How To Hang Wide-Width Wallpaper Video Guide
In this video guide, Lewis & Wood demonstrate how to hang wide-width wallpaper correctly. Wide-width designs are typically wider than the standard 52 cm roll (often 68–70 cm, 90–100 cm or even 130 cm+), so they cover more wall per drop and create fewer seams – but they do require careful planning, cross-lining and a precise double-cut technique.
If you"re planning a project with wide-width wallcoverings, you can explore our curated wide-width wallpaper selection online, including designer collections from brands such as Lewis & Wood.
Copyright Lewis and Wood
Hanging Instructions for Wide-Width Wallcoverings
- Prepare the walls thoroughly. As with any quality wallcovering, surfaces must be sound, dry, clean and smooth. Fill and sand defects and remove old, flaking paint or loose coverings before you start.
- Cross-line with good quality lining paper. Cross line the walls with at least 1000 grade lining paper, hung horizontally. This gives a more stable base, helps even out minor imperfections and reduces the risk of seams showing.
- Choose and mark your starting point. Decide where you"ll start in the room (often the most visible wall or the least conspicuous corner) and mark a precise vertical guide. Use a plumb line, level or laser to draw a faint pencil line for the first drop. Be aware that strong pencil lines or dark marks on the lining paper can sometimes show through pale backgrounds, so test first if in doubt.
- Measure and allow for trimming tolerances. Measure the height of the wall at several points and cut the first wide-width drop, adding sufficient extra at both top and bottom to allow for trimming (especially where ceilings or floors are not perfectly level).
- Cut and number all required drops. Cut the remaining drops to length and lightly number them in hanging order on the back. This makes it easier to keep pattern continuity around the room, particularly with large-scale designs.
- Paste the wall evenly. Using the manufacturer"s recommended adhesive, paste the wall for the first drop with a generous, even coat. Pay special attention to the top, bottom and edges so there are no dry spots where the seams might lift.
- Hang the first wide-width drop. Offer the top of the first drop to the pasted wall along the ceiling line, keeping the rest of the wallpaper slightly away from the wall. Align the edge of the drop carefully with your vertical guide line. Once correctly positioned, use a plastic spatula or smoothing tool to work downwards and outwards, removing air bubbles. Finally trim the excess at the top and bottom.
- Overlap and pattern-match the next drop. Paste the next section of wall, then hang the second drop so that it overlaps the first by approximately 20 mm, carefully matching the pattern along the length. Smooth as before so both layers sit flat with no tension.
- Double-cut through the overlap. Using a very sharp blade and a suitable metal straightedge, cut through both layers of wallpaper in the centre of the overlap. A short, slightly flexible straightedge is ideal, as it can sit tight against the wall surface. Remove the two narrow waste strips, gently peel back the edges and re-paste them if needed to ensure full contact.
- Close the seam and repeat around the room. Press both cut edges back into position to form a neat, almost invisible butt-join, then re-smooth and trim top and bottom as required. Continue in the same way for subsequent drops, regularly checking pattern match and overall alignment as you work.
Working with Wide-Width Wallpaper
Wide-width wallpaper often represents excellent value when you account for the extra coverage per drop and the cleaner look with fewer seams. Many luxury wide-width wallcoverings are also sold by the metre, allowing you to order more precisely for your project and reduce waste. This is especially common for high-end textile and textured designs that use specialist grounds, foils and printing techniques.
As with all of our wallcovering guides, TM Interiors would always recommend you work with a professional decorator or experienced paperhanger for wide-width products. These notes are provided as a general guide only, and we cannot be held responsible for any issues that may arise from following them.
If you need help calculating quantities, see our dedicated Wide Width Wallpaper Measuring Guide, or browse more articles and videos in our main Wallpaper Guide.