Surface prep determines how well coverings adhere, hence how good the job looks and how long it lasts. Ideally, surfaces should be clean, dry, flat, and stable. Before hanging wallcoverings, assess existing surfaces; remove, replace, or repair them as necessary; and then prime and seal them. Sealing surfaces improves adhesion and, just as important, allows you to remove coverings later without destroying the underlying drywall or plaster.

In the old days, a wall was sized, or brushed with a glutinous mixture to improve the adher­
ence of the wallpaper. But sizing is rarely done today because it’s chemically incompatible with many pastes, causing them to crystallize, lump, and bubble, creating voids where the covering is unattached. Instead, professionals use one of the primer-sealers described in "Primer-Sealers for Wallcoverings,” below.

Before you start prep work, move furniture from the room or move it to the room’s center and cover it with a tarp. That will allow you to work faster and be safer. О Speaking of safety, always use a voltage tester to be sure electrical power is off where you’re working. Also set up ladders and scaffolds so they don’t wobble. Wear a respirator mask when applying chemicals, and clean up waste as you go.

Wallpaper, actual paper, is most appropriate for historically accurate restoration and wherever you want fine detail. Although vinyl coverings are increasingly hard to distinguish from paper, vinyls tend to look glossier. Although paper may have an aesthetically pleasing flat finish, it is more vulnerable to grime and abuse.

Vinyl is today’s workhorse, available in a dizzy­ing range of patterns and in finishes ranging from flat to glossy. Vinyl is especially suitable for areas with traffic and moisture. Most vinyls are washable, and cloth-backed vinyls are usually strippable—that is, they are easily removable when you want to change them. Although no wallcovering is intended to conceal major cracks and irregularities, heavier vinyls can conceal minor ones.

Fabric coverings include cotton, linen, silk, stringcloth, and wool. They’re often chosen to match or coordinate with colors and textures in drapes and fabric-covered furniture. They come paper-backed, acrylic-backed, or unbacked (raw). And the backing largely determines the method of installation. Avoid slopping adhesive or water onto the fabric facing because some fabrics stain easily; delicate fabrics are usually dry hung, in which paste is applied to the wall and the dry wallcovering is smoothed onto it, as explained on p. 477.

Natural textures such as rice paper, grasses, and bamboo tend to be expensive, temperamental, and delicate. And because the thinner coverings reveal even minor flaws in wall surfaces, you first need to cover the walls with a lining paper. Still, natural textures are evolving, with vinyl-coated versions that are relatively durable and easy to install. Besides their beauty, most natural tex­tures have no pattern that needs matching.

Foils and Mylars also vary greatly in appearance and ease of handling. For example, heavier, vinyl-laminated foils are durable and easy to

A Wall OF YOUR OWN

Thanks to technology, you can have wall cover­ings fabricated with virtually any pattern

or image you want, including historical docu­ments or wall-size photos of family members.

The cost has come down a lot. Make sure that

such coverings are treated with a protective

coating, so they will wear well.

install. However, some uncoated metallic cover­ings retain fingerprints, so you should wear gloves when hanging them, or perhaps avoid them altogether. That said, foils are well suited to small rooms because they reflect light, thus mak­ing the space appear larger.

Lincrusta, an embossed wallpaper similar to a fine cardboard, is making a comeback. The mod­ern version of Victorian lincrusta is called anaglypta.

Cork and wood-veneer wallcoverings are finely milled and manufactured to use cork and rare woods efficiently. Typical veneer dimensions: /64 in. thick, 1 ft. to 4 ft. wide, 12 ft. long. Such specialty coverings may be available through suppliers of professional paperhangers.

Borders are thin strips of wallcovering that run along the edges of walls where they meet ceilings, wainscoting, and trim. They can be installed over wallcovering or directly to drywall or plaster. The surface determines the adhesive.

PASTES

Like wallcoverings, pastes have evolved. Probably the best advice is to follow the manufacturer’s paste specifications, usually printed on the wall­covering label, along with the code and run num­bers. If the paste isn’t specified, ask your supplier to get that information from the manufacturer.

