper. The main criteria for glue are:
- chemical neutrality;
- transparency after drying;
- must be environmentally and hygienically clean.
The adhesive is chosen depending on the type of wallpaper used.
For paper glue, ordinary wallpaper glue is suitable, which must be diluted with water according to the instructions on the package.
For synthetic wallpaper on a paper base, the same glue is used as for non-woven wallpaper containing synthetic resin.
For wallpaper to be painted, a particularly strong adhesive is required. These are usually dispersed adhesives in ready-made form.
For velor, wallpaper made of natural materials and metal, special adhesives are used.
Preparing walls for wallpapering
Preparation of the base begins with removing all old decorative coatings from the wall.
If the wall was covered with wallpaper, then we wet it with water using a sponge and let it soak, then it can be easily removed with a metal spatula.
Whitewashed walls are soaked with water and the whitewash is removed with a metal spatula.
Painted walls are treated with coarse sandpaper and all loose paint is removed.
If there are cracks or other defects on the wall, they must be puttied until smooth.
The walls must be primed and dried before wallpapering. This will increase the strength of the fastening and reduce glue consumption.
For priming, you can use a ready-made special primer or the same glue only diluted with water by about 20-30%.
If rust spots appear through the primer on the wall, they are painted over with white enamel paint.
The glue must be selected in accordance with the selected wallpaper. All characteristics are indicated on the packaging itself.
The only thing I would like to advise is not to skimp on glue, since the entire result of the work you do depends on it.
The process for preparing the glue is also indicated on the packaging and should be strictly followed.
How to properly glue wallpaper with your own hands
To paste wallpaper we will need the following tool:
- roulette;
- stationery knife;
- plumb line;
- scissors;
- glue brush;
- wallpaper brush;
- roller for joints;
- bucket;
- clean soft cloth.
If you have paper or vinyl wallpaper, then the glue is applied to the canvas, and with non-woven wallpaper directly on the wall. Also remember that the glue is selected depending on the type of wallpaper.
When the walls and glue are ready, you can proceed directly to gluing the wallpaper to the wall. Under no circumstances should there be drafts in the room, otherwise they may simply fall off.
It is advisable to turn off the electricity in this room. At the very least, this must be done when working in the area of sockets and switches.
Previously, all wallpaper was glued overlapping, and they had to be glued starting from the window. Modern wallpaper is glued end-to-end and therefore where to start gluing is no longer important.
Cutting wallpaper, as mentioned above, with a design that does not require adjustment, can be cut to size. Otherwise, you will have to adjust the design and the consumption will be higher.
You should leave 10mm allowances at the top and bottom; after gluing, they will be trimmed.
We will start gluing from the window. It's no secret that in our houses the walls and corners are far from ideal. Therefore, before gluing the first strip of wallpaper on each wall, it is necessary to draw a strictly vertical line along a plumb line.
The distance from the corner should be equal to the width of the wallpaper minus one centimeter. This is necessary so that there is an overlap of 1cm on the adjacent wall.
When gluing non-woven wallpaper, glue is applied only to the wall.
We coat the wall itself to the width of the glued strip.
Glue the canvas strictly along the drawn vertical line. There should also be an overlap on the ceiling and baseboard for further trimming and leveling of unevenness.
The next step is to smooth the strip with a dry, clean cloth or rubber roller. Roll the seams with a rubber roller.
If folds form, you need to tear off the strip and glue it again.
You can’t stretch it beyond the edges, as it will later create gaps at the joints of the wallpaper.
Trim off excess from top and bottom. If necessary, coat the edges again and smooth them out.
Wipe off any leaked glue with a wet, clean rag or sponge.
We glue the following strips in a similar way:
- coat the wallpaper;
- coat the wall;
- apply end-to-end to the already glued strip;
- smooth with a rubber roller;
- cut off the excess;
- remove excess glue.
When gluing arches, first glue the strips next to the arch and above it. We leave a margin of 2-3 cm, which we cut repeatedly and wrap into an arch. Then we paste a precisely measured strip of wallpaper into the arch opening. You can also close the corner with a special corner profile, matched to the color of the wallpaper.
Little tricks for wallpapering
Start covering the room from the corner closest to the window and end above the door.
Stick the strips strictly vertically, use a plumb line or a laser level.
