Easy Wallpaper Installation and Removal Guide
Installing wallpaper takes more than unrolling a sheet and sticking it on the wall. A good result starts with measuring, planning, and preparing the surface so each strip fits cleanly. In this guide, you’ll find steps for measuring walls, applying peel-and-stick wallpaper, trimming edges, and working around outlets or corners. There’s also advice for removing wallpaper and avoiding common installation mistakes. With the right sequence, you can create a smooth, even finish that lasts and looks intentional.
How to measure your wall for wallpaper
Grab a tape measure and record the width and height of each wall, keeping the measurements for every wall separate. If your surface has odd angles or curves, take extra readings to capture those variations. Multiply each width by its height to get the area of that wall in square feet.
Skip subtracting windows and doors for now—most installers recommend adding roughly 10 percent more material than the raw measurement. That extra covers trimming, small mistakes, and the extra length needed for pattern repeats.
Once you know the total wall area, check the coverage on the wallpaper roll’s label. Divide the total area by that number, then round up. A small surplus is better than running short mid-project. For sloped ceilings or staircases, treat each section like a separate wall and measure accordingly.
A few notes to help:
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Measure at least twice—small misreads can add up.
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If your walls are sloped or part of a staircase, treat each section like its own wall—measure separately, add them up.
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Many wallpaper brands offer online calculators: input measurements, and the tool guesses how many rolls you need—sometimes adding a buffer automatically.
Installation Steps for Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
Before you start, gather everything you’ll need: a level, a sharp utility knife, a squeegee (Grovetree Decor includes one), a tape measure, a pencil, and a clean microfiber cloth. You can also purchase a kit with everything you need right here.
Prepare the wall by wiping it with a damp cloth and a drop of mild dish soap. Rinse with clean water, let it dry completely—overnight is best—so no moisture lingers under the wallpaper.
1. Check if your wall is level
Hold the level against the far left hand wall. If the bubble isn’t centered, your wall isn’t perfectly straight. If your wall is straight, skip to step 3; if it isn’t, don’t worry. Just continue with step 2.
2. Create a vertical guideline
Measure 19 inches from the far left wall. Use your level to draw a vertical line from the ceiling to the baseboard. This line will guide your first strip and keep the rest in line. A straight first strip is the backbone of the entire project.
3. Position the first sheet at the ceiling
Peel about 12 inches of the backing paper from the top. Keep the sticky side from folding onto itself. Hold the sheet so it slightly overlaps the ceiling by about half an inch. That overlap will be trimmed for a clean, exact edge.
4. Stick the top portion
Press the top 6–12 inches onto the wall, smoothing it lightly with your hands. Double-check that it follows your guidelines before pressing firmly. Early correction is easier than fixing a crooked sheet later.
5. Adjust if misaligned
If the sheet drifts off the guideline, gently peel it back. Pull slowly to avoid stretching the paper. Reposition, then press again. Accuracy here prevents pattern mismatch in later strips.
6. Burnish the first section
Use your squeegee, starting in the center of the sheet. Push outward toward the edges to remove air. Then work downward in short strokes. Keep pressure firm but steady—too much at once can create creases.
7. Continue peeling and smoothing
Pull down another 12–18 inches of the backing. Smooth as you go, keeping movements deliberate. This step-by-step method helps prevent trapped air and keeps the paper flat against the wall.
8. Secure the bottom edge
When you reach the baseboard, press the wallpaper firmly into the corner between the wall and the trim. Use the squeegee edge to crease it. This makes trimming neater and avoids gaps.
9. Apply the next sheet
Hang your next sheet beside the first, overlapping the wallpaper so that the image lines up.* Match the pattern before pressing. Once you’re confident it’s matched, repeat the same peel-and-smooth process.
10. Work around outlets and switches
Remove the cover plates first. Apply wallpaper over the opening, then cut an “X” from corner to corner of the outlet space. Fold the flaps inward and trim them along the inner edge. Replace the cover when the sheet is fully smoothed.
11. Cut around fixed obstacles
For items like vents or built-in shelves, hang the sheet over them, smooth until you meet the object, then trim slowly along its outline. Keep the blade tight to the obstacle for a close finish.
12. Trim the edges
With all strips in place, run your knife along the ceiling line, baseboard, and corners. Change blades often—dull edges can tear the wallpaper instead of cutting it cleanly. Hang your next sheet beside the first, overlapping the wallpaper so the image lines up.
*Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get the pattern lined up absolutely perfectly. Nobody does – not even professional installers.