Wheat pastes were the standard for centuries, but that changed in the 1960s and 1970s, with the introduction of vinyl wallcoverings. Trapped behind an impervious skin of vinyl, wheat paste was an ideal medium for mold. Moreover, wheat
paste wasn’t strong enough to adhere many of the newer, thicker materials. Wheat pastes are occasionally specified for delicate wallpaper, but mostly they’ve been supplanted by clay – or starch-based adhesives with additives that increase grip and discourage mold.

Pastes come premixed or as powders to be mixed with water. Premixed pastes are generally stronger, more consistent and more convenient. Once opened, however, such adhesives have a rel­atively short life. In general, the thicker the paste, the quicker it dries and the greater the weight it can support.

Ordering Wallcovering

Before ordering wallcovering, calculate the square footage of your walls and ceilings. Once you’ve determined the overall square footage, subtract 12 sq. ft. for each average-size door and window. To determine the total number of rolls you’ll need, divide each room’s square footage by

How Much on a Roll?

Wallcovering rolls (also called bolts) are available in American single rolls, Euro rolls (metric), and commercial widths. At this writ­ing, Euro rolls dominate the market.

► American single rolls are 18 in. to 36 in. wide. (A 27-in. width is comfortable for most people.) The wider rolls generate fewer seams but are much more difficult to handle. Whatever the width of an American single roll, it will contain 36 sq. ft. of material.

► Euro rolls are 201/ in. to 28 in. wide, and are generally sold as double rolls (twice as long). Typically, there are 56 sq. ft. to 60 sq. ft. on a Euro roll.

► Commercial coverings are typically 48 in. to 54 in. wide, a width usually beyond the skills of nonprofessionals.

the square footage listed on the wallcovering rolls. If you’re using American single rolls (see "How Much on a Roll?,” below left), you could instead divide by 36 (the number of square feet on each roll). But dividing by 30 gives you an allowance for waste.

If the room has numerous recesses, difficult corners, or a lot of trim to cut around, order an extra roll or two. Also, if the pattern is large, you’ll waste more because you’ll need to match patterns along seams. On the back of most wall­covering, you’ll find the pattern repeat, usually stated in inches: The larger the pattern repeat, the greater the waste. Also, order an extra roll or two for repairs. You never know when a roof will leak or a child will bruise a wall.

Equipment

You’ll need some special tools and work surfaces to apply your wallcovering.

► A spirit level will tell you whether walls and wallcovering edges are plumb. Be sure to plumb the leading edge of the first strip of wallcovering. A 4-ft. level with metal edges can double as a straightedge when trimming selvage (manufactured edges).

► Your pasting table should have a washable top about 3 ft. by 6 ft. Avoid covering it with newspaper because newsprint may bleed. To protect the top from scarring during cutting, cover the tabletop with hardboard or use a zinc cutting-strip. (If you don’t have a suitable table, lay a sheet of smooth, void-free plywood over sawhorses.)

► Have a 16-ft. retractable tape measure for measuring and marking.

► A razor knife with replaceable blades gives the cleanest cuts. Don’t be stingy about replacing blades during use because dull

blades can rip wallpaper. A professional may use 200 or 300 blades on a big job. Some pros prefer single-edge razor blades, though knives with snap-off blades are popular, too.

► Shears help you rough-cut from a roll.

► Paste brushes spread wheat paste on backing—or on walls, in some cases.

► A roller and pan are needed to spread vinyl paste, which is too heavy to brush on. Ask your supplier how long the nap of the roller cover should be.

► A smoothing brush, with soft bristles, will smooth out the wallcovering paste.

► A wallpaper smoother smooths vinyls, liners, and other heavy materials. It is also handy for flattening the occasional paste lump.

► A seam roller spreads glue along the edges of the strips to ensure that seams will stick well. Caution: Seam rollers are not generally recommended for delicate or finely textured papers or grasses.

► A 6-in. taping knife, also called a joint knife, is useful for filling low spots and scraping off high spots in a wall. Also use this knife to press the wallcovering snugly against the trim before cutting away excess paper.

► A sponge and water pail are handy for wiping excess paste off the pasting table, trim, and most wallcovering surfaces. In general, the sponge should be just damp. Change the water in your pail often. To avoid creating a sheen along the seams, wipe the entire strips rather than just their edges.

