Residential air conditioning is a very complex and complicated trade. Many homeowners do not realize the amount of technology and training it takes to properly calculate and install air conditioning equipment. Heating and air conditioning is by far the most technically advanced trade in residential construction. Technology advancements are common. Professional HVAC contractors must constantly attend seminars and classes to stay current.
However, even though HVAC technology produces high-tech equipment on a daily basis, some things do not change. One of the constants in residential cooling is the necessity of performing specific calculations to accurately determine the 'heat gain' of your home or business. It is impossible to properly size air conditioning equipment without performing these calculations. The recent advancements in personal computers have made this a much simpler task, however the calculations must be performed either by hand or by computer.
Another constant in residential air conditioning is humidity. Humidity is the moisture that occurs as water vapor in the air we breathe. The higher (more water vapor) the humidity in warmer air, the more uncomfortable we become. This principal is very easy to understand. The evaporation of water from a surface actually is a cooling process. It actually lowers the temperature of the object. Normal body perspiration is the way in which our bodies cool themselves. As the perspiration evaporates from our skin it cools it. However, the slower the rate of evaporation, the slower the cooling process.
When the humidity is high, the air has less ability to accept additional moisture. In other words, it is harder for water to evaporate. Air conditioning equipment has the ability to lower the humidity of air in your house. However, it can only do this while it is running. The moist air in your house passes through an evaporation coil inside of your furnace. This coil is cold, much like a cold can of soda or beer. Just as water droplets form on a cold can, the water from the air does the same thing on this coil. As long as you do not introduce any additional outside air or have numerous air leaks, the process happens within a few hours. The air in your house becomes cooler and drier. The perspiration on your skin can more readily evaporate and the net result is that you feel very comfortable.
However, if the air conditioner does not run long enough, it can not extract enough moisture from the air. The air will get cooler, but it will feel damp. You will feel cool but clammy.
The point of all of this is that the air conditioning unit outside of your house must operate long enough to properly 'cool' your house. It can only do this if it is sized properly. And, as I mentioned earlier, it can only be sized properly if you do the calculations. If a unit is sized too small, it simply won't have the ability to cool the house when it gets hot, even if it runs constantly. Whereas, a unit which is too large (too much capacity) will 'short' cycle. It will not run long enough to remove enough moisture from the air.
Wallpaper installation requires some pre-planning if you intend to use three different wallpapers in one small room like this! Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
"It's important to realize, that I had no training whatsoever in hanging wallpaper. I just tried it. Believe it or not, I lucked out. There were few problems."
Wallpaper Installation - Requires Skill & Attention to Detail
Back in the latter 1970s, I was a wallpapering machine. My wife Kathy and I had just moved into our second house, a monster three-story, five-bedroom, frame house. Kathy loves wallpaper.
I must admit, I do like the feel it gives a room or hallway. Anyway, we installed wallpaper in the dining room, kitchen, entrance hall, main stairwell, second-floor hall, and one wall of our bedroom. With Kathy's help, I'll bet I put up 100 or more rolls.
I found wallpaper installation to be both soothing and very therapeutic. Being a detail-oriented person, I enjoyed cutting around ornate woodwork and working the seams. Kathy was fantastic at getting the paper pasted and precut.
It's important to realize, that I had no training whatsoever in hanging wallpaper. I just tried it. Believe it or not, I lucked out. There were few problems. Little did I realize at the time, failure could have struck at any moment. Paperhanging is both a science and a craft. Left to amateurs, problems can and will arise.
How Important is Wall Preparation?
Wall preparation is very important. Don't skip this step.
When was the last time you really read the label on a paint can? Come on, be honest. Virtually, every set of instructions includes a phrase similar to "...apply to a clean, dry, surface."
Read a little further and you will probably see something to the effect regarding the proper use of primers. Wallpaper is no different. The key to a successful wallpapering job lies in its foundation, the wall surface.
Does Wallpaper Telegraph Wall Defects?
