With time, patience and proper preparation, it’s perfectly possible for most handy DIYers to do a decent job of wallpapering. However, there are areas where even the most diligent amateurs struggle to produce a professional finish. Last time on our blog we talked about wallpapering around tricky obstacles like light fittings and plug sockets, but they’re child’s play compared to trying to wallpaper around windows! This month we’re going to demystify this dark art for you.
Preparation
If you’ve been reading our blog for a while you’ll know that preparation is the key to success. Make sure that:
- You have enough paper to cover your chosen area.
- Your walls are clean and blemish free.
- You have all the tools you need, such as sharp blades, pencils, tape measure, sharp scissors, spirit level, and pasting equipment.
- You have a clear plan in mind before you hang your first sheet.
Windows are the most difficult obstacle to paper to a high standard, which is why we recommend starting with them so that you have total control of the overall process.
The method
We’ll take a fairly large window to begin with, but this applies equally to all sizes. Before you begin papering, read this set of instructions through a couple of times to be sure that you are clear on the method – a little like baking a cake!
- Begin on the right-hand side of the window with a strip of paper that overhangs the opening with enough paper to cover the inside reveal of the window.
- Cut the paper straight across the opening at the top and bottom so that you can neatly fold and paste the flap into the reveal.
- With a sharp blade carefully cut a section out so your strip fits snugly around the window sill – this is tricky so take your time – and hang the rest of the strip under the window down to the skirting board.
- Your next strip will hang from the ceiling down and under the head of the window with the corresponding strip going beneath the window sill to the floor.
- Repeat step 4 across the width frame if necessary.
- If you’re lucky, your final strip for the left hand reveal side will be large enough to simply repeat steps 1 and 2, but if not, cut a small flap for the reveal instead of a full sized one and paste it around the reveal corner.
- Now your task is to accurately measure and cut a strip of paper that fits the reveal and paste it in over the flap you just created. Be sure to match any pattern.
- Now cut small strips to fill the two gaps at either end of the head of the window. You can cut these with a small flap to fold up and under the end strips to create the neatest finish, but if this is too fiddly it’s okay to cut it to the edge.
We hope that this makes this tricky DIY task as manageable as possible, but if you find the idea overwhelming, call a professional decorating service like ours instead!