When sticking in the area of sockets and switches, they must be removed. Pre-de-energized! Then we make a cut in the places of sockets and switches in the shape of a cross. After the wallpaper has dried, carefully cut out the excess and screw the covers of sockets and switches into place.
Humidity
If the wall on which the wallpaper will be pasted is concrete or plastered, then we carry out the following experiment.
We take ordinary plastic film, glue it to the wall with tape and leave everything overnight.
The next day we look - if drops of condensation appear on the film, then such a surface must be dried. Otherwise, it will be impossible to glue wallpaper due to too much humidity.
Surface strength
Take any sharp object and try to scratch the wall on which the wallpaper will be glued. The place where the scratch was made should not crumble or crack.
Also, when running your fingernail along the wall, no marks should remain on the surface.
Walls that were previously painted can be tested for strength by sticking tape and then tearing it off. There should be no debris left on the tape.
If there are traces of old paint on the tape, then the wall must be cleaned of paint that does not adhere well to it.
If the surface was previously whitened, it is washed with water.
It is advisable to treat the surface with a special primer before gluing wallpaper. It will further strengthen the walls.
After you finish gluing the wallpaper, you need to let it dry thoroughly. The room temperature should be about 18-20°C. Drafts and strong heating of the room should not be allowed, as this will lead to the seams coming apart and the wallpaper may fall off the wall.
Mistakes when gluing wallpaper
Although wallpapering is not a very complicated operation and does not require a high level of skill compared to some other renovation work, it is still necessary to be aware of possible mistakes and avoid them.
Skew
This is when the edges of adjacent strips do not coincide (there is no joint or, on the contrary, there is an overlap).
If you try to pull the edges, you can tear the canvas. The right thing to do would be to tear off the entire strip and re-glue it.
To prevent distortion, glue the wallpaper strictly vertically along the drawn lines using a plumb line.
Pattern mismatch
The reason for the discrepancy is the incorrect cutting of the canvases.
Try to choose wallpaper that does not need to be adjusted to the pattern, as this simplifies the gluing process itself, accordingly saves time and reduces the number of trims.
Do not cut the entire roll at once, prepare 2 - 3 strips at a time.
Peeling off wallpaper
Wallpaper may come off if:
- the surface was not prepared;
- the glue preparation technology has been violated or its shelf life has expired;
- the conditions necessary for proper drying of the wallpaper have been violated.
If you glued the wallpaper following these instructions, then these defects will not appear.
Bubbles
Blisters appear when air gets under the wallpaper.
After gluing the strip to the wall, you must immediately squeeze out the air from under it using a rubber roller or a simple rag, moving from the center to the edges.
Also, when using vinyl adhesive when gluing thin paper wallpaper, bubbles may appear.
Small bubbles can be removed using a syringe by injecting glue into the bubble and smoothing it out.
Most defects occur due to violation of the rules when gluing wallpaper. The main mistakes are violation of instructions when preparing wallpaper glue, drafts or too low room temperature.
Video instructions on how to glue wallpaper:
Good luck with your renovation!
If you have any questions, complaints or want to leave your positive feedback, you can do so below! Leave your feedback and suggestions in the comments!
The condition of the walls of a living room has a strong influence on its visual perception. Therefore, every owner tries to give them an aesthetic appearance and create decent comfort in their home. Quite a lot of construction methods have been developed to solve this issue.
One of them - the method of sticking wallpaper on the walls of a room with your own hands when renovating an apartment - is shared with readers of the site by experienced builder Dmitry Chernov.
His advice will help you understand the secrets of this method and master them in full, including the steps:
- choosing wallpaper and glue;
- selection of working tools and materials;
- wall surface preparation;
- treating wallpaper with glue and directly gluing it to the surface of the building structure.
Rules for choosing wallpaper
The optimal choice of wall covering should not only be based on color and pattern, but also taking into account:
- the material of its manufacture;
- roll dimensions;
- indoor operating conditions.
Coating material
We offer a wide variety of wallpaper coverings for sale:
- paper, as the most common and cheapest. They are made: one layer - simplex or two - duplex;
- vinyl or acrylic coverings with a paper or non-woven base made of semi-synthetic, paper-like or non-woven materials. They are treated with polyvinyl chloride - vinyl or synthetic fabric - acrylic;
- natural materials from:
- fabrics: silk, linen, cotton;
- wood processing products: cork, veneer;
- as well as plant materials: straw, jute, bamboo or reed.
