How to hang wallpaper borders


Step 1: Planning
The first consideration is where the border will be applied. Will you use it along the ceiling, as a chair rail or to frame your doors and windows for an architectural effect, a rough sketch can help you visualize where a border would look best? Once you have determined where the border will be used it's time to gather your paint, carpet, wallpaper and fabric samples to take your local dealer to select the perfect border.


Step 2: How many spools of a border will I need?


This next step is a simple one; take the sketch you made an place the measurements of your room accordingly. Most of the borders come packaged in 5 yard spools (15 feet) this is to accommodate the average wall length without a seam. To make your job go quicker and look more professional I suggest that you order a spool for each wall. If you are planning to install a border around the windows and doors, allow yourself at least 2 feet extra for each door and 4 feet extra for each window to allow for mitreing the corners. It is always best to over estimate your requirements any extra material can be used to decorate notebooks, lampshades, wastebaskets, storage bins, dresser drawers, headboards, back of book shelves, picture frames, hat boxes, toy boxes, did I mention everything??


Step 3: What tools will I need?
You will need just a few tools to do the job, some of which you may already have and those you don't have you may acquire from your wallpaper dealer. Here is a list of what you will need.

1. Wall Prep or sizing: Wall prep or sizing is a clear or off-white liquid that's applied to the walls before you put up wallpaper or borders to help the paper "stick better." A small paint roller works well for this. Be sure to remove any rough spots, grease or oil from the wall. When applying borders only, mark the walls where you are installing the borders and apply sizing or wall-prep within 1/2 inch of where the outside edge of the border meets the wall this insures proper adhesion without staining the painted surface.
2. Adhesive: While most borders are "prepasted," it's still a good idea to utilize a vinyl adhesive when applying borders over wallpaper and a paste activator when applying borders over paint. Be sure to consult with your dealer before selecting an adhesive from the many that are available. NOTE: When using any of the softtac self-adhesive borders you do not apply any additional adhesive.
3. Ruler and a Level or Chalk line: To measure the amount of border needed as well as for marketing chair rail location. A level or Chalk line is used to ensure horizontal placement or positioning.
4. Scissors, Trimming knife, and a Metal straight edge or a wide putty knife: The scissors are used for cutting borders to approximate length. After the border is in place use a trim knife with snap-off blades and the straight edge as a guide, to make mitred corners and to trim excess at the corners.
5. Sponge and Pails: The sponge is used to smooth out the border and remove excess paste. Two pails are needed: one for paste if required and one is used for clean water for rinsing the sponge be sure to change the water frequently.
6. Pasting/Work table: Make sure you set up a large area for cutting, pasting and folding your wallpaper and borders a large kitchen table or a long work table with a plastic cover will work.


Step 4: Where to start?
Now to start the finishing touch, after the walls are wallpapered or painted and properly prepared, you want to start the borders in an inconspicuous spot. If installing your border as a chair rail start at one side of a door or window frame and end at the other side. If installing at the ceiling start at a corner over a door way as you enter the room, or in the darkest corner so that the design mismatch is less obvious. You can see this in the room illustration we used for measurements.

Step 5: Let's begin!

Measure the first wall as determined by Step 4, then measure and cut the border allowing 2 inches extra to allow for 1 inch overlap at each corner. Remember measure twice and cut once. Begin applying paste or activator and "Book" the border as you apply the adhesive. Booking means gently folding the border like an accordian, paste-to-paste. Be careful do not crease the border as the creases will show. Once you have applied the adhesive, let the "booked" border sit for a few minutes this allows the paper to relax making it easier to hang. Start hanging the strip allowing about a 1/2 inch on the adjoining wall (see illustration below). Take a damp sponge and begin smoothing out any air bubbles or lumps as you go along. It's best if you can have someone holding the border that is to be applied as you place the border in position.

Step 6: Dealing with corners.

Your house is constantly shifting and vibrating. Because of this, it is recommended that you run your next strip directly into the corner overlapping the prior strip by 1 to 2 inches using a vinyl-to-vinyl adhesive or a quality white glue. Outside corners can simply be wrapped.

Step 7: Dealing with seams.
Planning ahead will help minimize seams but if you find that it cannot be avoided, the best method to handle seams is to overlap both ends the border about 2 inches and carefully cut through both pieces of the border where it overlaps using the straight edge as a guide. Then carefully peel away the extra material and you will be left with an almost invisible seam. If applying a wide border a seam roller is recommended to smooth out the seam, but be careful not to press too hard.

Step 8: The chair rail.

As you can see in the illustration, chair rails are normally positioned about 1/3 of the distance from the floor to the ceiling. The general "rule of thumb" is 32 inches to the center of the border. Chair rails help give a cosier feeling to a room with high ceilings and in a childs' room it gives your child something he or she will certainly enjoy at their level.

Step 9: Borders around windows and doors.

When installing a border around a window or door it's customary to work from left to right much the same as we read. This has a more "comfortable feel" as the pattern runs up the left side, across the top, and down the right side of the frame. To properly install a border around a frame (see illustration) you simply overlap the two ends. You then line up your straight edge with the inside corner and the outside corner and the outside formed by the overlapping border (this is normally a 45 degree angle), then using a new blade cut through both layers of the border and gently remove the excess material.

Step 10: The best part!
Sit back and admire your newly decorated room!