How to glue wallpaper in corners: step-by-step instructions on how to fit a picture

Decorating a home interior with paper wallpaper is far from a new word in construction and architectural design. Due to the fact that this material is supplied ready-made, inexperienced buyers mistakenly believe that the procedure for gluing them does not contain "pitfalls". However, for beginners, the process of applying paper rolls to ceilings and walls is fraught with many unfamiliar difficulties. One of them is the problem of how to glue the wallpaper in the corners and at the joints of different surfaces, so that they securely grip and maintain a presentable appearance. Due to the fact that the geometry of the room may differ from the standard square room with right angles, its cladding will require adherence to appropriate rules and techniques.

From what angle to glue

For the first time, having taken up the self-pasting of an apartment, you can get confused already at the first steps, when there is only a bare wall in front of you. Beginners ask themselves which side to put the first roll on and whether the direction in which you move during the gluing process plays a role. Experienced users confirm that the first step is to complete the wallpapering of the ceiling, if you do not intend to finish it with a different method. Once you're done with the most difficult surface, you can more easily focus on adjoining walls without worrying about accidentally hitting fresh wallpaper. At the same time, both the ceiling and the walls require individual approaches to the selection of areas and directions for starting gluing. Wrong decisions at this stage will seriously complicate further finishing work, especially if you have no experience. Recommendations for solving this issue with your own hands are as follows:

• On the wall. When it comes to overlapping gluing, the only correct choice is to apply the first strip at the window. This is done so that the seams between them are not visible in the light of the sun. In the case of end-to-end wallpapering, in addition to the window, starting positions at door frames and corners are allowed. Also consider if the design of your claddings includes patterns or complex ornaments that should match those on the adjacent stripes.
• To the ceiling. With this surface, the problem is easier to solve, because all experts unanimously point out the need to glue the first roll strictly in the center of the ceiling. Thus, it will be possible to adjust the rest of the canvases so that they go symmetrically to the walls on both sides of the central one.

Features of gluing wallpaper from different materials

In addition to the location of the main strip, the material underlying your wallpaper makes its own edits to the procedure for pasting the room. If in the past the only such facing products were paper rolls, then the modern assortment of hardware stores is much richer. Several varieties of wallpaper have appeared on sale, the differences between which are not only in appearance, but also in technical characteristics. This is reflected in the technology of their gluing:

• Paper ones. This material provides products with a minimum thickness, which requires them to be glued to the surface immediately after processing with an adhesive. Otherwise, the canvases may have time to get wet, which will damage their appearance and structural integrity.
• Vinyl. Moisture-resistant analogs are produced with a relief surface, which gives them aesthetic properties and masks the unevenness of the walls. Before gluing, glue should be applied to both rolls of wallpaper and the surface to be pasted, and then let them dry - wallpaper for 10 minutes, walls for 15 minutes.
• Glass fiber. They got their name due to the high strength and the use of reinforcing components in the composition at the manufacturing stage. This provided the glass wallpaper with a high weight, which requires the selection of a special adhesive mixture with its preliminary application to the wall.
• Photo wallpaper. Due to their appearance, they require careful planning before gluing. In order for the fragments of the photo on different stripes to look harmonious on the wall, the latter needs preliminary marking. The rolls of photomurals themselves must be laid out in front of you in the correct sequence so as not to confuse the stripes.
• Non-woven. Moisture-resistant products with mineral fibers in the structure and an adhesive mixture on the inside, which does not require processing with an adhesive composition. It is enough to apply the latter to the wall or ceiling, leaving it to dry for 15 minutes before applying the main strip.
• Fabric. These expensive canvases, similarly to glass ones, require the use of a special glue used in conjunction with fabric materials. The mixture is applied to the inside of the wallpaper and absorbed within five minutes. Gluing the fabric rolls themselves involves not only applying them to the surface, but also passing over them with a soft roller wrapped in a rag or towel. Beware of the wrinkling that often occurs in such wallpapers due to the softness of the material.

Required materials and tools

Before starting work on wallpapering, make sure that you have all the necessary equipment at hand. Mandatory tools include:

• Pressing spatula;
• Synthetic fiber roller;
• Wallpaper roll, standard or tapered (for vinyl);
• Stationery scissors for cutting wallpaper;
• Break-off blade;
• Plumb line for marking;
• Wallpaper brush;
• Painter's spatula;
• Painting bath for preparation of glue mixture;
• Maklovitsa for applying glue;
• Measuring device - tape measure, stationery or folding ruler.