The basis for all coatings is usually paper.
Main sizes of wallpaper rolls
Typical dimensions are shown in the table. They are convenient to use to calculate the covered area.
However, in practice, rolls of other sizes may be encountered. Pay attention to this question.
Compatibility with walls and operating conditions
When choosing wallpaper, you first need to pay attention to the conditions for its further operation, which depend on a number of factors:
- indoor air humidity;
- placement locations on the inner or end surface of the wall;
- condition of the wall covering.
Wallpaper compatibility table
How to choose glue
Adhesive mixtures are selected after the final selection of wallpaper.
Light paper blanks can hold any glue composition well, and for all others, grades have been developed that can hold even heavy blanks.
For luxury vinyl, acrylic and natural materials, manufacturers indicate recommended adhesive compositions.
Preparing tools and work area
Before directly applying the sticker, you need to prepare:
- the space in which the work will be performed;
- tools and materials for cutting and stickers.
The workplace and tools must meet
An ordinary table or a flat section of floor slightly longer than the height of the wall will allow you to work with a roll. You can also use a flat sheet of fiberboard or chipboard.
Tools you will need: tape measure, metal ruler 55 cm long, paper cutter, brush or roller, glue container, plastic wallpaper spatula or rag, plumb line, pencil.
The floor surface must be washed from dirt and dust. Even small grains of debris can damage the front surface of the decorative material. The workplace covering should be periodically wiped with a damp cloth to remove any adhesive residue and kept as dry as possible.
Rules for preparing the wall surface
In most cases of apartment renovation, the walls are already covered with old wallpaper or paint. They should be cleaned.
Paint removal technique
The painted surface must be sanded to create a rough surface that will be well saturated with glue. Then it is washed with a soapy solution to degrease and rinsed with clean water.
Method for removing pasted coatings
Old wallpaper material must be removed from the wall. This can be done by treating with a liquid to remove glued paper or with regular warm water.
Using a brush or sponge, apply the liquid to the wall covering and leave for 10-20 minutes.
This time is usually enough for it to be absorbed into the base material and to be detached from the wall surface.
Then use a spatula to separate the paper from the wall, moving it from top to bottom. You should work carefully so as not to damage the surface of the building coating on which the sticker will be applied.
If the impregnation of the base material was done efficiently, then almost all the wallpaper should come off. You don't need to scrub too hard with a spatula to completely clean the surface. This procedure will not only damage the wall putty, but will also take a lot of time. The remaining pieces of paper that have not been removed should be re-treated with liquid, wait a while and remove.
This “wet - wait - tear off” method is well suited for paper bases. But with vinyl or acrylic coatings you will have to tinker a little. Their top layer practically does not allow water to pass through.
To remove such wallpaper, you must first remove the top layer. In principle, it can be easily removed: just grab the corner of the coating material and pull it down. And then treat the remaining part with liquid to remove the lower base.
Rules for preliminary wall preparation
In most cases, after removing the old wallpaper, places of chips and cracks on the wall are revealed. They should be cleaned and puttied. When the putty dries, it is treated with sandpaper for the final
If there are sockets, switches and baseboards on the wall surface, then it is advisable to dismantle their covers, and the exposed ends of the electrical wiring must be reliably insulated for
A completely cleaned wall surface must be treated with a layer of a special primer or a weak solution of the selected adhesive with the consistency indicated on the packaging. It will create a protective coating film that ensures good adhesion of the material.
Wallpaper technology
Selecting a starting point
Each home craftsman, when renovating an apartment with his own hands, must determine where to start gluing. The answer to this question depends on the method of joining the blanks at the edges:
- end-to-end;
- using the overlap method - placing sheets on top of each other.
Nowadays the first coating method is usually used. It allows you to start gluing from almost any place and work sequentially.
The second method has often been used in the past. To do this, a control strip ran on each side of the wallpaper roll. To make the overlaps invisible, the sheets were glued away from the window so that the light emanating from it would hide the connecting seams rather than highlight them.
- the most complex unit, where there are vertical obstacles in the form of heating pipes and various hanging structures;
- or from the most visible (large) angle.
Roll marking
First, it should be placed on the wall near the location of the selected corner, removing its distance less than 2–3 cm of the width of the wallpaper. For example, if the roll has a size of 53 cm, then you need to measure 50 or 51.
