How to Hang Wallpaper

2026 Guide

Get perfectly aligned, bubble-free wallpaper on your first attempt with this complete guide.

Quick Answer

To hang wallpaper, prepare the wall with lining paper or size, mark a true vertical line, cut and paste your drops, then hang each strip working away from the window, butting seams tightly and smoothing out bubbles as you go.

Before

After

Difficulty

Intermediate

Time

4–6 Hours

Cost

£40–£80

Tools Needed

Pasting table
Wallpaper brush or smoother
Seam roller
Plumb bob or spirit level
Scissors
Craft knife and spare blades
Bucket and paste brush
Pencil

Materials

Wallpaper
Wallpaper paste
Lining paper
Wall size or diluted paste
Decorator’s sponge
Sandpaper (medium grit)
Filler
Clean water

How To

Step-by-Step Guide

Prepare the wall surface

Fill any holes or cracks with filler, sand smooth once dry, then apply a coat of wall size (diluted wallpaper paste) to the entire surface and allow to dry fully. Sizing seals the wall, prevents it from absorbing paste too quickly, and allows you to slide drops into position without tearing.

Mark a true vertical guideline

Measure one roll-width away from your starting corner, mark a point, then use a plumb bob or spirit level to draw a perfectly vertical pencil line from ceiling to skirting board . Never trust a corner as a guide — they are almost never truly straight, and using one will cause your pattern to drift across the room.

Cut and paste your drops

Measure the wall height and add 100 mm for trimming allowance top and bottom, then cut each drop to length. Lay the drop face-down on the pasting table, apply paste from the centre outwards to avoid getting paste on the table, then fold the drop loosely — paste to paste — and leave it to soak for the time stated on the packet. Under-soaked paste causes bubbles; over-soaked paste causes tearing.

Hang the first drop

Unfold the top half of the pasted drop, align the edge precisely to your pencil guideline, and allow 50 mm to overlap onto the ceiling for trimming. Smooth from the centre outwards and downwards with a wallpaper brush or smoother to push out air bubbles, then unfold the bottom half and continue smoothing down to the skirting board. Use a craft knife and a straight edge to trim cleanly at ceiling and skirting .

Hang subsequent drops and match the pattern

Butt the edge of each new drop tightly against the previous one — do not overlap seams. Slide the drop up or down on the wall to align the pattern before pressing it firmly into place, then run a seam roller lightly along the join. Wipe any paste from the face of the wallpaper immediately with a damp sponge, as dried paste will show as shiny marks under light.

Trim and finish around obstacles

At windows, doors, and light switches, crease the paper firmly into the angle with the back of your scissors to mark the cut line, then trim with a sharp craft knife. Switch off the electricity at the consumer unit before papering around electrical sockets or switches, and never cut wallpaper directly over a live fitting.

Watch Out

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Which wall should I start on when hanging wallpaper?

Start on the wall that faces you as you enter the room, working away from the main window. This means any slight pattern mismatch at the final join will fall in the least noticeable corner of the room.

How do I avoid bubbles when hanging wallpaper?

Bubbles are almost always caused by insufficient soaking time or inadequate smoothing. Allow the pasted drop to soak for the time stated on the packet and brush firmly from the centre outwards when hanging to push all air to the edges.

Can I wallpaper over existing wallpaper?

How much extra wallpaper should I buy to account for pattern matching?

For a small pattern repeat (up to 64 mm), add one extra roll per five you need. For large repeats (over 64 mm), add two extra rolls as wastage per cut increases significantly. Always buy from the same batch number to ensure colour consistency.

Pro Tip

Hang your drops in sequence across the room but leave the final drop in each corner until last — cut a strip to fit the remaining gap and hang it 10–15 mm around the corner, then start a fresh true vertical line on the new wall and overlap your next drop onto it. This keeps every wall plumb regardless of how far out of square the corners are.

Sources

HSE — Electrical safety when decorating — hse.gov.uk
Which? — How to hang wallpaper — which.co.uk
gov.uk — Electrical safety in the home — gov.uk

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This guide is for general information only. Always work safely and follow manufacturer instructions. DIYnut accepts no liability for injury or damage arising from DIY work.

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