How to install peel and stick wallpaper

No paste, no water, no soaking. With a level, a smoothing tool and a sharp blade, one wall takes an afternoon.

What you need

• A level or a plumb line and a pencil
• A plastic smoothing tool or a clean, dry cloth
• A sharp utility knife with spare blades, and a straight edge
• A step ladder

Step by step

1. Prep the wall

   Wipe the wall clean and let fresh paint cure for at least two weeks. Take off switch plates.

2. Hang the first panel plumb

   Mark a straight vertical line with a level. Peel 12 inches of backing, line the edge up and smooth down as you go.

3. Match the next panel

   Butt the next panel against the first so the pattern lines up, then smooth out air from the centre to the edges.

4. Trim and finish

   Run a sharp blade along the ceiling and baseboard, and cut around outlets. Replace the plates.

Tips that save a panel

• Peel the backing as you go, about 12 inches at a time, instead of all at once.
• If a panel goes on crooked, lift it gently and reposition it right away.
• Change the blade often: a dull blade drags the fabric.
• Hang panels in the order they came off the roll so the pattern lines up.

Taking it down

Lift a top corner and pull slowly, low and close to the wall. On a smooth painted wall in good condition, it comes off without paste residue.

Before you start

New paint needs about two weeks to cure. On textured, flaking or unsealed walls, test a sample on a hidden spot first.