In addition to choosing the best wallpaper for your home, take some care in choosing the tools you need.
You know that old saying, "A bad workman always blames his tools"? Well, that is only partially true - without proper tools and equipment, it is not always possible to do a safe and professional looking job! In addition to choosing the best wallpaper for your home, take some care in choosing the tools you need.
First, you will choose the most suitable wallpaper for your job. Not only do wallcoverings come in a huge variety of designs and textures, they're available in a variety of protective surfaces - what may work beautifully in a bedroom may not be suitable for a kitchen.
Vinyl coated wallpapers can be used in any room, but because they are more scrubbable and moisture resistant, are especially suited for kitchens and bathrooms. They tend to be slightly shinier than the printed, uncoated wallpapers.
Vinyl wallpaper comes on either a fabric, paper, or vinyl backing. The most widely available and popular is the fabric or paper backing, with paper being somewhat more scrubbable. Solid vinyl wallcoverings are generally used in commercial buildings.
Printed paper wallcoverings - those on a paper backing with the design printed on the surface are also widely available and vary in washability. Check with your retailer first, if you are planning on using this type in a kitchen or bathroom
There are also many specialty wallcoverings, from grasscloth to textured and embossed papers, to costly hand printed or flocked wallpaper. Your wallpaper salesperson will be able to tell you the best type of paste for your chosen wallcovering, and can advise you on any special considerations in preparing your wall surface.
In order to do the job, you will need the following tools:
Stepladder high enough to safely reach the ceiling. If you need to buy one for your home, don't skimp on quality here. Ladders are rated by type, from light household use to heavy commercial. Make sure you get one sturdy enough for any job, since you'll have many occasions to use it in the future.
Pasting table. This should be at least 6'x 3', long enough to roll out your paper, make the required cuts and apply water or paste easily. Two sawhorses and an unused plain door (remove all hardware first) will work fine too.
Water tray, if you are using prepasted wallpaper.
Wallpaper paste brush, for applying adhesive. This will work much better than a regular paintbrush because the bristles are specially formulated to spread adhesive evenly.
Metal straight edge. A wood one may be cheaper, but a metal one will allow you to make cleaner, straighter cuts. Make sure you get one long enough to span the width of your paper.
Razor trimming knife. The easiest type to use is the kind with snap-off blades.
12" smoothing brush - this has short, stiff bristles to smooth out air bubbles and make sure your wallpaper is adhering firmly to the wall.
Seam roller - either plastic or wood, for rolling along all the seams.
A large natural or synthetic sponge, for doing a final smoothing and cleaning of your wallpaper.
If you have to prepare, prime and size the walls first, you'll also need a roller and paint brush, and some drop cloths to protect the floor. Make sure the underlying wall is free of cracks, holes and old drips of paint - these will show up under any smooth wallpaper! Fill cracks and holes with caulking or spackle, and scrape down old paint drips. Prime over any repairs you make.
Any good wallcovering retailer will carry all the tools you need to complete your job. If you don't want to buy some of the bigger, bulkier items like ladders or a pasting table, consider renting these. Ask at the store, or check rental yards.
The rest of the wallpaper equipment is really quite inexpensive, and having the right tools for the job will definitely make it easier, faster and safer!
