75ZT Community

I was taught wallpapering by my Mum. But haven't done anywhere near as much as her (God rest her).
The trick is remembering the corners of the room, aren't square / true, no matter how new the house is. So you need to fit the first piece, to a plumb line (true vertical) less than one drop width from the first corner. So you can cut the second piece into the corner. Also you need to plan so that you don't end up with a narrow strip in the other corner.
Final tip, you need to make sure you have enough paper, to be sure you can match the pattern repeat (if it's not a plain colour).
Got to fess up, haven't wallpapered anything for a very long time. Got to be at least 30 years.
Funny story. Back in the mid 90's we bought a new house. Had loads of paper to decorate, but only ever put borders on painted walls. Our next door neighbours also in a brand new house decided to paper, and started with said plumb line. Tapped in a pin, straight into the main house gas supply that was way too close to the surface of the wall......... Sad to say, the quality of new house building has got worse, not better!

My dad was a decorator, I tried to avoid going into that trade like the plague, not for me. Still he did drag me along a few times.
A lot of it is like anything else, preparation, smooth flat walls are a must. Things have changed a lot now, still need a plumb line to start but as it used to be all "paste the paper", allow the paste to soak into the paper fold the bottom pasted surface to pasted surface so you could hold the top up to start hanging the paper and the bottom wasn't dragging on the floor, a nice firm brush to work out the air to the edges and press the paper gently but firmly into corners and a roller for the joins.
Nowadays a lot of the paper is "paste the wall" (and so much easier to hang) it makes the paper far stronger when you apply it.

When estimating how many rolls a lot if the time it depends on how big the pattern "drop" is but a good rule of thumb for a standard height room a roll would manage three drops.
Have fun

Dave. You are reminding me of even more.
Like I said, it was my Mum that taught to me to decorate. But on one side of my Dad's family (the Whittakers) they were apparently well known in their area as decorators, and famous for the woodgrain effect done with paint. Dad never went into that business nor did the decorating at home as I remember.
In the 70's 80's there were a few 'innovations'. Ready pasted wallpaper, sometimes branded as Vymura. Had to drop it in a trough of water and let it soak, then slowly draw it out. The most hateful stuff was Novamura. Basically a very thin polystyrene covering with a pattern. Like trying to put elastic on the wall.

I've done all the decorating in the homes we have had, and recognise all the above, walls must be flat a smooth if you are using very thin paper other wise you will see any marl or little lump you have not made good before hanging the wallpaper.

A trick i used many times is to size the walls a couple of days before, ie make some paste up and put it on all the walls, this seals the walls, then i would paste the paper if it was paper that needed to be pasted, while it was soaking for no longer than 5 minutes i would also paste the wall where the paper was to be hanged this helps you slip the paper to but up to corners and the next pieces of wallpaper you are joining it to.

I also like to use the extra wide paper it cuts down on the job and is much easier to use, allow about 1.5" above ceiling line and onto the skirting, use a alloy Straight edge, hold this to the ceiling and skirting have a very sharp Stanley knife and draw it along your straight edge for a perfect line to the ceiling and skirting.

Nowadays a lot of people prefer to have flat walls either by getting them plaster skimmed and have them white washed or painted what ever colour they prefer, some even have them sprayed for the perfect finish, this can then be changed any time you fancy, getting in the professional decorator is not cheap i know that because my son as just had a couple of quotes which would make your eyes water.

Some good tips guys and many thanks for them. Bit of a delay getting back online courtesy of a football match I stayed up to watch through the early hours of Monday.