Wallpaper guides from installers
Practical answers about planning, ordering, prep, materials and care — written by the people who hang wallpaper every day.
What Photos to Send for a Wallpaper Estimate
Send one straight-on photo of every wall you want papered, close-ups of corners, windows, outlets and any damage or existing wallpaper, plus a photo of the wallpaper label or a product link. Take…
Read the guideEstimates & projects
What Photos to Send for a Wallpaper Estimate
Send one straight-on photo of every wall you want papered, close-ups of corners, windows, outlets and any damage or existing wallpaper, plus a photo…
3 min read
How to Measure Walls for Wallpaper (Step by Step)
Measure the width of each wall at its widest point and the height from the top of the baseboard to the ceiling, in feet and inches. Note windows and…
3 min read
Wallpaper Installation in Condos, Apartments and HOA Buildings
In a condo or managed building, the wallpaper work itself is the same, but logistics must be planned: approved work hours, elevator reservations and…
3 min read
Commercial Wallcovering Project Checklist for Managers and Contractors
For a commercial wallcovering project, send the plans or elevations, the specified material and its data sheet, quantities, the substrate condition,…
3 min read
Wallpaper in Rental Properties: A Guide for Owners and Managers
In rentals, use durable, washable nonwoven or vinyl wallpaper in limited, high-impact areas such as an accent wall, entry or powder room. Choose…
3 min read
How to Prepare a Room for Wallpaper Installation
Before installation, clear small items, art and fragile decor, keep the rolls unopened in a dry room and check their batch numbers, make sure the…
3 min readPlanning
How Long Does Wallpaper Installation Take?
A single accent wall usually takes a few hours to half a day once the wall is ready. A standard bedroom is often one day, a powder room one day, and…
4 min read
How to Choose the Right Wall for a Wallpaper Accent Wall
Choose the wall your eye lands on first when you enter the room, or the wall behind the main piece of furniture — the bed, sofa, dining buffet or…
4 min read
Wallpaper in Open Floor Plans: Where to Start and Stop
In an open floor plan, use wallpaper to define a zone — the dining wall, the wall behind a sofa or the end of a sight line — and stop it at a natural…
3 min read
Wall Mural vs Repeating Wallpaper: Which Is Right for Your Room?
A repeating wallpaper prints the same pattern over and over, so it can cover any size wall and multiple walls. A mural is one large image printed in…
3 min read
Wallpaper for Small Spaces: Powder Rooms, Closets, Nooks and Laundry Rooms
Small rooms are the best place to be bold with wallpaper: they need few rolls, you pass through them rather than live in them, and a strong pattern…
3 min read
How to Order Wallpaper: Batch Numbers, Pattern Repeat and Extra Rolls
Order all rolls at once from the same batch (also called a run or dye lot), so colors match. Calculate based on the roll size and pattern repeat, add…
4 min read
DIY vs Professional Wallpaper Installation: An Honest Comparison
DIY can work for a single accent wall with nonwoven or peel-and-stick paper on a smooth, primed wall. Hire a professional for expensive papers,…
3 min read
When to Wallpaper During a Remodel or New Build
Wallpaper usually goes up near the end of a remodel: after drywall, texture repair, trim and paint are finished, and before final light fixtures,…
3 min read
Wallpapering Stairwells, Two-Story Entries and Tall Walls
Stairwells and two-story entries look dramatic with wallpaper, but they need scaffolding or planks, a plumb line on every wall and careful roll…
3 min read
Home Office Wallpaper Ideas That Look Good on Video Calls
Wallpaper the wall behind your desk chair so it becomes your video call backdrop. Choose medium-scale patterns or textures — very small,…
3 min readPrep & walls
How Painted-Over Wallpaper Is Removed
Paint over wallpaper blocks water, so the paper cannot simply be soaked off. The paint layer is scored or broken, removal solution is applied in…
3 min read
Wallpaper Around Windows, Doors, Outlets and Fixtures
Wallpaper is hung over openings and trimmed in place: relief cuts at the corners of windows and doors, the paper smoothed into the casing and trimmed…
3 min readWallpaper Removal in Older Homes: Plaster, Layers and Lead Safety
In older homes, wallpaper is often several layers deep, sometimes painted over and frequently on plaster. Removal is done in stages with soaking or…
3 min read
Skim Coating Before Wallpaper: When You Need It and How It Is Done
A skim coat is a thin layer of joint compound spread over a wall to make it smooth. You need one before wallpaper when wall texture, patches or…
3 min readWallpaper in Kitchens, Bathrooms and Laundry Rooms: Moisture-Smart Choices
Yes — wallpaper works in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms when you choose a vinyl or humidity-rated nonwoven paper, prime the walls with a…
3 min readMaterials
Grasscloth Wallpaper: What to Expect Before You Order
Grasscloth is woven natural fiber on a paper backing. Expect visible seams, color and texture variation from strip to strip and some shading between…
3 min readPaste-the-Wall vs Paste-the-Paper Wallpaper: What Is the Difference?
Paste-the-wall wallpaper (usually nonwoven) is hung dry onto a wall that has been pasted, does not expand and often strips off dry later.…
4 min read
Vinyl vs Nonwoven vs Paper Wallpaper: Which Should You Choose?
Nonwoven is the best all-round choice for most rooms: stable, easy to hang and usually easy to remove. Vinyl and vinyl-coated papers are the most…
3 min read
Best Wallpaper for Hallways, Entries and Other High-Traffic Areas
For hallways and entries, choose a scrubbable vinyl or a durable washable nonwoven, a pattern busy enough to hide scuffs, and consider pairing it…
3 min readCare & fixes
Why Are My Wallpaper Seams Showing? Causes and Fixes
Wallpaper seams usually show because the wall was not primed, the paper shrank as it dried, the seam was overlapped or rolled too hard, paste dried…
4 min read
Wallpaper and Seasonal Humidity in Seattle-Area Homes
Seattle-area homes spend months damp outside and heated inside. Wallpaper is affected by humidity in bathrooms and laundry rooms, condensation on…
3 min read
Why Does Wallpaper Bubble? Causes, What Is Normal and Fixes
Small bubbles right after hanging are often trapped moisture and usually flatten within a day or two as the paste dries. Bubbles that remain after 48…
4 min read
How to Repair Damaged Wallpaper: Tears, Scuffs, Stains and Patches
Small tears and loose edges can be glued back with seam adhesive. Scuffs on washable papers can be cleaned gently. Holes, stains and larger damage…
3 min readHow to Clean Wallpaper Without Damaging It
Dust all wallpaper regularly with a soft brush or vacuum attachment. Only washable and scrubbable papers (usually vinyl and vinyl-coated) should be…
3 min read