So you want to have the walls of your home wallpapered to freshen your home for spring?
To get a really good result, both the National Guild of Paperhangers Inc. and wallpaper manufacturer Bradbury & Bradbury of Benicia, Calif., recommend hiring professionals to hang the paper.
Another option, says Anne Martin, a spokeswoman for the Wallcoverings Association, is to ask for and experiment with one of the new easy hang or non-woven wallcoverings. These can be repositioned, easily removed and even taken with you when you move, Martin says. They do not expand or contract, so seams "virtually disappear," she says.
But if you plan to use traditional wallpaper, here are some tips from Bradbury & Bradbury, manufacturer of historic wallpapers, for do-it-yourselfers:
1. Measure your room and calculate wallpaper quantities carefully. Wallpapers are manufactured in dye lots that sometimes do not match exactly.
2. Prepare your surface to be as smooth as new wallboard. Bradbury recommends using a liner paper to ensure a smooth surface and minimize seam shrinkage and absorb excess moisture.
3. Check the wall surface before priming to decide which primer to use. For instance, on drywall painted with latex or oil, use an acrylic primer coat. On new plaster or unpainted plaster, use sizing mixed with the adhesive you plan to install the final wall covering with to prepare the surface.
4. Prime the wall surface and allow to dry completely before beginning installation. This is the step that many homeowners and even home builders have skipped in the past. If the wall is not primed, the wallpaper will be difficult to remove in the future.
5. Use a quality clay strippable adhesive. Go to the Bradbury Web site for recommendations on adhesives and different adhesives for ochre, olive or sienna fill papers. Bradbury recommends pre-testing the compatibility of the adhesive with the paper and says clear adhesives can cause staining, so test them on both the front and back of the paper to ensure they will not stain once installed.
6. Use a short-nap paint roller to spread the adhesive in a thin, even coating across the paper and allow to set for five minutes before hanging. This allows the paper to absorb moisture and to expand fully.
7. Use a soft-bristle wallpaper smoothing brush, smoothing from the center out, to expel air bubbles, but don't use a lot of pressure. After five to 10 minutes, use a wooden seam roller to secure the seam. Avoid excessive smoothing or seam rolling.
8. During and after hanging, be certain all adhesive residue is wiped from the surface. Use a damp sponge or damp towel and clean warm water. Then dry with a clean towel. Leftover paste may stain the surface. Bradbury recommends avoiding excessive use of water which can reactivate the paste, causing seams to split; and rubbing too hard, which can burnish the surface.
-- Sandra Fischione Donovan
