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Peel it, stick it, peel it off again. How to hang peel and stick wallpaper

How many rolls?

How to install peel and stick wallpaper

You need a pencil, a level, sharp scissors, a craft knife and a plastic smoother. An afternoon covers an accent wall.

  1. Clean and dry the wall

    Wipe off dust and grease with a damp cloth, then let the wall dry. Skip any wall painted in the last few weeks.

  2. Measure and cut

    Cut each strip about 4 in longer than the wall is tall. The grid on the back paper keeps the cut square.

  3. Peel the top 12 in

    Peel back only the top of the backing, line the strip up with a pencil mark, and press it on at the ceiling.

  4. Smooth down as you go

    Pull the backing a little at a time and smooth from the centre out with a card or a soft squeegee.

  5. Trim the ends

    Run a sharp blade along the ceiling and the skirting board. Change the blade often and the cut stays clean.

Before the first strip

Check the paint. A wall painted recently needs time to cure before any adhesive goes on it. If you are not sure, stick a small offcut in a corner for a day and peel it off.

Wipe the wall with a damp cloth and let it dry. Take off switch plates and outlet covers and keep the screws in a cup.

Hanging straight

  1. Draw a vertical pencil line with a level, one roll width in from the corner.
  2. Peel back the top 12 in of backing and fold it down.
  3. Line the edge up with your pencil line and press the top on at the ceiling, leaving about 2 in to trim.
  4. Pull the backing down a little at a time and smooth from the centre out.
  5. Overlap or butt the next strip against the first, matching the pattern if the design needs it.
  6. Trim the top and bottom with a sharp blade against a straight edge.

Bubbles, creases and corners

A small bubble usually smooths out towards the nearest edge. A stubborn one can be pricked with a pin and pressed flat.

If a strip goes crooked, peel it back to the crease and lay it again. Do this soon: the adhesive grips harder over time.

At an inside corner, run the strip about half an inch round the corner and start the next strip in the corner itself.

Light Blue Gingham on a nook wall behind a window seat
Light Blue Gingham: a small check hides a slightly uneven seam.

Taking it down

Start at a top corner and pull the strip down slowly, keeping it low and close to the wall. A hair dryer on low softens stubborn adhesive.

Wipe any leftover residue with warm soapy water.

Wood Grain on a living room wall
Wood Grain: strips come down top first, pulled low and slow.

Easy first projects

Short walls, drawers and cabinet fronts: the places where one roll goes a long way.

All wallpaper