How to Hang Wallpaper (or a Mural) on One Wall
You’ll find everything you need to know about to how to hang wallpaper on one wall or hang a mural on one wall in this post.
If you’ve never attempted hanging wallpaper before, I highly recommend starting with just one wall! Hanging wallpaper on just one wall is far easier than attempting a whole room. Hanging mural wallpaper on one wall is very similar and actually quite easy!
How to Hang Wallpaper on One Wall
This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click to read my full disclosure policy.
Hanging wallpaper on one wall is way easier than wallpapering a full room. Especially if the wall doesn’t have any windows or doors, it’s super easy and can be done in a couple of hours.
We reviewed the difference between pasting the back of the wallpaper and pasting the wall. Also we made sure to buy wallpaper that required wallpaper paste. We decided that hanging the wallpaper on the wall would be best for us that way we didn’t need a table and could put it up quicker.
This is the wallpaper we picked out for my daughter’s room.
Here are the supplies that are needed.
Supplies:
- wallpaper that needs paste (enough for one wall and extra to match up the pattern) I use this wallpaper calculator for adding how many rolls are needed
- pencil
- wallpaper size (primes the wall for pasting) 1 quart covered two walls
- paint roller and tray
- wallpaper adhesive 1 quart covered two walls
- wallpaper paste brush (or large paint brush)
- smoother
- utility knife and putty scraper
- ladder
- extra person
Directions:
- Cover the wall with wallpaper size using a paint roller. Allow to dry for 2 hours before pasting (we did this step the night before).
- Have one person hang up a piece of wallpaper and another person make marks down the edge of the wallpaper on the wall with a pencil.
- Remove the wallpaper and brush wallpaper adhesive on the section you just marked off but just the top part.
- Butt up the wallpaper into the top corner and keep an overlap about an inch on the ceiling.
- Smooth out that top section to get rid of air bubbles. Move the smoother from the centre of the wallpaper to the outer edges to smooth out wrinkles and air pockets.
6. Now have one person hold up that bottom section of the wallpaper and the other person paste the bottom half of the wall. Smooth out the bottom section.
7. Make a crease at the bottom on top of the baseboard with the smoother.
8. Now hang up the next piece of wallpaper finding where the patterns match up. You might have a lot of overhang at the top which is fine.
9. Make a crease with the smoother where the wall meets the ceiling (this will mark your wallpaper).
9. Take a pencil and make marks down the edge of the wallpaper.
10. Paste the top section of the wall again and hang up that wallpaper piece to the marked crease up at the ceiling. Overlap a little bit over the section that’s already on the wall.
11. Paste the bottom section and smooth down the wallpaper. Crease the bottom of the wallpaper just above the baseboard.
12. Repeat until the whole wall is done.
13. With a putty scraper as a guide, take the utility knife and cut the excess off at the top of the bottom and at the bottom.
And you’re done! I love this one wall of floral wallpaper and so does my daughter. Aaron and I did a great job doing it together!
How to Hang a Wallpaper Mural
Hanging a mural is similar to hanging wallpaper but in a way easier because the pattern is already lined up for you.
The most important part is of hanging a mural is making sure you buy a size that fits your wall. Make sure to allow a bit of extra for uneven walls and ceiling but it does come with some extra for overlap.
We bought this space mural wallpaper and my son loves it!
1. Cover the wall with wallpaper size using a paint roller. Allow to dry for 2 hours before pasting (we did this step the night before).
2. Spread out your mural on the floor (we used our dining room area) so that all the sections are laying in the correct order.
3. Have one person hang up the first section (we started top left corner again) and the other person make marks along the side of the wallpaper and the bottom.
4. Remove the mural section and brush wallpaper adhesive on the section you just marked off.
5. Butt up the wallpaper into the top corner and keep an overlap about an inch on the ceiling.
6. Smooth out that top section to get rid of air bubbles. Move the smoother from the centre of the wallpaper to the outer edges to smooth out wrinkles and air pockets.
7. Repeat until the whole wall is done.
8. Using the putty scraper as a guide, take your knife and cut the excess off at the top and at the bottom.
We left about an inch at the top for overhang and there was quite a bit left at the bottom.
The mural turned out amazing! And my son couldn’t be happier.
I hope you found this post helpful in how to hang wallpaper on one wall or hang a mural on one wall.
Let me know if you’ve wallpapered before or if you have any tips to share.
Wallpaper Sources
Make sure to pin it for later!
Click in Case You Missed:
Industrial Space Boy’s Bedroom
Green, Pink, Gold, French Girl’s Bedroom
Your daughter’s room is so pretty. I remember watching my grandma and mom wallpapers many a room. My daughter’s had one wall in their rooms too it’s a great accent.
Thank you! My whole bedroom growing up was wallpapered too along with a border in the middle of the wall.
Hugs, Jamie