Good on paper

DIY projects from Your Home and Garden

Get on a roll and make your powder room pop with personality using our DIY expert’s step-by-step guide.

A bathroom wallpapered in Resene Wallpaper
Collection 91272 - personality plus

Tip: Always allow your Resene wallpaper to dry naturally after hanging. Don’t hurry the process by using a heater, as force drying can cause the joins to open during the drying process. In cold, damp, unventilated conditions, this could take up to a week.

You will need

Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner
Sandpaper – I used 80 grit
Bucket
Ladder
Layout brush
Paper smoother
Paste brush
Plumb bob
Scissors

Size
Knife
Sponge
Trim guide
Wallpaper paste, if using unpasted paper
Wallpaper trough
Wallpaper – I used Resene Wallpaper Collection 91272

Step-by-step guide

There’s a bit of prep to be done before wallpapering, such as painting your ceiling and trims. This means there is far less cutting in and no chance of getting any paint on your fresh wallpaper. I used Resene Lustacryl in Resene Alabaster for trims, Resene Lustacryl in Resene Black for the door and Resene Foundry for the bottom half of the walls. I also prepared the walls by washing with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and rinsing with water. When dry, sand the surface to give a good grip for the size and paste to stick to. Dust the surface, then brush the wall with size.
Measure the distance from the skirting to ceiling and add 5cm to the top and bottom for trimming. Draw a level line approximately 20cm from a corner to line the edge of your first drop of wallpaper up with. Cut the first drop and use this as a template for the rest of the wallpaper to be matched and cut to, make sure you identify the top using a pencil. This should be the way the wallpaper unrolls from the uncut roll. Use your first strip to match and cut the second strip and don’t forget to number it. Pre-cut all your wallpaper this way.
Mix the wallpaper glue as per the instructions on the box. I used a pre-mixed one so I only had to add water. Using a paste brush, apply the paste to the back of the wallpaper on the first length of wallpaper laid out on a flat surface. I pasted one drop at time, plus an extra 50mm so I didn’t have to come too close to my wallpaper on the next drop. Leave to relax for about 10 minutes before hanging.

Supplies used

Step 1 - prep
Photo (1)

Step 2 - measure
Photo (2)

Step 3 - mix wallpaper glue
Photo (3)

To hang your Resene wallpaper, use a plumbline to ensure the drop is straight and I’d suggest starting near the main source of light and working away to finish in the least conspicuous corner. Once you’re happy with the hang, use the wallpaper smoother and/or sponge to get it as smooth and well-adhered as possible.
Use a cutting tool and knife to push up to the ceiling first, then cut off the excess wallpaper. Smooth on the way down and repeat with the cutting tool and knife at the bottom, making sure you push the wallpaper in tight to the bottom edge.
After the first drop is complete, repeat with the next drop. Remember to be careful to line up the pattern on each drop. This wallpaper has a 26cm pattern repeat so you end up having to cut at least 26cm off the top on each drop.

Step 4 - smooth wallpaper
Photo (4)