Wallpaper and Wallcoverings - Hanging horizontal wallpaper
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Letitia
03-17-02, 04:00 PM
I am getting ready to hang horizontal wallpaper that looks like the inside of a log cabin. My question is - Do I start from the top or the bottom?? Any additional pointers would be great!
Wallpaper
03-17-02, 04:29 PM
To put it simply, neither. You have a choice as to where to start, near the top or near the bottom. If you were to butt the edge of the paper to the ceiling or bottom of the wall, you would find out exactly how level (unlevel) your walls are.
I will explain as if you are starting near the bottom of the wall. You will want to snap a level line for the top of your first sheet. Lets say the paper is 27" wide. Keep in mind that the wide I speak of is, in your case, the height. You would want to snap the line around 25 or 26 inches above the molding on the bottom of the wall. You will butt your first sheet perfectly level to this line. This will allow your paper to be trimmed at the bottom so any unlevel features of the wall are kept at the foot level and not transmitted and amplified at the eye level. You will use a smoothing tool and a razor knife to trim along the molding at the bottom. Then you will continue up the wall, butting each strip to the next. Check for level with each strip you hang, as paper stretches somewhat and you can "push" and "pull" areas slightly to ensure it is totally level across the entire horizontal line. You will end up at the ceiling and trimming along the ceiling line.
You should end up with a perfectly level pattern in your paper with any structural errors hidden at the bottom and top instead of screaming at eye level. Best of luck with your project.
I will explain as if you are starting near the bottom of the wall. You will want to snap a level line for the top of your first sheet. Lets say the paper is 27" wide. Keep in mind that the wide I speak of is, in your case, the height. You would want to snap the line around 25 or 26 inches above the molding on the bottom of the wall. You will butt your first sheet perfectly level to this line. This will allow your paper to be trimmed at the bottom so any unlevel features of the wall are kept at the foot level and not transmitted and amplified at the eye level. You will use a smoothing tool and a razor knife to trim along the molding at the bottom. Then you will continue up the wall, butting each strip to the next. Check for level with each strip you hang, as paper stretches somewhat and you can "push" and "pull" areas slightly to ensure it is totally level across the entire horizontal line. You will end up at the ceiling and trimming along the ceiling line.
You should end up with a perfectly level pattern in your paper with any structural errors hidden at the bottom and top instead of screaming at eye level. Best of luck with your project.