How to properly prepare the corner for pasting

At the stage of preparatory work, the corner, like other surfaces, must be cleaned of dirt, dust and remnants of the previous finishing layer. The latter is removed entirely with a scraper, including old wallpaper, traces of whitewash, plaster or paint coat. If there are irregularities in the corner, such as chips, pits or cracks, surface treatment is required in order to level it. For this, primer mixtures are used, which are evenly applied over its entire area to ensure high-quality adhesion with future wallpaper. The process will require professional tools in the form of an appropriate paint roller and a primer brush in order to reach tight narrow areas. After finishing the surface treatment, the primer must be allowed to dry, which will take from 1 to 12 hours, depending on the brand of the mixture used. The latter can be clarified by reading the instructions from the manufacturer on the packaging of the composition.

Step-by-step instructions for gluing wallpaper in the corners

Inner corner

Depending on the type of wallpaper chosen, it may be necessary to pre-apply the adhesive to the surface of the adjoining walls. This can be done using a synthetic roller, lubricating it with an adhesive mixture from a paint bath and "walking" it over all surfaces that will be glued. In the deepest corners, where the roller cannot reach, you should use a brush and also carefully grease everything with glue. Be careful not to apply too much of the mixture to avoid dripping, which can cause bubbles to appear under the thin rolls of wallpaper. Make sure that there is a uniform layer of adhesive in all areas.

If you are using canvases that do not need to be treated with an adhesive composition of the wall surface, skip this step and proceed to cladding.

For a harmonious application of wallpaper in the inner corners, experts recommend resorting to the method of cutting the roll to the desired thickness. The task is that it can be applied with a strip that will cover the entire corner and go to the adjacent wall by no more than 50 mm. To prevent this from being visible in the future, a strip of wallpaper on the next wall must be glued with an overlap and close the formed seam with it. If you notice that the two layers of wallpaper do not fit into the corner in any way, you should use a different method. Using a breakable knife, make a straight vertical cut around the corner so that it goes evenly through both layers of canvases. To prevent the cutting line from moving, you can press the strip with a level, rule or a strong ruler, along which it is convenient to guide with a knife blade.

Outside corner

In the opposite case, a preliminary calculation of the length of the wallpaper strips takes place, taking into account the spare distance, in order to round the outer corner without loss. Exceptions are examples of the use of wallpaper with a high density of material. It is not always possible to bend such without loss in appearance and integrity. Therefore, a knife is again used to cut strips up to 6 mm thick from the edge of the canvas, which will be superimposed over the seam between two scraps on the adjacent walls of the outer corner.

Pasting wallpaper with a pattern

The task of pasting corners is even more difficult if the wallpaper is decorated not with a matte monochromatic color, but with decorative images, be it drawings or photos. In this case, an unsuccessful "passage" of the corner can disrupt the composition and significantly spoil the appearance of the interior of the room. The reason for such difficulties is using the method of overlapping the edge of the corner strip of wallpaper with an adjacent overlapping crop, which displaces the image. This gluing technology is also used here, however, it requires increased care in order not to spoil the appearance of the products.

An "alternative solution" implies the layout of the room in such a way that the area with the disturbed image is overlapped by a large interior object such as a wardrobe or a wall.

Working with uneven corners

The previous methods work well with standard right angles, however you may encounter less traditional geometry in your room. Then you can overcome the curved angle using the following instructions:

1. The height of the wall is measured and 7 cm is added to the resulting value.
2. The roll of wallpaper is cut into several strips of the desired thickness and in the appropriate quantity. If the canvases contain a drawing, keep this in mind and take fragments from their edges for minimal damage to the composition.
3. We process the walls and the corner with glue, if required for the selected brand of wallpaper. Otherwise, apply the adhesive mixture only to the inside of the strips and glue them to the corner. At this stage, there will inevitably be irregularities, which should not be scared, because in the future they can be corrected by cutting off unnecessary fragments.
4. To avoid "blockages", you should carefully press the canvases along the entire perimeter of the corner, expelling air accumulations from under them. This will ensure better adhesion of the facing products to the surface.
5. The corner section with two overlapping layers of wallpaper is carefully trimmed with a knife. After that, the resulting cut is also processed with an adhesive mixture, on top of which a tucked fragment of the strip is superimposed.

Conclusion

If this master class was your introduction to wallpapering, you should not be afraid of mistakes in the early stages. Having bought rolls with a margin of 10-15% of the required amount for pasting walls and ceilings, you can afford to spoil one or several canvases in the process. In the future, the task of pasting the inner and outer corners will be no more difficult than applying a typical strip on a flat surface. The technologies described in the above instructions are equally effective in any room architecture, provided that the technical features of the wallpaper are taken into account.