Papering horizontally

Is it harder to paper horizontally? I've never papered before, the width is 4m. Any tips for a novice appreciated.

Thanks

 

It's a bit more difficult as you need to hold each length as you are applying it whereas, when papering vertically, as soon as you have the top edge applied you can let the sheet drop (provided it's folded correctly!).
It can be tricky papering around uneven external corners as each sheet may need to be spliced, and any patterns can be thrown out of line, but a flat wall is much easier.

It will make the job easier if you can set a platform to walk across rather than trying to move your steps or jump to another set but it can be done this way. Using a paste-the-wall paper might be a wise option if it's your first go!

Your starting point will be determined by any pattern that you have.

 

Great advice by misterhelpful there. I was just going to add that it will make life easier (if pasting paper) if you fold the paper constantiner (please excuse the spelling) as this will enable you to hang small sections at a time and make the lengths less cumbersome.

 

Concertina

Quite right - the smaller the better for ease of handling, being careful not to crease it.

 

Thanks for the correct spelling there misterhelpful, spellings not my best attribute!

Hence the preempt apology!

 

What is this?... paper you just wet as glue is already on it?

 

No - it means 'if you are pasting the paper' (as opposed to pasting the wall).

However...there is a bit of a myth about hanging lining paper horizontally, which is based on the idea that if you hang it vertically, the joins are bound to co-incide with the joins on the top paper.

I can reveal that in reality this is only a problem if the wall is at least 7 m long. Any less, and the joins will not coincide.

Which is why I make a point of keeping gravity on my side and hanging vertically wherever possible!

 

Dean,

I am a little confused, is it your intention to hang a lining or finsh wallcovering, and to what surface/substrate do you intend to apply it to, need to really establish that.

Dec

 

It's finish paper to a flat, newly plastered wall.

 

Emily has pointed out what I meant in my post. However you used to be able to get pre pasted paper that you soaked to reactivate the paste. Haven't seen it for years though but I suppose it's probably still around. When I used it in the past I still tended to paste the stuff though!

In fact here's some instructions on how to use the pre pasted papers! http://www.ehow.com/how_1938_apply-water-prepasted.html

There is also the option of paste the wall wallpaper which is self explanatory really i.e you paste the wall and not the paper. you then hang the unpasted paper to the pasted surface. This eliminates the soaking time that is required when hanging paste the paper wall coverings.

Please don't forget to apply a thinned down wall paper paste to your wall and let it dry before any application of your wall coverings. This will stop the paste soaking into the plaster instead of adhering the paper!

 

I can't agree with lining vertically before finish paper. Its not just about the seams lining up which we all know is unlikely.
Its about 'pull'. When you apply a paper to a wall it creates a tension and by cross lining followed by vertical lining you allow the pull to go up down and left and right in other words its equal in all directions, if you vertical line then vertical paper all the tension is pulling the same way which can cause lifting because its too much for the paper/adhesive bond to cope with.

 

I can see the logic in your theory, but must point out that in 25 years of decorating I have never had that problem. I always make sure I use a good quality lining such as Wallrock and allow the lining paper to dry completely though before applying the top paper.

 

You've probably got away with it through doing your job well, but its fact not theory about the 'pull' statement, if you read any decent literature about paper hanging you'll come across this statement regularly. Not knocking you though, just thought it was worth pointing out as the diyer is far more likely to give themselves this problem and could save a head ache or two and also like i said i disagree as i dont think its best practice but each to their own as at the end of the day we as individuals are responsible for our own work.

 

Without wishing to be pedantic, in the absence of hard observable data relating to physical properties of paper, it remains a theory. I am happy to be persuaded,although I suspect that with the use of non-woven lining papers, it is much less of an issue anyway.

I didn't imagine for a moment that you were knocking me.

I was merely disputing the reasons so far offered (here and elsewhere) for the supposed need to hang lining paper horizontally when in fact itcan be just as good practice to hang it vertically.

I suspect it's one of those myths (not an old wives' tale as such, but not far off!) which have been handed down from a bygone age when it probably was a good idea to line horizontally. Like not going out in the cold with wet hair in case you caught a cold, or changing down through all the gears when you approach a roundabout.

 

As a diy'r I have never seen top paper that needs hanging horizontally.

Lining paper yes - never patterned paper.

Is this a new thing?