Smooth wallpapers will telegraph every pimple, crack, depression, or defect the next day. Bumps you never realized will be highlighted as soon as the paper dries and stretches itself over every piece of sand or grit. Wallpaper can be very unforgiving.
What Causes Other Wallpaper Problems?
Dust, dirt, grease, water-soluble stains, etc. can cause major problems. Dust will cause the paper to simply fall from the wall. It gets between the primer and/or adhesive and the actual wall.
Grease will produce the same results. The moisture in the adhesive can dissolve colors found in stains and make them bleed right into the paper.
All of these possible failures and problems are lying there waiting for the unsuspecting rookie. Make a mistake and $300 - 400 worth of paper can be trashed in a day!
Is Ammonia the Best Wall Cleaner?
Ammonia is probably one of the best cleaning solutions for wallpaper preparation. Simply mix 1 part of ammonia with one part water.
Avoid soaps that contain phosphates. Even after rinsing, a small amount of phosphate may remain on the wall. This will react negatively with sizing or wall primers causing them to bond poorly to the wall.
Why is Backrolling Wallpaper Important?
Backrolling a roll of paper performs two important functions. It allows you to inspect the paper for printing or color flaws. It also works to get the curl out of the paper. Do it with every roll!
Should All Rolls be the Same Dye Lots?
ALWAYS make sure that each roll is from the same run or dye lot. If not, you will have problems, trust me!
Should I Study the Paper Layout and Wall?
Before you break out the adhesive, you need to figure out how the paper is going to work on the wall. For example, your paper may have a dominant feature in the pattern. You don't want this feature sliced in half by the ceiling or a chair rail.
Is Wallpaper Seam Placement Critical?
Wallpaper seam placement is critical. You don't want a floor to ceiling seam to be alongside a door frame casing.
The casing could be out of plumb. It's best to let the paper go over the casing about 1 inch so the seam is above or on top of the headpiece of the casing.
Should Wallpaper Be Plumb?
If you are fortunate to have level, or nearly level, ceilings, your paper's seams must be plumb. If not, the pattern will climb or fall across the ceiling. When making the plumb line, make the actual line 1/16th of an inch away from where you actually want it to be.
Should the Edge of The Paper Touch the Plumb Line?
Never place a seam on the plumb line. It will show through (especially if the paper background is white)! Avoid using chalk lines. The chalk will, in some cases, bleed through the paper backing!
Do Prepasted Papers Work Well?
Prepasted wallpapers work well when you do certain things. Activate the adhesive with lukewarm water. The paper usually only needs to be immersed for about 10 seconds. The paper must relax just like ordinary paper.
This may take 5 - 10 minutes. This relaxation period allows the paper to fully expand. If you do not allow the paper to expand on the table, it will do so on the walls! The result are long vertical blisters that often cannot be removed.
Have a helper handy. The helper can be cutting your paper and activating the glue while you hang. This way a 'relaxed' piece is ready to go as soon as you are.
This is what my wife Kathy did for me years ago. I just didn't know it was right at the time! Plus, I didn't know all the fancy wallpapering words.
How Does Wallpaper Resist Gravity?
The wallpaper must resist the force of gravity to stay on the wall. However, its grip on the wall mustn't be so strong as to damage the wall in the event you wish to remove the paper at a later date.
This is a tough balance to achieve. Primers, sealers, and sizing are designed to create the necessary base so that adhesives can stick well and that wall coverings can be removed with little damage to the wall surface.
What is Wallpaper Sizing?
Wallpaper sizing is a coating that prevents the rapid setting of the wallpaper adhesive. Sizing allows you plenty of time to move and adjust the paper once it's in contact with the wall.
Wall sizings are compounds that act like sealers. They equalize porosity. That is, they allow the wallpaper adhesive to dry uniformly. Sizings also are supposed to provide extra bite. They also are meant to enhance the adhesive's holding power.
I remember hearing the salespeople say at the wallpaper store that I needed to "size" my walls. I asked what it meant. They just pointed to a box and said it must be put on the wall. No one, at that time, could give me a clear answer as to its purpose.