Use a tape measure to measure the required height of the wall from floor to ceiling. Then unroll the roll on the prepared workplace and transfer the tape measure to it, creating a margin of 5 cm.
From the resulting point on the workpiece, draw a line perpendicular to the side. It is convenient to draw it using a construction square or simply fold the roll in half, aligning its edges. Using this marking, the workpiece is cut using scissors or a sharp mounting knife along a ruler or fold.
The marking of the next roll blank depends on the pattern on the wallpaper. If it does not require precise joining, then you can cut several strips at once, applying the cut piece as a template.
When it is necessary to combine a pattern, the consumption of wallpaper will be increased. To mark a new workpiece you will need:
- lay out the cut template fabric face up;
- unroll the roll and match the pattern on it and the prepared workpiece;
- Mark the required length on the template and cut it from the roll from the bottom and top.
If you take into account the arrangement of the pattern on several rolls, you can reduce the length of unused sections and save material. Each piece should be numbered on the reverse side or cut off before impregnating the previous one. This eliminates the possibility of them being mistakenly pasted onto the wall in an arbitrary manner.
Rules for applying glue to wallpaper
The adhesive mass must be prepared according to factory instructions, following the technology and allowing time for the mixture to mature. Only in this case will it work effectively.
The strip prepared and cut from the roll is laid out face down on the work table, and the wrong side is treated with glue using a roller or brush. After impregnation, it is folded in half using the accordion method, placing two edges in the middle. The layers are pressed lightly, but do not put pressure on the fold. In this position, the strip is left for 5-15 minutes, necessary for the glue to be absorbed into the pores of the paper and its structure to be well impregnated.
If you use colored adhesive compositions, it will be easier to visually assess the uniformity of its distribution over the surface of the wallpaper material, which will reduce the likelihood of creating unglued areas.
All wallpaper with a paper base swells from moisture, increasing its size. To ensure that this process does not have a different effect on the quality of the sticker, you should observe the same time for impregnating them with glue.
The order of placing wallpaper on the wall
Let's look at the example of a modern method of butt gluing blanks. It is convenient for him to arrange them sequentially in a circle, using, for example, a clockwise direction.
Take the prepared strip with glue impregnated by the upper edge and apply it to the top of the line near the ceiling so that the side of the workpiece strictly adheres to the drawn vertical line on the wall.
The wallpaper is pressed with a dry rag or rubber spatula, creating slight pressure on the adhesive using the herringbone method. Using movements from top to bottom and from the center to the edge, rub the surface of the base, achieving a tight fit to the wall and removing the air cushion.
If swellings with air bubbles have formed on the surface of the workpiece to be glued, then they need to be pierced with a thin needle in the center and excess air or glue must be released in a circular motion from edge to center. This must be done because the resulting cavity will not allow the wallpaper to stick securely to the wall.
After gluing the first strip, proceed to the second and then, moving clockwise, glue each subsequent blank to the opposite corner of the wall.
The joints between the strips are carefully smoothed so that they are less noticeable.
When gluing wallpaper above sockets and switches, small holes are made in them with a cutter, which serve as marks for the locations of electrical switching devices.
On the next wall, the entire sticker stage is repeated from the moment of marking a vertical line near the adjacent corner to the width of the roll. The first strip is glued along it, and the rest are sequentially distributed to the opposite corner.
Features of wallpaper stickers on the corners of walls
Strips of blanks on the internal and external corners are glued so that one edge of the blank overlaps the adjacent wall, and the next strip is glued with a slight overlap of up to 2-3 cm.
Features of wallpaper stickers near window openings
At the side surface of the window, measure a strip of wallpaper that will need to be glued. An incision is made on it at the place where the window sill and slopes protrude. The workpiece is impregnated with glue in the usual way and pressed against the wall.
Measurements are also taken above and below the window opening, and strips are cut according to them and glued to the wall.
Features of wallpaper stickers near radiators
The wall plane behind the radiators has difficult access and limited space. Wallpaper is usually not completely glued to it. They are placed only at the edges.
To do this, just cut off an extra piece from the workpiece, place it over the edge of the battery and press it with a spatula.
Important reminder: after finishing working with glue, pour the remaining glue into a hermetically sealed container, for example, a plastic bottle with a lid. They will soon be needed for gluing defective areas.
How to properly dry pasted wallpaper
To ensure reliable adhesion of the wallpaper to the wall, it is necessary to withstand the drying technology of the adhesive composition. It must harden simultaneously on the building structure and inside the fibers of the impregnated paper.
