Wallpaper, even ones that are pre-pasted, expand when you apply the activator. You need to make sure that the wallpaper expands on the table and not on the wall. Instead of using just plain water to activate your wallpaper, try a pre-pasted wallcovering activator. Mix this powder with water, wait about 30 minutes and you will have a paste that is thicker than water. Brush this on the back of the wallpaper to start the relaxing process. This is the expanding of the paper. Once the glue is on the wallpaper, fold the paper over so the glue does not evaporate too quickly. Don't push the wallpaper together too hard. You don't want a hard crease.
This relaxation period will be about 5 minutes. Then the wall covering will be ready to hang.
Tim built custom homes and did ultra-custom remodeling for 20+ years before launching his Ask the Builder media presence. He was selected as one of the Big 50 by Remodeling magazine in 1993. This award gave birth to Ask the Builder in October 1993. Tim also operates https://DrawPlumbingPlans.com. His @askthebuilder YouTube channel was the first home improvement channel on YouTube.