However, with wallpaper that’s designed to be butt up side by side, you often get small white gaps where the wall shows through. Even the tiniest of gaps shows up very clearly, especially with dark wallpapers, and doesn’t look nice at all.
By producing the image to overlap slightly, we’re giving you a little wiggle room. If you don’t line the images up perfectly, it won’t be very noticeable.
You’re paying good hard earned money for your décor, and we don’t want you to waste it. Be careful with cheap, difficult to install wallpaper. What looks cheaper at first often ends up costing a lot more – in money and in stress!
How to Remove Non-Woven and Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper (Step-by-Step)
Clear the space so you can work freely, and lay down a drop cloth to catch scraps. Remove outlet and switch covers, then cover the openings with painter’s tape.
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Find a starting point. Look for a seam or loose corner. Use a fingernail or a plastic scraper to lift the edge just enough to grip it.
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Peel slowly. Pull at a low angle, keeping the motion steady. If the wallpaper feels stuck, stop and move to the next step before tearing it.
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Add heat if needed. A blow dryer on low or a heat gun at a safe distance will soften the adhesive. Move the heat source back and forth so one area doesn’t overheat.
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Score for stubborn spots. Lightly scoring the surface lets moisture or heat reach the adhesive underneath. Work gently—too much pressure can mark the wall.
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Use a scraper with care. Slide a plastic putty knife under the lifted section, then push forward as you peel. Keep the blade flat to avoid gouging the wall.
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Remove leftover glue. Lukewarm water with a couple of drops of dish soap works for most adhesives. Stubborn patches may need a vinegar-water mix. Let it sit for a minute before wiping or scraping.
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Rinse and dry. Wipe with clean water to remove any residue, then let the wall dry completely before repainting or adding new wallpaper.
Tips from Real-Life Experience
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Peeling too quickly may tear off the drywall paint, so proceeding with patience pays off.
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Thicker or more adhesive wallpapers may need extra heat or gentle scoring to release cleanly.
4 Common Mistakes When Installing Wallpaper
Even with good preparation and quality materials, a few missteps can undo hours of work. Some are small, but others can force you to start over entirely. Knowing what they are—and how to prevent them—saves time, frustration, and money.
Ordering Too Little
Underestimating material can bring the project to a standstill—especially when patterns need matching across multiple strips.
How to avoid it: Measure each wall separately, calculate the total area, and round up. Add 10–15% extra to cover trimming and pattern repeats.
Skipping Surface Prep
Dust, grease, or uneven walls can cause peeling, bubbling, and wrinkling long after the wallpaper is up.
How to avoid it: Clean the walls with mild soap and water, rinse, and let them dry completely. Fill small holes and sand rough spots before starting.
Pasting Over Old Wallpaper
Layering over existing wallpaper often results in bubbling and lifting as the layers beneath shift or loosen.
How to avoid it: Remove old wallpaper completely, scrub away any adhesive, and repair damaged drywall before applying new paper.
Misaligned Seams
Starting without a true vertical reference can throw the entire pattern off, leaving a visibly uneven finish.
How to avoid it: Use a level to draw a vertical guideline for the first strip. Check each new strip against the previous one before pressing it down.
FAQ
1. What tools do I absolutely need to install wallpaper?
A level, utility knife, measuring tape, and smoothing tool get most jobs done without over-packing your toolkit. Check out our handy installation kit here
2. Is it okay to overlap wallpaper seams?
No. Press seams tight. Overlapping adds bulk and ruins the finish. Just butt edges snugly.
3. Should I put paste on pre-pasted wallpaper?
Extra paste isn’t needed. Adding it can make future removal trickier and might cause bubbling.
4. Can you wallpaper over wallpaper?
That tends to cause peeling or bulges. Stripping the old layer first leads to better results.
5. What does it mean to “book” wallpaper?
It’s folding the strip paste-to-paste to let it relax and activate before sticking it up.
6. Can vapor-resistant wallpaper go in bathrooms?
Vinyl or moisture-rated papers work. Otherwise, steam can loosen the adhesive fast.
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get the pattern lined up absolutely perfectly.
Nobody does – not even professional installers.
However, with wallpaper that’s designed to be butt up side by side, you often get small white gaps where the wall shows through. Even the tiniest of gaps shows up very clearly, especially with dark wallpapers, and doesn’t look nice at all.
By producing the image to overlap slightly, we’re giving you a little wiggle room. If you don’t line the images up perfectly, it won’t be very noticeable.
You’re paying good hard earned money for your décor, and we don’t want you to waste it. Be careful with cheap, difficult to install wallpaper. What looks cheaper at first often ends up costing a lot more – in money and in stress!
