Mastering the Roll: A Beginner's Journey into the 'Paste the Wall' Technique

Key Takeaways

• The 'paste the wall' technique is the modern standard for hanging wallpaper — easier, cleaner, and more forgiving than traditional paste-the-paper methods.
• Proper preparation of the wall surface is the single most important factor in achieving a professional finish.
• Taking time to find and mark the true vertical before you begin will save hours of frustration later.
• Morris & Co. wallpapers have a pattern repeat that requires careful planning — always calculate your drops before cutting.
• With patience and the right tools, hanging Morris wallpaper is well within the reach of a confident beginner.

There is a particular satisfaction in hanging your own wallpaper. It is a skill that connects you, in a small but meaningful way, to the long tradition of craft that William Morris championed throughout his life. And with the 'paste the wall' technique — now the standard method for most modern wallpapers — it is a skill that is well within the reach of any patient and methodical beginner.

The paste the wall method, as its name suggests, involves applying the adhesive to the wall rather than to the paper. This has several significant advantages over the traditional paste-the-paper approach: the paper does not need to soak, there is less risk of tearing or stretching, and the process is generally cleaner and more manageable. Read more about wallpaper hanging techniques on Wikipedia.

What You Will Need

Before you begin, assemble your tools: a good quality paste brush or roller, a smoothing brush or plastic smoother, a sharp craft knife and metal straight edge, a plumb line or spirit level, a seam roller, and a bucket of clean water with a sponge for wiping away excess paste. You will also need a pasting table, even if you are using the paste the wall method — it provides a clean surface for cutting and trimming your drops.

Step by Step

Begin by preparing your wall: fill any cracks or holes, sand smooth, and apply a coat of size (diluted wallpaper paste) to seal the surface and improve adhesion. Allow to dry completely before proceeding.

Next, find your starting point. Using a plumb line or spirit level, mark a true vertical line on the wall — this is your guide for the first drop, and everything else will follow from it. Do not assume that the corner of the room is vertical; it almost certainly is not.

Calculate your pattern repeat and cut your drops accordingly, adding at least 5cm at the top and bottom for trimming. Apply paste to the wall in a manageable section — roughly the width of one drop — and hang your first length, aligning it carefully with your vertical guide. Smooth from the centre outward to remove air bubbles, and trim at the top and bottom with your craft knife and straight edge.

Continue across the wall, butting each new drop carefully against the previous one and matching the pattern repeat precisely. Take your time — patience is the wallpaper hanger's greatest virtue.

If you are new to wallpapering and want to build your confidence before tackling a full room, consider starting with our Peel & Stick range — all the beauty of Morris, with none of the paste.

Further reading: Wallpaper on Wikipedia | Home at the BBC