How to wallpaper around light switches and sockets

If you are wallpapering an entire room or simply a feature wall, more than likely you are going to come across a light switch, a socket, a TV Ariel or satellite point or a telephone socket. These may seem difficult to wallpaper around, but they don’t have to be.

The first thing to remember always is safety first, turn of the power to light switches or sockets before undoing any screws, yes this is a pain because you have to re-set clocks etc. But it’s far better to do that than get an electric shock. Wallpaper by it’s very nature is wet, the paste makes the wallpaper wet, this conducts electricity very well, so be safe, turn off the power.

The first thing to do is identify which kind of fitting you have, if your sockets or switches have the socket or switch box on the wall they are surface mounted, if just the face plate is showing then the box is sunk into the wall, this is flush fitted. You tackle these two types slightly differently.

Wallpapering around surface mounted sockets and switches

Wallpaper down to the switch or socket, support the wallpaper with one hand and smooth the paper into the switch surface mounted box, cut along the top of the box, then carefully, pull the paper away from the wall slightly so you can smooth the paper to the edge of the box, trim this edge, now do the same with the other edge. Finally cut with scissors the remaining ‘square’ out of the sheet of wallpaper but leave enough to trim. Smooth down the paper and it should go around the switch box, finally trim the bottom edge.

Clean off any excess paste off of the wallpaper and switch, making sure not to get too much water on the switch, then allow to dry for a bit and turn the power back on.

Wallpapering around flush fitted sockets and switches

As you wallpaper down to the switch or socket, make a small hole in the wallpaper, about the centre of the switch, now from the centre hole you have just made, cut from the middle toward the corner of the switch, so diagonally. Now smooth the wallpaper down onto the wall and trim the ‘triangle’ sections off but leaving enough to tuck behind the switch. Do this to all the ‘triangle’ sections. Now loosen, but don’t remove the face plate, and tuck the wallpaper behind the switch. Smooth out and air bubbles toward the switch. Finally screw the face plate down again, making sure not to over tighten and crack it.

Clean off any excess paste on the wallpaper and switch making sure not to get too much water on the switch, leave the power off long enough allowing for the wallpaper to dry out enough and any paste to dry.

How to fit coving and why use it

Coving or cornice is very popular, it comes in a wide range of styles, sizes and made from a variety of materials such as plaster or polystyrene. A lot of you may have coving in your house, it helps break up the hard edge between the wall and ceiling and gives a nice aesthetic decorative look. You may have a plain concave coving or something more fancy such as egg and dart or Swag and Bow.

How to fit coving

To fit your chosen coving you will need the appropriate cove adhesive, this maybe a lightweight coving adhesive or a powder ‘mix your own’ adhesive for heavier paper faced plaster coving or just plaster coving. You will also need to cut mitres in each or the internal and external corners, it is easier if you use a mitre block or mitre tool that the coving manufacturer make.

Mark the ceiling and wall as described in the instructions as your guide lines, where the lines go will depend on the size of coving. You will need to measure the length of the wall and cut the coving and mitres accordingly, do this around the room until you have all the lengths cut, now mix enough adhesive up (if you need too) to fix a couple of lengths of coving as the adhesive will harden fairly quickly and be unworkable.

Apply adhesive to both edges of the back of the coving noting which is the wall and ceiling edge, this will be printed on the back of the coving. Once the adhesive is applied, push the length into place. Push the coving fairly hard to squeeze out the adhesive so it has a good bond to wall and ceiling. Use a scraper to remove the excess adhesive and a paint brush or sponge to wipe down the face of the coving.

Use adhesive to fill in joints and mitres, continue with the coving in this way until you are done. Leave the coving to dry overnight and then lightly rub down the joints and mitres, then apply 3-4 coats of emulsion to get a good coverage.

Why fit coving

Coving is primarily used in modern homes as a decorative item but it does cover up the nasty looking crack you often get between the ceiling and wall line, this crack is caused my movement in the house, nothing to worry about it is perfectly natural. The house expands and contracts as it gets hot and cold, the crack is caused by the movement of the two.

Coving can also add a nice soft edge rather than a hard edge and make a room look softer and more welcoming. If you are thinking of decorating a room, why not consider adding some coving.

Rooms with low ceilings suit smaller coving such as a 90mm but high ceiling rooms can go for 127mm or larger.
For a list of types of profiles and a little more information about coving, take a look at Wikipedia.

For more in-depth instructions on fitting coving, take a look at the article I wrote on our DIY By Design blog about how to fit coving.

Parts of a door frame

If you have ever been around a builder or in a timber yard or a DIY store you may of heard some terms that you are unsure of there meaning or what they are. You may think a door frame is just that, simply called a door frame. Well, you’ll be wrong, there are many parts that make up a door frame and I will explain them below.

A door frame is typically made out of wood for internal door frames, both hard and soft woods are used, hard wood such as oak is more expensive than the cheapest option of pine. External door frames can be made out of wood, metal or plastic, this will depend on the type of door you have. In this post I am talking about an internal soft wood door frame.

Door frame

An internal door frame is commonly made out of softwood such as pine, it is smooth planed timber and is known as a door frame, a door casing or door lining. It doesn’t matter what you call it, they are all the same thing. The frame comes in different depths to suit different wall thickness. The door frame is made up from several parts, a head, legs or Jamb, a sill or threshold and door stops. The frame is then finished off with a moulding called an architrave.

The door frame set

If you bought a new door frame you would buy a door frame “set” which includes all the parts to build the door frame, the set will have a head, two legs or jambs and door stops, you do not get any architrave in the set and will have to be bought separately. I will explain each part of the set below.

Door frame – head

The head is the top of the door frame, it allows to two side members of the frame, the legs/jamb to fit into a grove. The door frame head has grooves cut into it at two widths allowing you to choose the width of opening, if the inner groves are used the wood sticking out beyond the frame, known as horns, can be sawn off.

Door frame – legs / jambs

The door frame upright parts are called legs or jambs, in a finished frame one side has the hinges screwed into it and the other side has the door lock keep fitted to it. Some frame legs are rebated so a door stop isn’t required as the rebate makes the stop.

Door frame – door stop

The door stop is a thin piece of wood that is fixed to the inside of the leg / jamb, it’s job as the name suggests is to stop the door. With out a door stop the door can’t be halted and would rip of it’s higes. If the leg / jamb has a rebate a door stop isn’t required.

Door frame – sill / threshold

The door frame sill or threshold is the horizontal part at the bottom of the legs / jambs, this isn’t normally found in interior frames but can be seen on external door frames. It’s purpose is to give the frame rigidity and to help channel the water away as it runs off the door. It’s also the part you carry the bride over once you are married.

Architrave trim

Architraves are decorative mouldings. Not bought in a door frame set, these are bought separately as they come in different sizes and styles and can match your moulding on the skirting boards.