One characteristic that all sizings share is that they do little or nothing to protect the wall surface below for future removal of the wall covering.
The cornflower and starch sizing compounds should only be used on surfaces that have a very good high-quality latex or oil-based paint surface. Never use this sizing compound beneath a non-breathable wallpaper. Mildew may become a HUGE problem.
Cellulose and pine flower sizing compounds are much more resistant to mildew. They aren't like the starch which is basically the equivalent of "filet mignon" to mildew.
Homemade sizings simply refer to using a thinned down on-site adhesive. You would typically thin down the adhesive to the consistency of thin latex paint. If a clay-based adhesive is being used, the clay will act as an excellent base to absorb the water in the wall covering adhesive. This will speed up the drying process.
The act of sizing a room for wallpaper is a process in and of itself. Once the walls are clean, smooth, and ready to go, you apply the sizing all at once. Begin applying the sizing at the spot you intend to begin wallpapering. That way the sizing maybe will be dry when you are ready to go.
Are There Modern Sizing Paints?
Yes, there are wonderful newer sizing products that look just like paint. The product in the photo below is my favorite - Zinsser Shieldz.
This is a great modern sizing compound product. It's just like paint. I've used it with fantastic success. CLICK the IMAGE to have it delivered to your home.
What Are the Best Wallpaper Tools?
Here's a list of the best wallpaper tools I know of:
retractable razor knife with snap-off blades
4.5 or 6-inch drywall taping knife
smoothing brush or plastic smoother
4-foot level
grout sponge
measuring tape
paint roller & pan
paintbrush
Click the Image Below to get all, or some, of the tools now:
Yes, you can wallpaper on new drywall. You need to paint the wall with the Zinsser Shieldz product. It may require two coats.
Let's say you have a new drywall wall you wish to wallpaper. If you do not apply a high-quality primer/sealer, you (or a future homeowner) WILL ruin the drywall when they try to remove the wallpaper.
There are several different types of primers and sealers. You can purchase an acrylic one that has pigment in it. This product can be used on just about any wall surface. They are fantastic, especially if you intend to use a see-through wallcovering (many are!). Usually, they clean up with water.
Clear acrylic sealers can also be purchased. They work great on existing wallpapers and vinyl wall coverings. However, if you use a see-through wallpaper, you may see the old wallpaper after your new paper dries. Be sure to ask if your new paper is semi-transparent.
Oil-based quick & slow dry primer-sealers are also available. They work well. However, it is not advisable to use them over existing wallpapers and vinyls. The oils in the product may dissolve the inks in the previous wallcoverings. Also, some ingredients in these sealers are actually food for mildew.
Marks on walls or wallpaper that were not removed during the cleaning process may cause a problem. The adhesive may dissolve the color in the stain and cause it to bleed through the new paper backing.
Use a standard stain killing paint for this job. After it dries be sure to put the regular primer/sealer over it before you paper. These stain killers are not approved wallpaper primers. They just kill stains.
Are There Other Wallpaper Installation Resources?
If you really want to get the facts on wallpaper, removal techniques, the facts of primers, sealers, sizing, adhesives, and installation you need to obtain the following books. Quite possibly both are available at your local library. If not, you will have to contact the publisher of your local bookstore. They were both written by a second-generation paperhanger. They are invaluable.
With the explosion of new video content on the Internet, you can find free wallpapering videos as well. There are also detailed DVDs that show you all aspects of wallpaper installation. It really pays to hunt around for different sources of information. It also pays to read multiple authors as one may do a much better job of explaining a process.
Also, be aware of the National Guild of Wallpaper Hangers. This is a fantastic professional association of those craftspeople who do really fantastic wallpaper work each and every day. They have all sorts of past newsletters that contain all sorts of wonderful tips.
If you are a rookie or in doubt about how to hang paper, I suggest you start in a small room with inexpensive paper. Go ahead and experiment as I did. You might get lucky!
Back when I was in college, I used to work part time for an individual who bought old houses and fixed them up for re-sale. I have clear, crisp memories of stripping wallpaper from countless walls and ceilings.
