How to Wallpaper Corners: The Ultimate Guide!

One of the most challenging aspects of wallpapering is getting a good finish around corners. If you are not careful, you can end up with wrinkles or seams that are visible and detract from the overall look of your wallpaper job.

How to Wallpaper around a Corner

If you are wallpapering a room, it is best to wallpaper the corners first. Wallpapering around a corner can be tricky, but you can have a dazzling wallpapering success with a few simple steps. There are a few ways to do this, but we will show you our favourite method – wrapping the wallpaper around the corner.

First, measure the distance to the corner and transfer this measurement to your corner piece of wallpaper. Make two minor cuts at the top and bottom – these are called relief cuts and will allow the wallpaper to bend around the corner. Next, paste the wall and apply the wallpaper to one side of the corner, smoothing it. Squeegee into the corner to apply adhesive, wrap the wallpaper onto the next wall, and smooth it into place. Make sure that your wallpaper is level before moving on to the next piece.

With patience and following these simple steps, you can achieve a detailed wallpapering step that will envy your neighbors.

Inside Corners

In terms of inside corners, first, measure the length of the wallpaper you will need and add an extra few centimeters in width before cutting. Apply wallpaper paste to the corners with a brush and hang the wallpaper from top to bottom, making sure to align the pattern to the previous strip. Gently press the wallpaper strip into the corner using a small brush, and then carefully press the overlap onto the next wall to form a new overlap for the next strip. Finally, smooth your strip from the center outwards using a soft, clean cloth.

Outside Corners

In the case of outside corners, measure the distance between the edge of the last wallpaper panel and the corner. Add a width of 3 inches so that it wraps the corner. Trim your next panel based on your measurements. Hang the wallpaper panel and smooth it onto the wall. Wrap the additional 3-inch overlap onto the adjoining wall and smooth it out. Trim off any excess at the ceiling and baseboard. Align the next panel and allow it to slightly overlapping the wrapped 3-inch extension to stop approximately ¼ inch from the corner. Make sure the pattern or design matches the last panel. Once you have hung all of the panels, trim off any excess wallpaper at the corners and edges.

Wallpaper around Windows

The first step is to cut the wallpaper to fit around the window. Leave an overlap of about 2 inches to fold it over and smooth it down. Starting at one side of the window, apply the wallpaper to the wall, using a roller to smooth it out. Cut any excess wallpaper off around the windowsill with a utility knife. Next, take the scissors and make a diagonal cut down to the window’s corner, top and bottom, where the windowsill and wall meet. Now push the paper flap around the corner into the window reveal. Trim any excess wallpaper around the window sill area and use a sponge to smooth the edge down.

Wallpaper around Trim

To wallpaper corners, hang the wallpaper and allow it to overlap the trim. Cut the wallpaper panel to expose the window or door. Allow approximately 2 inches overlapping the trim. Cut a 45° angle from the corner of the window or door frame to the edge of the wallpaper. Press the wallpaper into the edge of the trim, and cut away the excess using a utility knife. Wipe away any glue that may have had contact with the trim. Wallpaper the areas above and below the window or door frame. Take care to make sure the pattern or design matches with previous panels. Repeat the previous steps to hang and trim the wallpaper on the remaining side of the frame.

Prepare around Outlets

Before wallpapering, remove the faceplate from any outlets in the wall and tape over the opening with painter’s tape; cut the wallpaper to size, leaving extra room at each corner. Fold the excess wallpaper and use a knife or a straight edge to trim it even with the wall. Apply wallpaper adhesive to the back of the paper, starting in the middle and working your way out. Hang the paper on the wall and smooth it down with a roller or a seam roller. Once you have reached the corner, use a utility knife to trim the paper from corner to corner. Then, fold the edges in and apply adhesive to the back. Smooth it down with a roller or a seam roller. Finish papering the rest of the wall.

Paste The Wallpaper

If you want to use past the wallpaper, measure and cut the wallpaper to the same size as paper-the-wall wallpaper to paste the wall wallpaper. Next, brush adhesive on the back of the paper, working from the middle outwards to the edge. Then, fold the wallpaper loosely into a concertina and leave the paste to soak in for the right amount of time. To hang the wallpaper, take the concertina of paper up to your ladder and pick it up by the top corners of the end you want to hang it from. Then, carefully slide the paper, so it neatly meets your vertical line and smoothes it with a roller to get rid of bubbles and extra paste. Finally, clean the paste table before you paste the next piece of paper. Repeat these steps until the wallpaper is hung.

Wallpaper over Wallpaper

To wallpaper over wallpaper, it is best to ensure that the existing layer of paper is in good condition. If the existing wallpaper is textured, poorly applied, damp, damaged, peeling, or cracking, the new wallpaper will likely look terrible. If the original paper is dark and the new one is light, the print may leak through when the dye is wet by the paste. The same goes for if the original wallpaper is patterned and the new one is plain. It is also essential to consider the colour of both papers. Some people say that you can paint old wallpaper before papering over it, but this may be taking a risk too far. A great tip if your wall is suitable for papering over is to use thick or 3d patterned wallpapers, as these are great for hiding uneven surfaces.

Plaster over Wallpaper

You can hand-plaster over wallpapered walls, and it can sometimes save a lot of time and hassle. If the wallpaper is stuck and you cannot get it off even when it is wet, you can try to plaster it. First, it is wise to do a test to check if the plaster will stick. It probably is not an excellent move to plaster over if you have more than one layer of wallpaper. The plaster can dampen the layers and make them peel off or even fall off—plaster included.

If only one layer of paper is in good condition, it may be worth trying. You will need to test a small section first. On the other hand, one layer of paper does not usually stick that fast. You should be able to strip it off. It is up to you but remembers the risks.

Behind Fixed Radiators

If you cannot remove the radiator, make sure that you have a pencil, scissors, and a radiator roller to hand. If you cannot remove the radiator, keep track of the brackets’ locations and how high up they are from the top of the radiator. Next, paste the wallpaper and hang it from the top of the wall as usual but only brush downwards until the top of the radiator, allowing the rest of the paper to rest against the front.

Remove the backing from the paper, then cut a vertical incision from the bottom of the paper to the radiator bracket positions. Then, drop down the back of each radiator on either side of the wall brackets with scissors. Take the radiator roller and smooth down the wallpaper behind it before trimming the bottom edge to meet the skirting.

FAQs

Do you overlap wallpaper in corners?

Wallpaper can be overlapped in corners, or a border can be added to cover the overlap. It is typically 1-2 inches wide if a border is used. The width of the border will depend on the overall design of the wallpaper.

How do you cut outer corner wallpaper?

Firstly, cut the sheet of wallpaper in half so that you have two pieces of equal size. Next, apply adhesive to the back of one of the pieces and attach it to the wall to cover the corner. Then use a straight edge and a knife to cut away any excess wallpaper from the edge. Finally, use a seam roller to press the wallpaper down and create a smooth edge.

How to achieve the double seam cut?

You need a cutter or a unique double seam knife to get a double seam cut. You can also use a metal guiding bar or long ruler to straighten the cut. Align the pattern of both lengths so accurately before doing the cut, and then pull out the cut-off strips of both wallpaper lengths. If done correctly, the seams of both lengths should now touch accurately, and you should not see a seam between them. Finally, remove any paste residue from the cut line and the surface of the wallpaper.

How do you line a paper corner?

There are a few different ways to line a paper corner. You can use a straight edge or fold the paper to even the corner. You can also cut the paper to fit the corner.