Have you ever installed a motif wallpaper? Up until a year ago, I only had experience with simple wallpapers without a start. When renovating our bedroom, I made a few rookie mistakes, but I’m sure I won’t make them again next time. Today I’ll tell you a few practical tips and tricks for wallpapering.
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Tips for wallpapering motif wallpaper with an offset match
As my birthday present to myself, I renovated our bedroom last year. I still haven’t shared the result until now because I thought I’d put it off until the extra emergency bed for my little daughter is finally out and I’ve had time to put up nice bedside lamps. Almost a year later, my little one has made friends with this sleeping situation, but this summer I’m going to start the “Sleep in my own bed” project again
You can now read the intermediate status of the bedroom renovation project. And today I’ll share tips on how to wallpapered such a wall alone without help. Yes, you can wallpaper a half-height wall like that on your own without assistance. For a full wall, though, I’d get help to get the seamless approach right.
Here are my tips for wallpapering motif wallpaper with a staggered match
Material for wallpapering non-woven wallpaper
(There is a wallpapering set at Amazon*)
Tips for wallpapering: approaches and repeats
Tipp 1: Rapport
When you spot two numbers on the reel, such as 50/25, this is how you read it. The first is the repeat, the pattern is 50 cm high. The second number means that the adjacent lane must be offset by 25 cm from the first lane.
Tip 2: Understand the offset of the wallpaper and cut it correctly
What do the three different wallpaper approaches mean and what do you have to consider?
Two wallpaper terms that you may come across in the project are repeat and offset. First, see if you spot one of these three motifs on the roll:
Matchless, straight match and offset match
Matchless means that you can simply place each strip next to each other, like you would with plain wallpaper.
Straight approach means that each lane is the same on the right and left edge. When cutting the strips, you can cut the first strip to size and then lay all the other strips on top of each other to match the motif and cut them to the same length. each track then looks more or less the same and can connect to each other on the right and left. An example of this would be a simple striped wallpaper.
Staggered match means the motif is not the same on the right and left sides. The motif jumps, as with my wallpaper.
When cutting, it is therefore important to know that each panel has a different cut. It’s easiest if you cut the first strip to size (always with about 5-8 centimeters extra at the top and bottom). Then place the roll with the left side next to the right side of the 1st strip, adjust the motif to each other and only then cut it off. Now you continue like this, so you match lane 3 to lane 2.
Tip 3: Calculate waste
As I said, you should always add 5 to 8 centimeters extra for the top and bottom edges. This is because walls aren’t always perfectly straight, so you have more wiggle room if you’re not working 100% straight. So if the first strip runs a few millimeters more to the right at the top than at the bottom, the difference will continue with each additional roll, since you always place the motif exactly next to each other. Don’t worry, with many motifs (except maybe stripes) this will never be noticed if the motif doesn’t hang exactly straight, as long as everything is cut off straight at the top and bottom or merges into the ceiling and skirting board.
Tip 4: Cut and number the panels
A must – if you want to cut all the strips of wallpaper with a motif that has a staggered pattern beforehand, it is important to number them precisely on the back. Because only track 2 will later fit perfectly next to track 1.
Tip 5: Laser spirit level
A laser spirit level is really super practical. With the spirit level you can then determine the beginning of the first track. To do this, measure the width of the roll and project the perfectly vertical right edge of lane no. 1 onto the wall. Since the corners are often not 100% straight, you can also align them better on the right side. In this example, I’m assuming that you’re only papering one wall with motif wallpaper and working from left to right and the wallpaper doesn’t go around the corner. In the other case, you may have to find the happy medium so that things don’t go very wrong on the other side afterwards.
You can also use the spirit level to ensure a straight bottom section if you’re only papering half the wall like I did.
Tip 6: Wall paint
Small gaps or crooked edges of wallpaper in an uneven corner will be less noticeable if you paint the wall underneath a similar color. This way the color contrast is not so strong.
Tip 7: Work neatly
When you press the wallpaper to the wall, some paste is squeezed out at the edges. Wipe it off immediately with a wet cloth before it dries and check the entire wall again at the end. Also, make sure your hands are always clean.
Tip 8: Press down slowly – sweep away to the sides
Always apply the wallpaper from top to bottom and do not press down immediately. You can still move the wallpaper around until the approach is right. Then always smooth it down from the inside to the sides with the pressing spatula so that as few air bubbles as possible form. The seam roller also helps to roll away air bubbles. Finally, roll over all the seams again.
Tip 9: Paste the wall
It is best to always paste each strip individually and ensure a slight overlap on the side so that the sides stick perfectly in any case.
Tip 10: work in peace
Don’t let yourself be put under pressure at work and work in peace. Because if you just want to cut everything to size quickly or if you want the whole thing to be ready before lunch, then mistakes will creep in. In any case, I cut three complete lengths wrong. C’est la vie.
I hope you can avoid my mistakes and your wallpaper project will be a great success in the end!
All love,
Maike
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Source: kreativfieber.de