We would do it in the dead of winter with no heat in the houses! It was so cold some days that water would freeze on the walls, so we just used those old fashioned razor wallpaper scrappers on the dry paper.
If the conditions and paper were just right, you could really remove some paper. Fatigue would set in after a while, and the razor scrapper would slip and a gouge into the plaster would happen.
During warm weather, we could lightly mist the walls with regular water. After several applications and depending upon how many layers of paper were on the wall, a regular flat-bladed scrapper would allow you to remove the paper very quickly and easily.
There were no fancy enzyme additives or removers back then! Fortunately, there were no vinyl papers or vinyl coated papers either. Those can be a real bear to strip from a wall!
Washing Walls
Once the wallpaper was off the walls, we would have to wash them with soap and water. If you didn't do this, the residual glue would react with the paints and cause all sorts of problems.
I found that warm water with a strong solution of Spic & Span would do wonders. Any soap will do, but warm water will more readily soften the hard paste on the walls. You can also buy fancy wall cleaners that actually work faster than my method. Use those once you have the paper off the wall.
You need to have the walls glue-free before you start to patch them or paint. Let's move on.....
Surface Area Attack
Instant gratification is fast becoming the standard in our fast-paced society. The Internet, e-mail, cell phones, etc. don't help much. I love the Jamaicans. They have a word that is the opposite of instant gratification.
It is manana. The word translates to tomorrow and is loosely translated as another time. If you ask a Jamaican when something might be done, you get one of two responses: Soon come, Maan or Manana.
The point is that most of us want the wallpaper to soon come off the walls and ceilings. You can do that by using the great enzyme strippers. Want to really get wallpaper off the wall fast?
Then you need to increase the surface area of the paste that the enzymes can attack. You increase surface area by creating more pathways and avenues of attack. This is most easily accomplished by scoring the paper. Each tiny slice into the paper creates a new entry point for the enzyme to attack some of the dry paste.
Just A Few Tools
Let's get started with the tools. Fortunately, you don't need many tools to wallpaper.
Here's a list that will get you going on this job:
retractable razor knife with snap-off blades
4.5 or 6-inch drywall taping knife
smoothing brush or plastic smoother
4-foot level
grout sponge
measuring tape
paint roller & pan
paint brush
Click the Image Below to get all, or some, of the tools now:
The type of scraping tool used and the angle of attack when using the blade determine how well you will remove paper from a surface and how much damage you might inflict upon that part of the wall.
The best angle of attack to remove the most paper and do the least damage to wall surfaces is a low one. My guess - from experience - suggests that you should be in the neighborhood of 15 degrees off the horizontal.
The scraper will jump over the paper and cause you massive frustration if you start the scraping process too early. Remember our discussion of instant gratification? Read the directions on the label of the enzyme wall stripping product and follow those to the letter.
See if it doesn't work well. Always try to work ahead. This means get other walls soaking while you are scraping and washing down a different wall - the one you began with.
Washing Walls
Washing the glue residue from walls works best if you use two simple tools. You need a pump sprayer or an old Windex type sprayer bottle and a large tile grout sponge.
Use the sprayer to mist the entire wall you wish to wash. This will once again re-hydrate or soften the residual paste.
The large grout sponges I use really work well as washing tools. They easily pick up large amounts of glue before they need to be rinsed.
Speaking of Rinsing....
Washing the walls with soap and water is one thing, but rinsing the walls with clear water is just as important. Failure to rinse the walls immediately after and/or during the washing process will cancel out all of your hard work.
Use a different bucket and a sponge or rag to do the rinsing. As soon as the water begins to get the slightest bit cloudy, dispose of it and get fresh, clean water.
Your walls must be free of all glue to get a great paint job or re-paper job. Take your time and wash and rinse well.
Enzyme Wallpaper Removal Products
OK, you want to know how to remove wallpaper but you don't want to use the heavy, hot steamers. Besides, those only work well on the old fashioned wall papers, not the vinyl coated products that are more prevalent today.