To do this, it is necessary to ensure stable conditions of temperature and humidity:
- close all windows and doors in the room to prevent drafts;
- turn off heating devices to prevent temperature changes;
- limit the access of people to the premises as much as possible.
Final work on the sticker
Normal glue drying usually lasts 18-24 hours, and with high humidity it increases up to two days. It is important to maintain this period and only after its completion is it allowed to cut off excess pieces. You cannot cut wallpaper that is in a semi-moist state. Their wet structure is very fragile. It will not allow you to smoothly remove unnecessary parts.
Excess pieces are cut off with a cutter, and a straight spatula with a blade length of 20 cm or more is used as a guide.
A layer of glue is reapplied to the loose edges with a small brush and the surfaces to be glued are pressed tightly.
Sometimes in hard-to-reach places or on curved surfaces it is necessary to glue wallpaper using the overlapping method. Their appearance can be improved in the following ways:
- a metal ruler is placed in the middle of the gluing;
- cut through both layers with a cutter;
- remove the cut pieces from both sides;
- re-coat the surfaces with glue and smooth the joint with a soft rag.
Closing covers on sockets and switches
Marks are found on the wallpaper, indicating places for the covers of sockets and switches. They probe the outline of the switching device housing under the finishing material and cut out an extra piece of the workpiece along it.
After this, all that remains is to remove the previously installed insulation layer and screw the protective decorative cover to the front panel.
In conclusion, we recommend watching Andrey KMV-Stroy’s video “How to glue non-woven wallpaper.” For general development, look at the questions to him and his answers right under the video.
Wallpapering remains the most common method of interior decoration of an apartment. Despite the wide selection of finishing materials, wallpaper is preferred by most consumers, since wallpaper is practical, simple, convenient and effective. The variety of materials, textures and colors of wallpaper does not leave even the most fastidious buyer indifferent. Today, in this article, I will introduce you to step-by-step instructions on how to properly glue wallpaper.
Types of wallpaper
The technology of wallpapering walls is simple and accessible to everyone. However, before you get started, you need to understand the variety of wallpapers available on the modern market. The nuances of working with the material may depend on this knowledge.
- Paper wallpaper. The cheapest option, they cannot be washed and do not retain their original appearance for long, but working with wallpaper is simple and does not require additional skills.
- Non-woven wallpaper. Paper base, non-woven fibers. Wear-resistant, washable. Easy to apply: glue is applied only to the wall.
- Vinyl wallpapers . Durable, not afraid of moisture. But they do not allow air to pass through, which is why use in a children's room is undesirable.
- Acrylic wallpaper. The acrylic on the surface of the wallpaper is thinner than vinyl, which is why they “breathe” better and can be hung in a child’s room.
- . Very strong and durable wallpaper, can be painted dozens of times, and is not afraid of water and fire.
- Textile wallpaper. Thin fabric is applied to a paper base. High price and luxurious appearance, however, such walls must be protected from water, mechanical stress and odors.
- . The most original representative of wallpaper is a plastic paste made of cellulose and dyes. The natural composition and the absence of the need to level the base are the main advantages. Installation requires skill and minimal experience.
- Photo wallpaper. They are high-format photo printing on self-adhesive material. They make the room original and impressive.
Preparatory work
Wallpapering begins with preparing the walls.
- The electricity in the room being renovated must be turned off. Remove paintings from the walls, unscrew sockets and switches.
- Removing the old coating is an important step. New wallpaper pasted over old wallpaper will not last long, it will begin to bubble and peel off after a while. If the base is covered with wallpaper, first tear off the sheets, picking them up with a spatula, and then moisten the remaining pieces of wallpaper with warm water and remove after the glue has soaked. If the base is painted, use special chemicals to remove paint from the walls, or an electric tool with an emery attachment. Vinyl wallpaper is waterproof; to remove it, you must first remove the vinyl outer layer, and then soak and remove the paper backing.
- The preparation of the walls is completed by leveling. In case of small differences, use putty for spot leveling. Otherwise, the base is leveled with several layers of putty, after which it is treated with sandpaper and the resulting layer of dust is removed.
Wallpapering
The process is simple, but follow the basic rules for wallpapering so that the result will please you for a long time.
