Successfully Installing Wallpaper: Our 5 Tips

Wall decor is very trendy and suits all rooms in your house: the bedroom, living room, or even the bathroom! Before installing your panoramic wallpaper, discover our 5 tips for a successful installation!

Prepare the Paste Using a Water Bottle
Preparing the paste is very simple; just dilute the granules in water and stir vigorously before letting it sit. Always be sure to read the instructions and the required amount of water.

If you don’t have a measuring cup, don’t guess the amount of water! Instead, use a water bottle and fill it to ensure you use the correct amount during installation.

Switches & Outlets: Make a Cross Cut
Are you familiar with the cross cut for wallpaper? At Isidore Leroy, we call it the Anaïs technique! Although widely used by many professionals, it was our collaborator Anaïs who demonstrated it to us, and since then, we don’t make a single cross cut without thinking of her!

This technique will be very useful for cutting wallpaper around a switch or outlet. Here’s how to proceed:

1. Before installing your wallpaper, remove the frames or covers of your switches/outlets.

2. Apply your strip as if there were no obstacles on the wall.

3. Carefully locate the position of the outlet or switch.

4. Make a cross with a utility knife in the middle of this outlet and cut out the triangles. Refine little by little with your utility knife until you perfectly cut the edges of the switch and smooth out to remove air bubbles.

5. If necessary, apply a bit more paste around the outlet to ensure the wallpaper sticks well.

The "Magic" Sponge
The magic sponge or eraser is essential for a successful installation! You can easily find this tool in hardware stores.

The sponge is made of slightly abrasive foam that will help you remove any stains on the wallpaper.

It is important to keep your hands clean throughout the installation, but if you accidentally leave fingerprints or pencil marks, use the magic sponge!

Simply moisten it with clear water and gently rub the area to be cleaned. Once the stain is gone, wipe it with a clean cloth.

Don’t hesitate to do a test in an inconspicuous corner to make sure you’re not rubbing too hard, which could damage the wallpaper.

Use a Plumb Line
Installing the first strip is very important: once done correctly, the rest of your decor will follow. You’ll just need to align the subsequent strips with the previous one.

To do this, don’t rely on the wall angle or ceiling as the rest of your decor might end up skewed. Instead, use a plumb line to draw a vertical line with a pencil and apply your first strip following the line: your first strip will be perfectly straight, and the rest of the decor will follow.

If you don’t have a plumb line, you can easily make one yourself. Use your keyring or another heavy object. Tie a string or cord around the ring and let the keyring hang; the line will be perfectly vertical.

The Small Brush for Touch-Ups
Lastly, we recommend having a small brush on hand to perfect your decor installation. Large brushes are useful for easily and evenly applying paste over the entire wall height, but the edges are not always well glued. Once the decor is installed, use your small brush to reapply paste to any edges that seem less well adhered. If you are making a cut around an outlet or switch, this small brush will also be useful for gluing the edges.

Need Help?

Feel free to contact us at contact@isidoreleroy.com for assistance.