When you have used our calculator to work out how many rolls of wallpaper you need for you room there are a few more things to remember.

1. Think about the area in which the paper is going, do you need a heavy-duty paper, washable?
2. Would having a blown vinyl paper not be a good idea if a cat or dog may scratch at it? Or if the kids damage it?
3. Do you want a textured finish or smooth, textured and coloured or smooth then painted over such as lining paper?
4. Ensure all the rolls have the same batch number and colour code on, except papers such as lining paper.
5. Ensure you have allowed extra rolls for wastage and large repeated patterns (sometimes you only get 3 drops out of a roll rather than 4).
6. Remember the paste! And get the right paste for the job; does it need to be a ready mixed heavy-duty paste?

To check for the wallpaper symbols you should be looking out for, check out our wallpaper symbols page.

When you come to either paint or wallpaper your walls and you have some old rawl plugs in the wall, don’t fill over them!

There are two options for this problem.

1. Put a screw into the rawl plug (only a few threads) then use either a claw hammer or pliers to pull out the rawl plug.
2. If the rawl plugs are a very tight fit there is a risk of pulling some of the wall off with the plug, you could just cut the tops off and then fill the hole leaving the plug in the wall but not filling over the end thus not leaving a big lump in the wall or under your paper. Use a knife or scrapper to take off the top.

If you decide to have new UPVC windows and doors fitted one top tip for future decoration of both inside and outside of your property is as follows.

Please do not allow the fitters to seal around you door or windows with silicone, as this cannot be over painted.

It’s OK to seal with silicone on the exterior if you don’t have painted rendered walls, as painting to the exterior obviously isn’t required.

If you have had your windows and doors sealed with silicone, rather than a sealer that can be over painted, you could be in for problems when it comes to decorating. Paint and wallpaper will not stick to silicone. You may have to have the silicone removed and replaced with a sealer that can be painted over, such as flexible decorators caulk.

Continue reading UPVC – Don’t get stuck with silicone!