1. switch off the power!
Before starting wallpapering work, the power must be switched off in the entire room by means of a fuse.
2. plumb:
Hardly any corner in the room runs exactly perpendicular. Therefore: Plumb the first track on each new wall, or mark a vertical line with a spirit level.
3. sockets and switches…
are wallpapered over, after removing the protective covers. Cut wallpaper crosswise over switches and clean paste from switch mechanism. After the wallpaper dries, cut out the boxes neatly with a cutter knife. Wallpaper over lids of junction boxes.
4. door openings…
are wallpapered from one side. Cut wallpaper sharply on the frame. Fit one piece above the door to match the repeat. Then place the next full strip over the door with allowance and fit to the frame with the cutter knife.
5. window niches…
are also wallpapered from one side. However, do not place the strip at the edge of the window opening, but let it overhang enough to cover the depth of the niche, plus allowance. Cut the overhang at the top and bottom, fold it into the reveal and trim it exactly at the edge of the window. Cut the piece above the window with some overhang. A cut piece of sheeting that is also sufficient for folding into the reveal from above is fitted above the window in the repeat so that it overlaps the overhang. Here, the vertical double seam cut can then be made freehand with the sliding foot knife, which should end exactly in the niche corner. After removing the waste strip under the seam, the overhanging web is roughly cut, with allowance, folded into the reveal, pressed on and fitted to the window with the cutter knife. Further window webs are papered in a repeat pattern. Neatly cut out the recesses for the roller shutter belt, so that the cut edges are covered by the trim.
6. roof slopes…
can cause problems where they meet vertical walls. If the cove is even, a full sheet can be glued from the top to the corner. Separate the web there and reattach the lower part. The top sheet must overlap the bottom sheet. If the fillet is not straight, cut the upper and lower webs separately with an allowance. After the upper panel, glue the lower panel to fit the pattern, so that it again reaches under the upper panel.
7. round arches:
Here first wallpaper the wall panels next to and above the arch with 2 – 3 cm overhang. Cut these overhangs several times, fold them over and glue them into the round arch. Then insert the precisely cut reveal sheet. Clean connections, especially with patterned wallpaper, are achieved by using corner profile strips, which are to be adapted to each curve. In this way, the (inevitably) mismatching patterns on the reveal and wall are neatly separated visually.
8. at terminations between wallpaper and sanitary objects….
such as washbasins, bathtubs, etc., the wallpaper is first roughly cut with scissors, pressed on and then precisely matched to the object on the spatula with the cutter knife. In the case of sanitary objects, wetness may penetrate behind the abutting wallpaper. These places must be sealed with a special elastic sealant.
9. in the case of pipe penetrations…
the wallpaper is cut up to the lead-through and adjusted in a star shape in the area of the pipe. After pressing, you can use the cutter knife to trim very precisely around the pipe.
10. drying the wallpaper
While the new wallpaper is drying, drafts and strong heating should be avoided at all costs, because otherwise the paper tension can cause the seams to burst due to too fast drying. If possible, the room temperature should be around 18 degrees Celsius.
TOOLS
Good and clean tools make the work easier and contribute significantly to a perfect wallpapering result.
- CutterKant trimming bar
- Conical seam roller
- Trimming ruler
- Paste brush
- Wallpaper tear-off tool
- Foam rubber roller
- Wallpaper scraper
- Folding rule
- Spirit level
- plumb bob
- Wallpaper scissors
- Cutter knife
- Wallpaper wiper
- Wallpaper brush
- wallpaperer’s rail
- Cutlery knife
SUBSTRATE
1. subfloor test
Basic rule:
Substrates for wallpapering must be dry, load-bearing, absorbent, clean, neutral and smooth.
Moisture
Determine the moisture content of plaster and concrete with a foil sample. This is visible the next day in the form of condensation behind the film. It is essential to allow it to dry out!
Wallpapering is impossible in the case of dampness due to constructional reasons, e.g. rising or penetrating dampness.
Surface strength
Check the surface strength by scratch test with a pointed object. The scratching point must not burst out under moderate pressure. The thumbnail test should not leave any pressure marks. When rubbing, there should be no appreciable abrasion on the hand.
Thoroughly wash off chalking old coatings with water.
Check old dispersion paint coatings for their load-bearing capacity using the tape test and remove if necessary. Generally consolidate non-bearing substrates with a suitable primer.
Check the absorbency by wetting with water. If the substrate is not absorbent, the water will bead up. In this case, sand or leach. Excessive absorbency can be recognized by immediate dark discoloration.
2. substrate preparation
Remove old wallpaper and coverings completely. Add wallpaper stripper to the water, allow to soak (repeat if necessary) and remove wallpaper. You can also add 5-10% paste to the soaking water (the water will have a longer effect on the wallpaper). Sand or perforate wash-resistant wallpaper beforehand. Only wallpaper over any backing paper remaining on the wall of split wallpaper if it adheres firmly. If water vapor impermeable wallpapers (e.g. metal wallpapers) are bonded, all backing paper must be removed.
Oil and varnish paints as well as formwork oils on concrete are not suitable as wallpapering substrates. Particularly in the case of high-tension wallpapers, the edges of the web can come loose – even if you use dispersion adhesives.
Roughen coatings with leaching agents and rinse with water. In addition, it is advisable to apply a bonding bridge coat and pre-tack a roll maculature on these substrates.
3. primers, substrate pretreatment
Basic rules:
1. primers should penetrate into substrates, reduce strong absorbency or level different ones.
2. they should ensure good adhesion for subsequent wallpapering and bonding work.
3. they should strengthen slightly sanding plasters, and
4. prevent softening of the surface on gypsum plasterboard, so that wallpaper can be removed more easily later.
5. primers should not block the substrate.
6. all absorbent substrates, except wood-based materials, should be treated with water-based primer coatings for reasons of occupational safety and ecology.
Pre-paste with diluted normal or special paste is recommended for smooth, load-bearing but highly absorbent substrates. This measure is not suitable for sanding plasters.
A wallpaper replacement primer ensures that wallpaper can be removed dry, strip by strip, during subsequent renovations. This is particularly useful for water- and wash-resistant wallpapers, especially since this pretreatment retains its effect even after several wallpaper changes.
A water-based deep primer is used to consolidate surfaces, e.g. sanding plasters. It is suitable for all substrates, with the exception of wood-based materials.