Prepping a wall for paint shouldn't take much longer than prepping a wall for papering tbh; you don't have to go quite so fine with the filler if you're papering, but you still need to get all the old gunk/pimples off the wall and make sure the surface is reasonably uniform.

I'd avoid the 'paste the wall' options personally - wet wallpaper is much more malleable so you can stretch it around awkward walls if needs be. I'd recommend using a cheap/disposable paint roller to apply the paste - much easier than a brush - and use ready mixed paste aka 'tub paste'. Make sure each length of paper has time to soak the paste in, but not so long that the edges start to dry out. For a bit of extra grip run the roller up the wall approx. where the edges of the paper will join, and ideally use a seam roller once the edges are butted together. You can use a plumb-line or a level to get the first drop lined up but either way it's easier to work off a pencil line on the wall; if the plumb-line is standing off the wall a bit, shine a worklight onto it and mark the wall off the shadow. And don't forget that the paper will stretch a bit as it dries out - so all those brush marks you can see on the surface won't be there when it's dry. Honest

HTH Pete

These. I've never tried putting paper up but I agree with all of the other reasons.



I love plumbing.

As for vinyl, I've done it once in the bathroom and had no trouble at all, and quite enjoyed the process. Several years later I find myself laying marine grade carpet on the sundeck of a boat I worked on with a couple of colleagues. We were just discussing the best course of action when the owner came aboard and just tipped over two drums of adhesive and said 'they're you go'. We wanted to do a good job, and he wanted a quick one as well, git. That adhesive cures quickly in the tropical sun.

The prep for papering properly takes forever as well - one should strip back to the bare plaster whether painting or papering anyway.

1. I never rely on the previous layers being much good - it might have been papered by someone as half-arsed as my dad was
2. It's a really handy opportunity to check the walls for problems before they get too severe
3. It's also great for moving cables, adding network points, repairing skirtings, removing picture hook holes etc.
4. If the wall's got so very bad that you absolutely cannot paint it then you shouldn't really be papering it either. "A stitch in time..." and all that.

That's what I think anyway. That said, I do rather like DIY and my favourite bit is filling and sanding

I always get shouted at for not being prepared to "just slap a load of paint on it"

Removing a hole doesn't sound quite correct.

A wall can be perfectly sound, just cosmetically not up to snuff.
Prepping a wall for paper is much less work than prepping it for paint - take it back as far as you can (as for painting), wash (as per painting), sand/fill holes, size, hang lining paper if it's bad enough (horizontally remember), paper as usual.
We wanted to paint the living room, but after removing the dado rail the previous owner had attached with screws and No More Nails, and the bodged job he'd made in one corner of the room where he'd fitted a gas fire, we had to paper it (and line it), otherwise we'd have had a front room that looked like it'd been stitched together by a blind man.
We just used a shade of paper similar to the one we'd have painted it with, and we have nice flat walls.
For paint, you really need as a smooth a surface as possible, unless you want to be able to read the wall's life story of repairs and polyfilla.
There's a point between can paint and should paint.
Just tips I've picked up from a couple of commercial decorators.

But yeah, decorating is a great opportunity to get in and sort all that stuff out that you'd be shouted at doing otherwise.

I advice about 2inches extra on each side. Remember that patterned paper needs lining up (huge waste)
if your pasting table too short, paste half of the paper, fold it losely, slide it down. paste other half. Carryin the paper with one half folded will make your life much easier. possibly get a roller for joints. And wipe with CLEAN sponge

Thanks all, hopefully with all the tips you have givenme I should be able to get things looking nice.

All done, wasn’t as bad as I remembered tbh, only had one wall to do so managed to get done Sunday afternoon and all looks good now it dry.

Cheers all

Not sure a picture is a good idea as the wall paper is a poppy design and wasn’t my pick

Ahhh, was your pansy choice overruled?

Yes it was....