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How to wallpaper around a door

Posted by Adrian
May 7th, 2012

How to wallpaper around a door

Graphic of wallpaper around a door

Following from my recent post, wallpapering around a window reveal this post continues on from that and will show how to paper around a door.

Where to start wallpapering

Before you start papering you need to work out where the paper comes to at the door architrave, to do this measure your roll of paper, then start at one corner of the wall with the door in it and mark the sheets from the corner to the door, then over the door and to the other corner, does this work out OK? What you are looking for is not to end up with a sheet falling just short of the door architrave and you having to fiddle about putting in a small strip. You may have to start with a half sheet from the corner to avoid this situation or it may just work out OK if your following the pattern around the room.

Once you have worked out the best place to start, use a plumb line or a level to mark a vertical line from the ceiling to the skirting board ensuring you allow a little paper to return around the corner by about 1cm.

Putting up the first sheet of wallpaper

Once you have pasted the first sheet of paper, line it up with your vertical mark on the wall and smooth out the bubbles as you go, trim the top and bottom and wipe any excess paste off the paper, continue doing this until you reach the door frame. One thing I always find easiest is to take the sheet of paper that is going to start to go around the door architrave, hold it up and match any pattern then mark the paper on the inside of the architrave then take the paper to the paste table and cut the bit that would go over the door off, this saves getting paste all over your door and frame and also can make it easier to handle.

Going around the door

Once you are ready to go around the door with your paper, paste the sheet and apply it to the wall as normal, you can either start at the side first if you find this easier or from the top as you normally would, you just need to make sure you support the paper so it doesn’t tear, the top corner of the architrave is the vulnerable bit! It will tear easily.

You may find assistance will be required to pass you tools or hold the paper so you can cut around the architrave as you go. Smooth out bubbles as normal and trim the top and bottom and wipe off the paper and the door frame and architrave and if you have got any paste on the door also.

Normally your next sheet will be a small piece that goes over the door, this depends on the width of the door and how the paper works out, you may find two sheets will go around the door. If your next sheet is a short one over the door, hang this as normal, then take your final sheet that goes around the door and repeat what you did for the first sheet but this time you need to make sure that the paper is upright as you come off the architrave otherwise you will have problems completing the wall as the paper will run out and you may end up with creases or gaps in the paper.

So once the last sheet is going up, take your plumb line or level and ensure the furthest edge from the architrave is upright, you may need to adjust it if not, then brush the edge down and smooth out the bubbles, trim around architrave, ceiling and skirting, the wipe down.

Completing wallpapering around the door

Now you have gone around the door continue papering the wall until you get to the next corner if it is a feature wall, or you can then carry on papering the room all around for that professional finished looking job.

The key is to check where the paper will come around the door so you don’t end up short and end up fiddling about with a small strip of paper and make sure the paper is upright coming off the door to save hassle along the rest of the wall.

Graphic of wallpaper around a doorGraphic of wallpaper around a door

Wallpaper Calculator

To work out how much wallpaper you need, either for a complete room or just a feature wall why not use our wallpaper calculator, it’s quick and simple to use.

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Posted in Decorating Tips | 2 Comments »




2 Responses to “How to wallpaper around a door”

  1. Ambleston Dack Says:

    Hi Adrian,

    I need some advice as a first time solo wallpaperer, usually my parents help me out, but they are on holiday and I am left to wallpaper on my own. I have read your article on wallpapering a window reveal and how to wallpaper around a door, but I have a question. In the room I need to wallpaper, the door is almost adjacent to one wall, with about 3cm gap from the architrave to the wall. What would be the best solution to wallpaper this? As the architrave isn’t glossed, should I remove the architrave completely and wall paper up to the door lining and then refit the architrave or do as my parents say and cut in a thin 5cm strip and fold it around the corner onto the next wall? Any advice would be most welcome.

    Cheers

    Date posted : June 15th, 2015 at 2:39 pm
  2. Adrian Says:

    @Ambleston

    You don’t need to take the architrave off, do as your parents suggest, cut wider than needed and wrap around corner.

    Sometime parents do know best ::
    Good luck with it, let us know how you get on!

    Date posted : June 21st, 2015 at 3:34 pm

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