Ask me a few years ago and I’d have probably turned my nose up at the idea of wallpapering. It would have conjured up flashbacks of my nan’s dated ‘Eternal Beau’-inspired chintzy borders, or my gran’s bold-but-questionable devotion to psychedelic 1970s florals. For a long time, wallpaper was firmly filed under “decor best left in the past”.
But then I moved into a Victorian house and realised that wallpaper might actually be the decorating equivalent of a good concealer. Uneven walls or dodgy plasterwork? Covered. Wonky chimney breast? Distracted from. Instant results? Absolutely!
I've since had several attempts at wallpapering through my home – with mixed results. So, in the interests of saving you from peeling seams, mismatched patterns and paste-related regret, here are the wallpapering mistakes I’ve learned the hard way, as well as some expert tips on how to resolve them.
1. Not using enough paste
Wallpapering our narrow hallway was quite the challenge due to our steep staircase, but we were happy with our paper choice and results, at least for a while. Then we started to notice that it was peeling in a couple of places at the edges, but couldn’t work out why.
It’s a common issue, according to Ulams Mazulis, co-owner of Fancy Walls. “Many first-time wallpaper installers run into this problem,” he says. “It often means there was not enough glue on the wallpaper or the wall. To fix it, lift the peeling edge, use a small brush to add more wallpaper glue underneath, press the wallpaper back down, and smooth it with a wallpaper roller.”
We used traditional wallpaper, but this problem can also occur with peel-and-stick variations. “This typically indicates that the wall was not cleaned well enough before installation, leaving dust and residue behind,” says Ulams. “But again, you can buy wallpaper glue and apply it to the peeling area, just like with traditional wallpaper. Another option is to use thin double-sided tape around the edge that is coming loose.”
Try this ready-made paste if you have a similar problem. It's designed for quick seam fixes and promises to be fast-drying and strong hold.
Ulams is the Chief Technical Officer at Fancy Walls. He not only oversees production but is also responsible for the quality of the materials the company uses. His day-to-day work involves improving printing technologies and helping business partners and customers better understand the materials and installation process to achieve the best possible results.
2. I didn’t cover every wall straight away
This is a particular regret in my guest bedroom, where I picked out a lovely Mid-century Scion Khadi design in grey, but only used it in the room’s alcoves. While the paper wasn’t cheap, (which probably explains why I was so timid at the time), I regret not covering all my walls for a stronger design statement. Especially now that the wallpaper has been discontinued.
"We definitely see defaulting to a single feature wall or perhaps a couple of alcoves as a wallpapering mistake," says Sophie Smith, director and co-founder of The Living House.
"People are now much braver with their interior choices, wallpapering every wall, even papering the ceiling, which creates a cosy, cocooning feel and brings real character to a space. In fact, a feature wall in a long narrow room can actually work against you," she adds, "making the wall feel like it's coming toward you, and the room feel smaller as a result."
Sophie has worked in interior design for 8 years, and aims to make her services affordable and accessible through the brand she has co-founded – The Living House. Aside from designing, Sophie loves to discover a good interior design bargain or Facebook marketplace find. Brands she loves include H&M Home, Dunelm, Habitat and her superpower is a great memory for all the products in all the shops. "I can pull out exactly the right thing for each customer," she says. "I don’t know how I do it – it’s just all there!"
3. Drying washing on radiators with wallpaper behind them
Full disclosure – this is an issue my best friend had rather than myself, as my decorator had already had some stern words for me as he wallpapered behind radiators. My big takeaway from his lecture was never to dry washing on a radiator with wallpaper behind it, as the moisture and steam created is bound to cause issues.
But that’s not the only possible culprit.
"Bubbling behind the radiator often happens because the radiator’s heat slowly dries out the wallpaper glue," says Ulams Mazulis. "As the glue dries, the wallpaper can stretch or expand, which causes these bubbles."
Wallpapering in the summer months when the radiators are turned off can give more time for the glue to adhere more strongly, but if the advice comes too late for you and you've spotted bubbles appearing, you can try the following method to fix it.
Start by gently smoothing the bubble with a wallpaper smoother. "Move slowly from the edge of the bubble toward the centre to push the air out," says Ulams Mazulis. "If the bubble stays after smoothing, use a needle to make a tiny pinhole in the centre, then gently press the air out through the hole."
4. The small-scale pattern I chose looks too fussy
Now, this is a mistake I definitely won’t make again, and I’ve been much bolder with my more recent wallpaper ideas. But why do small-scale patterns fail in many spaces?
"Many people assume a small room needs a small print, but a large scale pattern can actually trick the eye into making a space feel bigger," says Sophie Smith. "It's also worth thinking about what other patterns you will be pairing the wallpaper with, such as your soft furnishings, light shades, cushions and accessories."
Fussy patterns with too many colours in them can actually be quite tricky to mix and match with soft furnishings and paint colours. So something with a bolder print and more limited palette can make life easier – especially in the long run, when you want to change up other accessories.
5. Excess paste has left dirty marks on my ceiling
As first-time wallpaperers, we definitely encountered this issue. And I can attest that if you don’t deal with wiping up the excess paste, you’ll be staring up with regret at marks on your ceiling for years, rather than admiring your lovely wallpaper pattern.
It’s best to tackle the issue as you’re decorating. "To clean excess paste from your ceiling, use hot water and a microfibre cloth," says Ulams Mazulis. "Usually, wiping the area will fix the problem. If that does not work, you, or the person who installed the wallpaper, may need to return and repaint the spot."
6. Poor pattern placement is distracting
Not getting your pattern matching right is one of those details you can’t un-see once you’ve spotted it. A poorly positioned wallpaper repeat can turn an otherwise beautiful design into something oddly distracting – whether that’s a flower awkwardly sliced in two or a poor animal or bird missing its head altogether.
"Hanging patterned wallpaper requires thinking about where the motifs start and stop," explains Sophie. "If it's a design featuring animals or flowers, you really don't want the motif chopped in half at the top of the wall where it will be the first thing people notice."
"Take the time to plan your drops before you begin, positioning the pattern so that the most prominent motifs fall in the most visible and flattering parts of the wall."
If you're nervous, go for a more forgiving patterned design, like this B&Q GoodHome Nivosa plaster-effect embossed wallpaper in teal that I've used in my hallway. It's been part of the range for years and we were impressed by the quality – it feels just as thick as some very expensive lookalikes, and hides a multitude of sins.
FAQ
Why is the wallpaper peeling on my new-build walls?
If you’ve recently wallpapered your new-build home, you might see gaps emerging between your lengths of wallpaper despite your best efforts. But this won’t necessarily be due to your pasting skills.
"If you’ve just moved into a new build, the building materials will still adjust to their new environment for up to 12 months," says interior design expert, Hannah Prescott of Diamond Interiors. "Wood, concrete, and plaster need about 12 months to dry and settle properly, so if you paint or apply wallpaper prematurely, you could end up dealing with cracks and gaps as the materials adjust to temperature changes and settle in."
Our guide to wallpapering new plaster can help ensure nothing goes wrong.
Now we've dealt with any potential disasters and hopefully renewed your confidence in wallpapering, brush up on some wallpapering hacks that will help you get a pro finish, and make sure you invest in the best wallpaper tools to make the job eaier.
