The Easiest Wallpaper Installation DIY EVER!

I love wallpaper. It has the ability to completely change the look of a room with fairly little effort. But installation can be quite messy since you need to apply the wallpaper paste to the back of the paper and let it soak for a bit before applying. So, when my Photowall wallpaper arrived and I quickly peeked at the instructions (I don’t HAVE to read it, because I KNOW how to install wallpaper, but I just had to make sure), I was totally blown away by a simple change in application method that made the world of difference! This was by far the easiest wallpaper installation I have ever done!

LockDown Nesting – it’s a real thing!

Like a lot of people, spending day after day in my home during lockdown has made my DIY fingers itch. So far, I have turned the playroom into a home school room, made a new vegetable patch… oh, and revamped the kitchen. But that was a completely unintended DIY. More about that later. Photowall contacted me BC (Before Corona – remember those days??) to ask if I would like to try out their wallpaper, but the lockdown prevented delivery for a couple of months.

So, when the boxes arrived a couple of weeks ago, I was more than excited to get going on a new project. Their range of available papers is truly astounding: there are thousands of prints and murals, ranging from subtle and safe to bold and brave. They even create custom prints from your own photographs. I enlisted the help of my bestie, sister, and my husband, and eventually decided on a busy tropical print in grey, green, and a dusty coral.

Photowall calculates the necessary quantity based on your wall’s dimensions, so I just had to measure the width and height and they did the rest. I also ordered the assembly kit which came in very useful during installation.

Why This is The Easiest Wallpaper Installation Ever

So here is the revolutionary change in installation method: You apply the wallpaper paste to the WALL instead of to the PAPER 🤯. I know, it sounds so obvious, but this made a massive difference in installation time. The other thing that really simplifies the process, is that Photowall clearly indicates where you have to cut the paper. This makes getting the pattern repeat correct, a breeze – plus it minimizes wastage.

See below for a full video tutorial of TRADITIONAL wallpaper installation.

How to install Photowall Wallpaper

Difficulty: mildly challenging

Time: 2 hours – depending on the size of your wall, of course!

You will need:

wallpaper from Photowall
wallpaper paste (this is included with the wallpaper)
wallpaper brush
craft knife
wet cloth
drop sheet
straight edge
spirit level
pencil

* You can get all the tools you need in the very convenient Wallpaper Installation Kit 😉

Step 1:

Make sure that your walls are clean and that any holes have been filled after you’ve removed fixings. Then you’ll need to determine how straight your walls are (most aren’t). Starting with the left side of the wall, use a straight edge (or long ruler) and the spirit level included in the tool kit, and draw a line one wallpaper-width from the edge (45cm in my case). Now measure from this line back to the corner in several places. This will help you see where there are any discrepancies. As long as nowhere is wider than the width of the paper, you’re good to go! If it is, move that line slightly closer to the corner.

Step 2:

Mix the wallpaper paste according to the instructions on the packet.

Step 3:

Paint the wall with the wallpaper paste using the supplied brush, a couple of panel widths at a time.

Step 4:

Cut the panels according to the guide printed on the paper and stick them to the wall.

Step 5:

Smooth out any bubbles with the paper hanging brush.

Step 6:

Smooth out join lines with the little seam roller.

Step 7:

Trim away the excess paper at the top and bottom using the cutting guide and trimming knife. Repeat step 3 – 7 until all the panels are installed, carefully matching up the pattern as you go.

Step 8:

Stand back and admire your work!

Top Tip 1:

Start by installing the second panel (all panels are marked) along the right-hand edge of the pencil line. It’s super important to get this first panel completely straight in order to keep it the easiest wallpaper installation on the rest of the wall. Then work your way back to the first panel, cutting away any excess paper in the corner.

Top Tip 2:

Carefully cut around any light switches and plug points, and ensure that you smooth down the paper around it afterward. It really is as easy as paint, cut and stick. I did an entire 5m wide by 3m high wall in less than 2 hours, including trimming the paper. By far the fastest revamp I’ve ever done!

The installation kit of course helps – the paper cutting guide works a charm, and the brush easily works out any bubbles. My wall was quite big and had a door and some plug points as well, so when the cutting tool lost its sharp edge, I used my good old Stanley knife to finish the job.

Another handy little tool in the box is the seam roller. I’ve never used one of them before but now I can’t imagine installing wallpaper without it! My wall is completely seamless thanks to this little guy.

Can patterns actually make a room look bigger?

The interesting thing is that my kids walked in and wanted to know how I made the room bigger! It really appears that way. Often we are scared to use busy patterns and darker colours in a space for fear of making it appear smaller. This just goes to show that deep colours and smaller patterns can have quite the opposite effect.