How to Hang Wallpaper for Beginners | Start Straight

One crooked first strip throws off every seam across the entire wall, and corners are almost never square enough to trust as a guide. That’s why the most critical step beginners overlook happens before paste ever touches paper: establishing a plumb vertical line. Once you understand that method, the rest is systematic cutting, pasting, and smoothing. Here’s the exact process that works for traditional unpasted, pre-pasted, and paste-the-wall styles.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

The right tools prevent the most common beginner mistakes. Gather these before opening your first roll:

• Level or plumb bob and pencil
• Tape measure
• Sharp utility knife or breakaway blade with extra blades
• Metal straight edge or wide putty knife (for trimming)
• Smoothing tool or wallpaper brush
• Seam roller
• Damp sponge and clean rags
• Step stool or ladder
• Water trough (for pre-pasted paper)
• Paste and roller or brush (for unpasted paper)

Prepare the Wall Surface

Skipping wall prep is the fastest route to bubbles, peeling edges, and visible bumps. Remove all old wallpaper, outlet and switch plates, wall art, and furniture from the work area. Fill any holes or cracks with spackle, sand them smooth, and clean the wall thoroughly to remove grease and dust.

For other walls, a wallpaper primer creates the uniform surface needed for good adhesion. Turn off the power to the room and remove faceplates before you start.

When you’re ready to buy supplies, check out our roundup of the best DIY wallpaper options for walls, sorted by ease of installation and pattern quality.

Find Your Vertical Starting Line

Never start in a corner. Walls and corners are rarely perfectly square, so a first strip placed against a corner will drift as you work across the room. Instead, measure the width of your wallpaper roll, then mark a vertical line one roll-width minus about half an inch from the corner where you plan to start. Use a level or plumb bob to draw a perfectly straight vertical pencil line. This plumb line is the edge your first strip aligns to, and it guarantees every subsequent strip stays true.

Cut, Paste, and Hang Each Strip

Measure the wall height and add about 4 inches of extra length (2 inches for the top overhang, 2 inches for the bottom). Cut your first strip, then mark and cut the rest using the same measurement so pattern repeats stay consistent. For patterned wallpaper, cut the second strip while matching the pattern to the first dry strip before applying paste.

For unpasted wallpaper: apply paste evenly across the back using a 3/8-inch-nap paint roller. Extend the paste slightly beyond the paper’s edges. Then “book” the strip by folding the pasted ends toward the center without creasing the folds — this activates the paste. Booking time varies by source, from 2–3 minutes up to 10 minutes; follow the manufacturer’s instructions on your roll when available. For pre-pasted wallpaper: run the strip through a water trough, making sure every section of the backing gets wet before hanging.

Carry the booked strip to the wall. Align the first edge with your plumb line, letting the extra length extend past the ceiling and baseboard. Smooth from the center outward using your smoothing tool or brush to force air bubbles to the edges. Wipe any excess paste off the wallpaper surface immediately with a damp sponge.

Trim the top and bottom excess with a sharp utility knife guided by a metal straight edge. Some sources recommend waiting until the paste dries slightly for a cleaner cut. Once trimmed, wipe the cut edges clean. For the next strip, butt the seam tightly against the previous strip without overlapping. Roll the seam gently with a seam roller. Work in the same direction around the room so pattern repeats stay consistent.

Three Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Starting without a plumb line. The first strip will drift, and the error compounds across every subsequent strip. Always draw a true vertical line with a level or plumb bob.
• Overlapping seams. Butted edges meet tightly without stacking. Overlapping creates visible ridges that catch light and ruin the finished look.
• Stretching the paper while positioning. Wet wallpaper stretches easily. If you stretch a strip to fit, it will shrink as it dries and leave a gap at the seam. Position carefully without pulling.