Paper Hanging Pointers for DIYers (589 words, US, UK, CAN)

Spring can be a great time for homeowners. After a long winter spent lounging around the house, spring is a time many homeowners can get around to those home improvement projects they’ve been dreaming about.

One project many homeowners like to do in spring is refurbished a bedroom. Spring is often the ideal time to paint or hang new wallpaper in a home, as the warm weather outside allows homeowners to open the windows and let the fresh air in, allowing paint to dry and homeowners to do some work in a comfortable environment.

Not all projects, however, are as easy as they seem. Such is the case with hanging wallpaper. While hanging paper might seem like a project that simply requires some common sense and elbow grease, there’s a lot more to hanging paper than just hard work and choosing the right pattern. When hanging paper this spring, consider the following tips.

* Stock the toolbox. Before doing anything, be sure to have the proper tools. Measuring tape, a sharp knife and scissors to trim the paper are all valuable tools. It’s also important to have sponges and a seam roller to make sure you can smooth out the inevitable bubbles that will form before the paper dries. A poor paper hanging job is always evident because of bubbles in the paper, so be sure to have a roller on hand to smooth these out and ensure your end product looks as good in reality as it does in your plans. Other tools or instruments to have handy include a ladder, a step ladder and a couple of buckets.

* Make your measurements. Hanging paper can be like doing math homework. Measure the room carefully so you don’t end up delaying a project to order more paper. Multiply the ceiling height by the wall width to determine the square footage of each wall. After doing that with each wall in a given room, add the square footage of all walls to determine the total square footage of a room.

But the measuring does not end there. In fact, to ensure you have sufficient paper for a project, divide the total square footage by 25. That figure will show how many single rolls of paper you need. Because all paper is sold in double rolls, divide the figure above by two, which will show how many double rolls you’ll need to adequately paper a room.

* Ready the surface. Once the measurements have been made, it’s time to ready the walls. Clean the surface to remove any stains, and fill any holes in the wall’s surface as well. It’s also a good idea to remove any light switch plates and outlet covers.

* Hang the paper. Hanging the paper should start by choosing a good starting point. Oftentimes, the area around a window or door makes a good starting point, as any errors will not be as noticeable. When starting, draw a straight line from ceiling to floor to line up the first strip of paper. This line will essentially act as a guide to use and make sure the paper is hanged straight.

When the first strip of paper is hung, use the roller to remove any bubbles. Use the knife to trim any excess from the bottom or top of each sheet. When moving on to the next sheet, be sure to avoid any gaps or overlap.

While hanging paper can seem like a snap, it’s often a detail-oriented job that requires careful attention. Metro Creative Connection

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