- The wall needs to be primed. A primer is a weak adhesive solution; it is needed to improve the adhesion of the wallpaper to the base. On the glue package you will find instructions on how to prepare wallpaper glue or a primer for walls.
- The rules for gluing depend on the type of wallpaper chosen. The manufacturer of wallpaper or glue always indicates recommendations on the packaging, follow them. If glue is applied to wallpaper, then to paste the wallpaper, you need to roll it with the adhesive side inward. If the glue is applied to the wall, do not exceed the width of the canvas so that the glue does not have time to dry.
- It is important to glue the first sheet perfectly evenly; use a building level. Equalize the remaining sheets according to the first one.
- To wallpaper corners, paste two sheets of wallpaper overlapping and press firmly to the wall. Using a sharp knife, cut through both sheets, remove excess, and the sheets will be joined end to end.
- Mark the locations of the sockets on a sheet of wallpaper with a pen. After drying, carefully cut a hole that will disappear behind the decorative strip.
- To paste the corners of doors and windows, leave a small amount of wallpaper so that it goes to the corner. If you encounter a battery as an obstacle, cover the area accessible to you behind the battery.
This completes the wallpapering of the room. All you have to do is be patient and wait for the wallpaper to dry completely; this process can take up to 4-5 days. Do not open the windows indoors at this time to eliminate the risk of the canvas coming off.
Wallpaper, glued according to all the rules, will last on the wall until the next planned renovation, delighting with its original appearance, quality of coating and reliability.
Wallpaper is perhaps the most common finishing material used for wall decoration. Wallpaper has also found application in ceiling decoration. The wealth of colors and textures provides freedom of choice for the future appearance of the room. Moreover, it is not at all difficult to radically change the space with the help of wallpaper. You just need to take into account a few rules that simplify the process of gluing wallpaper and allow you to avoid annoying mistakes. It’s better to learn more about how to glue wallpaper correctly before starting work, so as not to waste your energy “reinventing the wheel.”
Materials and their calculation
At a hardware store, sales consultants will help you calculate the required number of rolls. To do this, they need to tell them the dimensions of the room (length, width, ceiling height), as well as the number of doors and windows. Using a calculator, the total area of the walls is calculated and divided by the area of the wallpaper in the roll. The resulting number is rounded up. If the buyer chooses wallpaper with a pattern that must be taken into account when cutting the canvases, then the consumption increases by about 20%.
Wallpaper selection
Another essential material needed in the work is wallpaper glue. Selected depending on the selected type of wallpaper. The glue packaging contains information about its correct preparation. The maximum number of rolls that can be glued using one package is also indicated. Based on this, the required number of glue packages is purchased. If you plan to prime the walls with the same glue, then you need to buy another package.
To decorate the interior of a room, manufacturers produce borders of different widths that highlight the main color of the wallpaper. Borders can be glued along the ceiling, doors, windows. Very often, with the help of borders glued in a horizontal or vertical direction, a wall is visually divided into parts.
Necessary tool
- a bucket or other container for diluting glue;
- a brush (roller on a rod) for applying glue to the surface of walls and wallpaper;
- scissors (stationery knife) for cutting wallpaper into sheets of the required length;
- a simple pencil for marking;
- plumb line;
- putty knife;
- a brush or rubber roller for smoothing glued panels;
- roulette.
Wallpaper tools
Rules for gluing wallpaper: progress of work
1. Work begins with preparing the premises. It is advisable to remove the furniture or move it away from the walls and cover it with dust film.
2. Clean the walls from old wallpaper using a spatula. If it is difficult for paper scraps to come away from the wall surface, they are moistened with water. After a few minutes, the soaked paper can be easily scraped off the wall with a spatula. Painted walls are sanded with an emery float. Using putty, cracks, dowel holes and other damage to the walls are sealed. If possible, align the corners.
3. The ceiling is painted or whitewashed, after which you can move on to finishing the walls.
4. Measure the height of the wall and cut the canvas from the roll according to this measurement, adding a small margin. Some people apply the wallpaper to the wall and measure it on the spot, making a mark with a pencil. In this case, an assistant is needed, because holding the wallpaper and measuring is beyond the power of one person. At the same time, beginners, as a rule, do not know where to start gluing wallpaper. If the wallpaper is glued overlapping, then always start from the window. This helps to visually hide the seams that form. If the wallpaper is glued end to end, then you can start anywhere.