You need to use the enzyme strippers. You can find these products readily at any large paint store that sells wallpaper. There are different types of enzyme stripping products, but they all basically do the same thing.
The enzymes - once they are allowed to come into contact with the old paste - actually chemically alter the paste and make it so it isn't sticky. Once the paste loses its ability to be sticky, the paper comes off the wall very easily.
You may see different brands of enzyme strippers or paste loosening agents at the paint stores or home centers. The leader in the wallpaper removal industry is the Zinsser Company. Their scientists have the adhesive removal business figured out! Look for the Zinsser name when you buy your enzyme stripper.
Zinsser makes two varieties of enzyme stripper. The original formula is called DIF. You mix it with water and apply it to the paper. It soaks through regular wallpaper or penetrates through scratches that you make in vinyls or vinyl coated papers.
The enzymes work fairly rapidly - within an hour in most cases - by rehydrating (softening) the paste and turning off the adhesive switches within each paste particle.
Some customers complained about how messy it was to use the original DIF water solution, so the Zinsser people went back to work and developed the premixed DIF Gel formula. This is a ready mixed enzyme compound that you roll or brush onto the wallpaper. No vapors, drips, runs, etc. It is fast acting and can soften most pastes in about 20 to 30 minutes.
Want more information about DIF? Simply visit the Zinsser website or visit your local full line paint and wallpaper store.
The Zinsser people also make two handy wallpaper removal tools. One is the Paper Tiger. It is a hand held tool that has plastic cutting wheels that cut tiny slices in wallpaper. These slices allow the strippers to quickly penetrate the paste.
Once this is accomplished, you use the paper scrapper tool by Zinsser. It has a neat blade that is positioned at the correct angle so you don't gouge the walls. Look at your paint supply store for both of these handy tools!
Some idiot who lived in your house before goofed up. They failed to install the right wallpaper primer on the walls before they hung the paper. Now it is impossible to remove the paper without blasting. Out comes the TNT, and off comes the paper.
A Drywall Mess
I have seen paper hangers and some homeowners who have applied paper directly to unpainted drywall! What a huge mistake. The wallpaper paste attaches the wallpaper very well to the porous, coarse drywall paper. As soon as you pull the wallpaper off, the upper layers of drywall paper come with it. This happens so often that I usually get one e-mail about it per week from someone across the USA.
Don't Panic!
If just a small area of drywall gets ruined, there is a great chance that you can repair it. If the entire wall surface is ruined, you may have to call in a pro. First of all, it isn't necessary to rip down the drywall and start over. You can skim coat the damaged area with a thin coat of drywall joint compound and it will look superb once sanded. If you want to avoid dust, consider wet sanding the skim coat. You have to be careful as you do it. Too much pressure or water will remove too much of the joint compound.
Before you begin to coat the damaged area, you need to seal the exposed drywall paper with a waterproof primer. White shellac or the stain killing paints work well for this! You can find these at any paint store.
If you don't use this type of primer before you start, the water in the joint compounds will usually cause bubbles to form in the rough drywall paper. It is a nightmare. The special primers are easy to use and dry within an hour or so.
Multiple Thin Applications
Once the damaged area is primed, apply a thin coat of drywall joint compound using as wide a blade broadknife as you can handle. I prefer to work with a 12-inch broadknife or possibly a 10-inch one. The thickness of the application should not exceed 1/16th inch. I would actually prefer a little less. You will probably get a few lines from the edges of the knife, but don't worry about those now.
Let it Dry
If you have a fan handy, aim it at the freshly patched area. It should dry within four hours or so. Lightly sand off any high spots. Brush away the dust and apply a second coat at a 45-degree angle to the initial application broadknife strokes. You apply the joint compound and basically scrape it all off the wall. You are doing this to simply fill in any low spots. You do NOT want to add any additional thickness to the compound! Once dry, sand the patched area and see what it looks like by holding a light close to the patch. If you see imperfections, fill those in and sand again.
