Ensuring the wall is smooth, clean and completely dry is key for a successful installation. The surface should be free from old backing paper and contaminants such as dirt, dust, grease, mildew, ink stains; any of these can prevent adhesion taking place.
1. Remove nails / screws and fill in any cracks.
2. Switch off the electricity mains and remove any socket / switch covers.
3. Sand down any rough areas until smooth.
4. Use a sponge to clean the walls with warm water and mild soap. Allow the walls to dry for a minimum of 24 hours.
5. Paint the wall a light uniform colour if it differs significantly from your wallpaper as dark patterns / colours may show through.
Important: Allow the wallpaper to acclimatise in the room it will be applied in for a minimum of 24 hours before application. To do this, take the wallpaper out of the packaging and slightly unravel, this will also help to reduce any memory curling.
Emulsion paint: Freshly painted walls should be left for 4 weeks before application, please refer to the paint manufacturer’s instructions for guidance. Note that if your paint has a washable coating then prime the surface with a PVA based primer or regular emulsion paint first and allow it to dry before hanging.
Lining paper: Although you can install self adhesive on lining paper, this will affect the removability.
Porous surface (plaster, cement render): Ensure old plaster is stable and free of mould. Ensure new plaster is completely dry. Prime surface with a PVA based primer or emulsion paint and allow it to dry before hanging. If using paint, wait 4 weeks before installation. Non-porous surface (glass, gloss paint): Wipe clean, no further preparation needed.
Top tips for successful installation
– Handle the wallpaper with care as the peel and stick material can stretch if it’s pulled with too much force during installation. However, this ability to stretch can prove useful when matching designs on significantly uneven walls.
– Once peeled, the wallpaper is very supple so be careful not to let it fold back on itself and stick together as this can affect the stickiness of the adhesive. If this does happen, do not panic. To avoid stretching, use a careful amount of force to un-stick the wallpaper from itself.
– Wallpaper has a tendency to curl after being wrapped so it is important to loose lay the panels for 24 hours to flatten as well as climatise. Not doing this will make installation more difficult.
– Ensure your cutting blade is razor sharp as dull blades can cause the wallpaper to tear. Change your blade every 2m/8ft to reduce this risk of tearing.
– We recommend two people for peel and stick installation. So grab a friend and have some fun!
