How to hang wallpaper on a feature wall.

5 min read · Sandwich Painter

Helpful video reference. The video above is "How to Hang Wallpaper on a Feature Wall" from About Murals & Wallpaper, walking through trimming, pattern placement and the centre-out starting approach described above.

Check the pattern match before you buy

Wallpaper is sold as either a straight match, where the pattern lines up at the same height on every strip, or a drop match (also called offset), where the pattern only lines up if the next strip is hung a bit lower or higher than the last. Drop-match papers waste more roll per strip because of that offset, so factor it into how many rolls you order.

Always check every roll is from the same batch number before you start. Dye lots vary slightly between batches, and a mismatched batch can show as a subtle colour shift between strips that's much harder to fix once it's on the wall.

Start from the centre of the feature wall

For a single feature wall, find the centre point and hang your first strip there, working outwards in both directions rather than starting at one edge. This keeps the pattern centred and symmetrical, which matters more on a feature wall than on a full room where the eye moves around less.

Use a spirit level or plumb line to mark a true vertical line before hanging the first strip. Walls are rarely perfectly straight, and one strip hung slightly off-true throws every strip after it out as well.

Hang edge to edge, never overlapping

Butt each strip edge to edge against the last, sliding it gently until the pattern lines up across the seam, rather than overlapping strips. Overlapped seams create a visible ridge and, on darker or textured papers, a shadow line that's obvious in side light.

Trim excess at the top and bottom with a sharp blade run against a wide filling knife or straightedge, changing the blade often. A dull blade tears the paper instead of cutting it cleanly.

• Smooth from the centre outward with a paperhanging brush or smoothing tool to push out air bubbles before they dry trapped.
• Wipe excess paste off the surface as you go, dried paste residue can show through, especially on lighter papers.