► Other useful equipment includes a sturdy fiberglass stepladder; a long, straight board for detecting irregularities in walls and ceilings; and a plenty of clean, soft rags. If you use a prepasted wallcovering, you’ll also need a water tray in which to soak the strips to activate their adhesives.

Prep work done, it’s almost time to paint. Even if you’ve read this entire chapter, you might want to scan it one last time for tips about paint quality, tools, basic techniques, spray-painting, and so on.

Here’s a quick review of factors mentioned in greater detail earlier in this chapter: Regarding exterior coatings, the more opaque the finish, the better it will protect wood siding. Clear, oil-based sealers help siding shed water without obscuring the wood grain, but they must to be reapplied every 2 years to 4 years because they offer rela­tively little protection from UV rays. A second

option, semitransparent stains resemble thinned down-paints and represent a compromise that adds UV protection but reduces siding visibility, That is, you can see wood texture but not its grain. Third, there’s paint that completely hides and so protects wood the best, if correctly applied. Which brings us to acrylic latex.

Acrylic latex is king. What’s not to like? Simply called latex, it’s durable, flexible, virtually odor­less, and cleans up with soap and water. Use good-quality latex primer-sealer and paint on all exteriors, whether covering existing paint or unfinished siding. Oil-based primers are justified only if your siding is raw redwood or cedar, or if you’ve had problems with tannin bleed-through and so need to block stains before repainting. Latex is also best for masonry, stucco, aluminum, and vinyl siding because it’s the only coating flex­ible enough to expand and contract as siding heats and cools.

Optimal conditions. Check the weather before you start painting. Ideally, wait until several dry days are forecast. If possible, wait a week after a rain. Also allow morning mists to evaporate before painting. Humidity near 90 is risky, because it doesn’t allow the paint to cure. The best temperatures for curing range between 60°F and 85°F. Don’t paint when temperatures are 90°F or above, because surfaces that are too hot can cause paint to blister. Finally, stop painting 2 hours before sundown if nighttime tempera­tures could drop below 40°F.

If possible, don’t paint in strong sun. Paint the west and south faces of the house early in the morning; the north face at noon; and the east face and any part of the south face still remaining in the afternoon.

Latex paint should flow on easily and dry slowly enough that brush marks level (disappear). To slow the rate of drying, add a dash of Flood’s Floetrol to latex, as indicated on the container.

To slow the rate of drying of oil-based paint, add Flood’s Penetrol.

A painting sequence. Paint the house from top to bottom. To minimize overlap marks on clap­boards, paint horizontal sections all the way across, till they end at window or door trim or at the end of a wall. After painting large sections, go back and paint the trim, windows, and doors, top to bottom. Last, paint gutters, porches, and decks. If you can remove shutters, doors, screens, and the like, do so; they are much easier to paint if placed across sawhorses. Don’t bother to mask trim or windows unless you’re spray-painting. Again, you can later scrap stray paint from win­dow glass with a razor tool.

Using a brush, paint the bottom edges of hori­zontal siding before applying paint to the flat face of each board. To distribute paint evenly along siding, after loading the brush with fresh paint, partially unload the brush by dabbing every foot or so; then spread out the dabs, brush­ing the paint in and smoothing it with the wood grain. For exteriors, a 4-in. brush is the work­horse for the big spaces. A 3-in. angled sash brush is handy for cutting in trim edges and corners. For a sequence of painting window parts, see p. 450.

If the house has a stucco exterior or some other flat expanse, roll the paint on—after using a brush to cut in the edges—or spray it. Exterior rolling is much the same as interior rolling: Roll on fat paint in a zigzag pattern, before rolling it out evenly. To minimize spatter, roll the first stroke up. In general, the smoother the exterior surface, the shorter the roller cover nap.