Working With Plaster
Plaster repairs are much easier to accomplish than drywall repairs. Usually, the damage caused by scrapers are random nicks and gouges. I prefer to use the setting type dry powder joint compounds to solve these problems. These products mix with water and stick much better to plaster than the premixed joint compounds you buy in buckets. All of the major drywall manufacturers make these setting type compounds.
The newer ones are easy to sand once dry. They come in different set times as they are much like concrete. Once you mix the powder with water, the compounds start to get hard. If you wait too long to apply them, the compounds actually harden within your mixing bucket or drywall pan! To start with, buy one that has a 90 minute set time. This will give you the time you need to work with it. Two applications are almost always necessary. Use a smaller three inch wide knife to apply these products to the small wall nicks and gouges. Don't forget to wash your tools well and run plenty of water - at least one minute's worth - down the drain!
I would wager that I get at least three emails per month from homeowners who have stripped wallpaper from drywall only to find that more paper came off then what they expected.
Yes, the paper facing of the drywall was ripped off as well. Frequently the distraught homeowner gets out some drywall joint or topping compound and applies it to the damaged area trying to make the wall smooth again.
But two hours later the repaired area looks like a nightmare. There are blisters everywhere! The moisture from the joint compound has caused the inner paper core to swell.
When I was first married, my wife Kathy and I wallpapered many of the wall surfaces in our first two homes. I had absolutely no training and picked it up rather quickly. As I look back, I was extremely lucky!
I should have had lots of bubbles, puckered seams and overall failure. I did have a few of the above and I sort of thought they were normal. But now I know that perfection is not that hard to achieve. Here are some of the most important things you need to know.
Just A Few Tools
Let's get started with the tools. Fortunately, you don't need many tools to wallpaper.
Here's a list that will get you going on this job:
retractable razor knife with snap-off blades
4.5 or 6-inch drywall taping knife
smoothing brush or plastic smoother
4-foot level
grout sponge
measuring tape
paint roller & pan
paint brush
Click the Image Below to get all, or some, of the tools now:
If you have damaged drywall like this, you need to seal this brown inner paper before you start to apply joint compound. Years ago, I accomplished this with either shellac or oil paint.
These oil based products would not cause the paper to blister and they blocked water from getting to the paper. You can still use these products, but you can also use a new water based product that does the same thing.
Don't ask me how it works and prevents blisters, but it indeed does work. This product is called Gardz and is made by the Zinsser Company. It is a unique product that is blue in color but dries clear.
You can usually find this product at a large paint store or at a home center. If you can't find it, feel free to buy some shellac or oil paint.
Two Different Sealers
Keep in mind that if you are repairing damaged drywall you will need to use two sealers. The first sealer we just talked about.
The second sealer is a different product that is applied to the repaired area and/or all new or existing drywall surfaces. This second sealer is the one that stops the wallpaper adhesive from damaging the wall surface a second time.
This wallpaper primer/sealer is different than shellac, oil paint or the Gardz product. It has a different composition and actually is the best thing to use under wallpaper.
It is a very unique product in that it allows the adhesive to grab very well but doesn't allow it to transfer through the primer into the paper below. Do not listen to salespeople or store clerks who tell you differently! You must get the special primers.
Wallpaper Videos
Watch these videos to get an idea of what you're up against. You can do this job since it's a small room and there's not much to cut around.
Wallpaper Pointers
Wallpapering is a very interesting craft. There are all sorts of papers out there and they have unique characteristics with respect to hanging. Regular vinyl coated papers that are perhaps the most common can be successfully hung by a homeowner.
Booking is a technical term used by professional hangers. Once adhesive has been applied or activated it causes the paper to swell. The paper must swell before it is applied to the wall.
If you apply the paper too quickly it will swell on the wall. The results are bubbles and puckered seams. You book the paper so that the adhesive doesn't dry out as it is swelling.
All you have to do is gently fold the paper so that the wet back side of the paper comes into contact with itself. Do not crease the paper at the halfway point. Be sure to line up the edges as you book it so that they do not dry out.
Generally speaking the swelling of the paper happens within 3 to 5 minutes. Some papers take longer. Simply read the instructions that come with the paper.