5. The cut canvas is smeared with wallpaper glue, which is diluted immediately before work, taking into account the time of its preparation. All modern adhesive mixtures are usually prepared within 15-30 minutes. When applying glue, pay great attention to the edges so that they do not remain dry.
6. Next, leave the canvas for a few minutes to soak, and at this time quickly coat the wall with glue to the width of the wallpaper strip. You can’t hesitate, since getting the wallpaper wet for too long can lead to its complete disintegration. It will no longer be possible to glue such a sheet.
7. The lower edge of the smeared canvas is folded to make it easier to work with, otherwise the edge will drag along the floor.
8. The canvas is applied from above to the wall using a chair or stepladder, while the side edge is aligned with a plumb line. You can draw a vertical line along the wall in advance and stick the first panel along it.
Using a plumb line to draw a vertical line
9. Using a wide brush or rubber roller, smooth the canvas from top to bottom using diagonal movements. This will allow you to press the wallpaper tightly over the entire surface of the wall, removing air bubbles and excess glue. The glue is removed with a damp cloth or sponge.
Smoothing the wallpaper with a brush will ensure a strong fixation and eliminate excess glue and air bubbles
10. Excess wallpaper is cut off along the floor plinth and along the perimeter of the ceiling. The remaining sheets are glued in the same way; alignment is carried out along the previously glued sheet.
How to glue wallpaper: video instructions
Features of gluing wallpaper with a pattern
When choosing wallpaper with a pattern that needs to be selected, you need to pay close attention to the correct cutting of the panels.
The selection operation can be carried out in two ways:
- After gluing the first sheet, align the pattern while measuring the second sheet directly on the wall, making marks on the wallpaper above and below. The wallpaper is folded and cut according to these marks. This method requires an assistant.
- You can cut several pieces of wallpaper according to the wall measurements, matching the pattern on the floor. The canvas is cut off and laid out on the floor face up. A roll is being rolled out nearby. The canvas is shifted to the required distance until all elements of the pattern are combined. After that, cuts are made along which cutting is carried out.
How to glue wallpaper with a pattern
In order not to disturb the pattern, the wallpaper is glued end-to-end according to the algorithm described above.
How to hang wallpaper in corners correctly
Angles, especially if they are not perfectly straight, can be a hassle for beginners. Professionals have learned to cope with any angles. What is their secret? Everything ingenious, as always, is simple. There is no need to glue a whole sheet of wallpaper into the corner. Experienced craftsmen make a joint of two canvases in the corner, and to make it perfectly even, the following technique is used. Two canvases are glued with an overlap of five centimeters. Then a sharp stationery knife is used to cut two sheets at once. The cut off parts are removed, the wall is once again coated with glue, and the panels that had to be folded back are re-glued. The joint obtained using this technology is completely invisible. This is how wallpaper is glued in the inner corners. What to do with the external corners that you have to deal with when finishing window and door slopes?
Wallpapering external corners
When we glue wallpaper with our own hands on the outer smooth corners, we simply try to cut out the canvas in such a way as to wrap it around them. But this method is not always applicable. Therefore, you have to glue two canvases that are located on the sides of the corner, while the edge remains visible. Sometimes it is pre-painted in the color of the wallpaper or simply covered with a plastic finishing corner, which is glued with mounting adhesive.
Optimal conditions for wallpapering
To avoid the appearance of bubbles and wrinkles on paper wallpaper during drying, try to adhere to the following recommendations.
- Work is carried out at a room temperature of 23-25 degrees Celsius.
- Walls covered with wallpaper must be protected from drafts until they dry completely.
- Try to prevent direct sun rays from coming into contact with the pasted wallpaper.
In this regard, non-woven wallpaper is completely unpretentious. They are more expensive than regular paper wallpaper, but working with them is a pleasure. After all, when gluing such wallpaper, you only need to apply glue to the wall. The dry canvas is easily rolled onto the wall surface with a roller. Work goes twice as fast if you use wide meter rolls.
Beginners are especially troubled by various obstacles in the form of pipes, sockets, switches and other elements mounted on walls. How to properly trim wallpaper in such places is shown in detail in the video.
Now, armed with knowledge, you can safely begin repair work. After all, after everything I read and watched, it became clear how to hang wallpaper quickly and correctly. When you know exactly the order of actions, the result is always good. The joy of creativity and a new type of room will overwhelm the hearts of family members, because everything will be done with love for their home.