Apply primers and top coats full strength,

except when the paint seems to be drying too quickly. Latex dries quickly and adheres well, so you don’t need to sand between coats unless you wait several days or more. Consult the label on the paint container for drying times and maxi­mum intervals between coats. For a lasting paint job, apply one coat of primer and at least two top coats. Though it’s probably not imperative to

I Avoiding Direct Sun

Avoid the sun around the house as you paint, so that you apply paint in the shade if possible. Paint applied in full sunlight is more likely to blister later.

prime existing paint that’s in good shape and well prepped, it’s advisable. However, prime all siding that has been sanded or begun weathering down to bare wood.

Oil-based stains and semitransparent stains do not need thinning. Apply them full strength to bare wood. If you’ve stripped the house of its original paint and want to switch to stain, test a
small section first. Because a clear stain will probably look uneven, a semitransparent stain is likely the better bet. To apply stain, a paint pad will hold more stain than a brush but requires a little practice to avoid runs.

As with paint, apply stain to the undersides of the shingle or clapboard courses first. To avoid getting stain on your skin, wear a long-sleeved shirt, rubber gloves, a hat, and safety glasses.

Spray

► Spray exterior trim first. Mask the siding, spray the trim, and let it dry before removing the first masking. Then mask over (cover) the trim so you can paint the siding.

► To mask-off windows, apply double-sided masking tape around the perimeter of the window. Press sheet plastic to the tape and trim off the excess plastic.

► To keep paint off features such as chimneys and roofing, use a cardboard shield to block the spray, as shown at left.

► Don’t spray when it’s windy. Even if the air is calm, move cars and lawn furniture away from the house, or cover them. If your house is close to a neighbor’s—ask the neighbors to do the same or, better, do it for them.

► After you spray a section, immediately brush the paint into the surface. Back-brushing helps sprayed paint adhere better, look great, and last longer.

But because latex dries so quickly, back-brush before spraying the next section.

After spraying a section of siding, immediately brush the paint into the wood—and into the building seams— using a 4-in. brush.

Wallpaper has been popular for centuries, particularly in formal rooms where there’s less danger from little ones’ grimy fingers and rowdy ways. Paint has long been favored for rooms that get the most use and abuse because it’s durable and easy to clean and apply.

Today “wallpapers” are available in so many materials—including grasses, bamboo, rice paper, foil, and cork—that they are collectively called wallcoverings, and some of them are stronger, more durable, and easier to maintain than wallpapers and some paints. Many are backed with paper or cloth, with cloth being stronger. But by far the most popular are vinyl- coated wallcoverings, which are washable and grease resistant.

Today, most wallcoverings come prepasted. This makes them easier to apply and—years later—to strip from the wall. Because the manu­facturer has already pasted the covering, all you need do is unroll it, and soak it briefly in a water tray. But, as you’ll see in this chapter, many pros avoid the drips and mess of a water tray by rolling a prepaste activator onto the backing.

Selecting Materials

Choose a wallcovering whose pattern and color are appropriate for the room. There are no hard and fast rules on what works. But in general, lighter colors make rooms look larger, and darker colors make rooms look smaller. Smaller, sub­dued patterns are better for quiet rooms. Splashy floral prints tend to serve better in places such as front halls that bustle with activity. Delicate tex­tiles or grasses are best reserved for rooms with little traffic and little risk of bruising. Also, con­sider the age and energy level of the people in the room. For example, vinyl-coated murals of rock stars or sports themes will appeal to kids and endure abuse.

To hang wallcovering, first unfold the top half of a pasted strip and carefully align it to a plumbed line, or to the plumbed edge of the preceding strip.

Washable wallcoverings can be sponged clean occasionally with a mild soap or cleaning solu­tion. Scrubbable coverings can take a vigorous scouring with a nylon-bristled brush or a pad, as well as stronger cleaning agents. There are also strippable and peelable wallcoverings, discussed

at greater length in “Stripping Wallpaper,” on p. 470.

For do-it-yourselfers, it’s smart to choose a covering that’s easy to hang. That is, textured coverings can be fragile and difficult to handle. The condition of existing walls should also affect your decision. For example, heavy coverings can conceal minor wall flaws; whereas lightweight papers will accentuate flaws and won’t conceal underlying bold paints or vivid patterns. If walls or trim are badly out of square, avoid coverings with large, bold patterns because slight mis­matches along their edges will be more obvious than if patterns are subdued.