Measuring & Installing Peel and Stick Paper

Sujal Bhansali
Please take a moment to read through this guide before hanging, it will help ensure a successful installation of your chosen design. It is important that you understand the entire process before you start. If you are unsure of any of the steps, please get in touch with our customer service team who will be happy to help.

Tools

  • Straight edge
  • Very sharp blade (Stanley/craft)
  • Tape measure
  • Microfibre cloth
  • Plumb line or spirit level
  • Pencil
  • Plastic squeegee smoother (with felt edge) or a straight edge with a soft cloth wrapped around it for smoothing.

General preparation

Ensuring the wall is smooth, clean and completely dry is key for a successful installation. The surface should be free from old backing paper and contaminants such as dirt, dust, grease, mildew, ink stains; any of these can prevent adhesion taking place.

1. Remove nails / screws and fill in any cracks.

2. Switch off the electricity mains and remove any socket / switch covers.

3. Sand down any rough areas until smooth.

4. Use a sponge to clean the walls with warm water and mild soap. Allow the walls to dry for a minimum of 24 hours.

5. Paint the wall a light uniform colour if it differs significantly from your wallpaper as dark patterns / colours may show through.

Important: Allow the wallpaper to acclimatise in the room it will be applied in for a minimum of 24 hours before application. To do this, take the wallpaper out of the packaging and slightly unravel, this will also help to reduce any memory curling.

Emulsion paint:

Freshly painted walls should be left for 4 weeks before application, please refer to the paint manufacturer’s instructions for guidance. Note that if your paint has a washable coating then prime the surface with a PVA based primer or regular emulsion paint first and allow it to dry before hanging.

Lining paper:

Although you can install self adhesive on lining paper, this will affect the removability.

Porous surface (plaster, cement render):

Ensure old plaster is stable and free of mould. Ensure new plaster is completely dry. Prime surface with a PVA based primer or emulsion paint and allow it to dry before hanging. If using paint, wait 4 weeks before installation.

Non-porous surface (glass, gloss paint): Wipe clean, no further preparation needed.

Top tips for successful installation
–  Handle the wallpaper with care as the peel and stick material can stretch if it’s pulled with too much force during installation. However, this ability to stretch can prove useful when matching designs on significantly uneven walls.

– Once peeled, the wallpaper is very supple so be careful not to let it fold back on itself and stick together as this can affect the stickiness of the adhesive. If this does happen, do not panic. To avoid stretching, use a careful amount of force to un-stick the wallpaper from itself.

– Wallpaper has a tendency to curl after being wrapped so it is important to loose lay the panels for 24 hours to flatten as well as climatise. Not doing this will make installation more difficult.

– Ensure your cutting blade is razor sharp as dull blades can cause the wallpaper to tear. Change your blade every 2m/8ft to reduce this risk of tearing. – We recommend two people for peel and stick installation.

So grab a friend and have some fun!

Lay out your mural

1. Unroll the wallpaper and separate the drops (panels). Arrange them in hanging order from left to right on the floor by using the numbers on the back of each drop. This number is always at the top of each drop so that you know the orientation of your mural, which is particularly useful for abstract designs!

Please note: If you have ordered multiple murals they may be rolled together.

2. Now that your mural is laid out, line up the design to check the image matches before attempting installation.

If you notice any inconsistencies within the print, please do not install. Our customer service team can assist you with any problems. Under no circumstance can we compensate installation fees from third parties.

 

Line up the first panel

Important: Work from left to right as you face your wall. Use a tape measure and a plumb line or spirit level to mark a vertical straight line a panel’s width from the wall, this will give you a guide when hanging the first panel and ensure it’s hung straight. Ensuring that the first panel is hung straight is vital for successful installation of your mural.

Please note: Your wall may not be perfectly straight and using it as a reference will result in incorrect installation, take time to get this part right. If the first drop isn’t over a flat section of wall that is free from obstacles (e.g door frames / windows) then feel free to install from right to left in the order you have already laid out your wallpaper.

3. With help from a partner, peel away approximately a third of the backing paper from your first drop and position the top right edge along the marked plumb line.

4. Once you’re happy the first drop is straight, use the felt tipped squeegee or similar to slowly apply pressure downwards and outwards starting from the middle. Be careful not to crease the wallpaper by smoothing too quickly or harshly. Smoothing the wallpaper outwards in diagonal directions allows you to remove any air trapped underneath the wallpaper.

5. If the panel needs to be repositioned you can remove the panel multiple times and re-stick until straight.

Important: Removing the mural slowly and carefully will significantly reduce the possibility of damage or stretching.

 

Removing the backing layer

6. Reach underneath and continue to gently pull the backing paper downwards to reveal the rest of the adhesive, smoothing down the mural as you go. Take extra care to ensure the edges are firmly sealed flat to the wall.

7. Repeat this process until the drop is fully installed.

 

Butt up the panels

Please note: When hanging multiple drops: hang the panels edge to edge as there is no overlap in a butt join.

8. Remove approximately third of the backing paper and with help from your partner, visually match the design down the length of the wall. When you’re happy that the panel is straight and matches, firmly press the panels together so that the seams are not visible. Again, smooth out any air bubbles with the felt squeegee or a soft cloth.

9. Continue to remove the remaining backing paper and smoothing the mural carefully as you go until the drop is fully installed.

 

Repeat until finished

10. Repeat the previous stages for all of your drops until your mural is completely installed.

11. Using a straightedge as a guide and a razor sharp blade, trim away any excess from both your final drop and the top and bottom of all drops.

12. One final important step is to firmly smooth the whole mural down using the microfibre cloth, this removes any remaining pockets of air and helps the mural bond to the wall. Repeat this step one week after installation. Allow for drying at room temperature, ensuring there is lots of ventilation. If there is a heat source such as a radiator on the same wall as the mural, turn it down or off for the first 24 hours of drying, this will reduce the possibility of shrinkage. You may also notice a slight smell to your mural but this will disappear within a couple of days.

Sit back and enjoy your handiwork!