Specialized Wallpaper Primers for Drywall
Be careful when you visit a paint store or home center. You can't always trust the info you get there. This is especially true when you talk about specialized primers for wallpaper. If you are going to do a wallpaper job, I would highly recommend that you visit a store that specializes in wallpaper sales.
We have several in Cincinnati, Ohio, but one really stands out above the rest. It is called Walls and More. This shop is owned by a professional wallpaper hanger - one who is a member of the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers, Inc.
The advice you get here is golden. I would like to think that you would get similar great advice, products and accessories from a specialty wallpaper store in your city or town.
Special Resins
You need a special product to act as a sealer for fresh plaster or drywall. A regular paint primer or sealer is NOT the same as a wallpaper primer or sealer.
The wallpaper primer/sealer contains special resins that block wallpaper adhesive from penetrating past the primer/sealer. In fact, the product I used simply looks and acts differently than regular paint. It reminds me of oil based paint in a way but it is indeed water based.
The Products
The wallpaper primer/sealer I prefer is called Shieldz Plus. It is white but can be tinted just about any color you like. You typically tint it to the color of the background of the paper. This product is made by the Zinsser Company. You can find Shieldz at most paint stores, home centers or wallpaper stores. Go to the Zinsser web site for more details or retail outlets.
Sherwin Williams stores carry their own knock off product of Shieldz. They used to sell Shieldz but I think they thought they could make more money by coming up with a different formulation. Their product is called PrepRite PreWallcovering Primer. You should be able to find it at any Sherwin Williams store.
Relaxation
I am not talking about you but the paper. When you activate the paste on a prepasted paper, you don't go over and hang it right away. The paper actually expands a little and it can take two or three minutes for this to happen. Some papers take longer to relax or expand. That is the actual term, relax.
The way you achieve this is to paste a strip of paper and then book it. Booking means you fold the back of the paper on itself. In other words, you paste a piece of paper and then fold it back so the bottom half of the strip that has the paste contacts the top half that has been pasted. Line it up carefully so that the edges meet. This prevents the edges from drying out.
Pasting or Activating the Paste
Most papers today are pre-pasted. It can be a nightmare activating this paste using a trough or a bathtub. I recently discovered another awesome product made by the Zinsser Company.
It is called SURE-GRIP. It is a paste activator. This product is a fine powder that is mixed with water. You stir it and let the water sit for 30 minutes. At the end of the wait period you end up with a slippery liquid that is the consistency of thin pancake batter.
You apply this to the back of pre-pasted paper instead of dipping it in water. It is quick, easy and it does a superb job of maximizing the holding power of the adhesive. If you soak a pre-pasted paper the traditional way you can actually remove the paste! This activator is the only way to go. I will always use it in the future.
Plumb
You must start your first piece of paper plumb. You should also start hanging paper in the corner of the room that you don't often look at. You do this so that when you hang your last strip and it doesn't match it is hardly visible.
Every time you go around a corner you must re-plumb the paper. I do this before I hang the piece. I take a piece of scrap paper that is dry and butt it up against the last full sheet of paper that was hung, fold it into and around the corner and make a light pencil mark where it stops. I then create a crisp plumb line using a level up and down across this mark.
Corners
The professional way to do a corner is to install a full piece of paper into the corner. You temporarily let it wrap around the corner. You make sure the paper is matched up with the last full sheet and you smooth it into the corner.
Then use a sharp razor knife and cut the paper precisely in the corner. Pull the two pieces of paper apart and pull back the smoothed paper from the corner about one inch. Install the cut half of paper around the corner and hold it about 1/4 inch off the plumb line so that you have about 1/8 inch or so of the paper folding back around the corner.
Be sure you try to match the pattern for top and bottom elevation. Smooth the second piece of paper once it is positioned exactly. If the paper is vinyl coated, you must use a vinyl to vinyl adhesive where the two pieces of paper overlap one another.
Carolyn missed a few steps on installing wallpaper from a home improvement show. She asked Tim for assistance. CLICK HERE to read that Hanging Wallpaper column.
