Hanging paper around windows

When you get to a switch or socket, make sure you first turn off the power supply to that unit. Mark the four corners as shown in the diagram and cut diagonally across to leave an opening slightly smaller than the face plate of the socket or switch.

Cut off most of the four flaps as shown by the dotted line. Leave enough to tuck behind the socket or switch. Unscrew the face plate from the wall a little and wiggle it through the cut paper, pushing the paper against the wall as you do. The first overlap on a window should be cut as shown in the diagram.

The flap of the cut fold round into the window reveal with the rest of the paper going over, and under, the window.

There will be a slight cut out for the window cill. Next the two top lengths are cut and pasted above the window folding down and under the head of the window opening.

When there is a window in the wall the cut widths may not work out evenly at either side of the window so measure to see if the joint between the strips of paper marked 2 in the diagram come close to the centre of the window.

If it does not then it is fine to start hanging paper at point 2, either side of the centre of the window and work out in both directions to the corner of the room. This way you should avoid silly strips of paper running down the window frame. Finally pieces 4 are cut in under the head of the window opening. It is as well to cut and paste the pieces numbered 4 before finally pasting lengths 1 and 3.

These pieces can then be turned up onto the wall above the window where lengths 1 and 3 will cover them. The start of an arch is the same as a window. Paper up to, and over the arch C. Then trim round the shape of the arch allowing a 25 mm overhang. Then cut small triangles out of the overhang, forming a series of wedges, or tabs, to allow you to fold it back under the arch. If you just cut slits the paper will crease and possibly tear.

Sometimes the strip is cut first, with 25mm of overlap on either side of the arch and this is cut in the same way to allow it to be folded back onto the wall.

Then the walls are papered and cut round the shape of the arch. The drawback to this method is that it involves a very neat circular cut for the arch, nut if you feel up to it. Wherever possible take the radiator off after draining down the system if necessary. This make for a much better job. If this is not possible, cut the paper to the required shape to drop down over the radiator brackets, then smooth it out using a radiator paint roller.

When your paste is mixed well into the bucket, tip it into a roller tray and paste the paper with a long haired roller. Q: My overlaps at corners will not stay stuck down? A: If using washable or vinyl papers apply a special overlap adhesive.

If using ordinary paper use some more of the original paste and go over the joint with a seam roller. Q : Patchy stains are appearing through the wallpaper? A: See the project on blocking water stains. Q: The paper has blisters all over it? A: The paste may not have soaked into the paper for long enough or is not completely pasted. Press the wallpaper against the window frame, so that the corner point of the window frame is clearly visible. Make a diagonal cut from the edge of the wallpaper to the corner point.

Push the excess paper well into the angles between the window frame and the wall, using a wallpaper brush. Peel back the excess paper carefully. Cut along the lines that have become marked at the join between the wall and the window frame with paperhanging scissors. Hang lengths of paper with wallpaper paste and a brush until one length of wallpaper overlaps the recess containing the window frame.

Cut along the overlapping length of wallpaper horizontally, at a point level with the top edge of the recess. This frees up paper on the overlapping length to cover the side wall of the recess. Make a parallel cut level with the surface of the window ledge. When it comes to papering around a window, it is not normally as difficult as it may at first seem, the key to achieving professional looking results it to take your time, be patient and if you need a hand ask someone to assist you.

Hanging wallpaper around a window that is set flush in the wall with a decorative frame uses the same method as papering around a door. If however the window is set into the wall, creating a recess then the method of papering is slightly different.

Luckily any small mistakes can usually be covered by curtains or blinds.