How to Wallpaper Around a Window

Anyone can wallpaper around a window with the right tools!

Wallpapering around a window can feel like a daunting prospect when it comes to redecorating a room. Suddenly all you can see are corners and it’s starting to feel like a job best left to professionals. But we’re here to tell you, that isn’t the case! Anyone can wallpaper around a window with the right tools and we’re going to show you how.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Sharp craft knife/wallpaper scissors
Wallpaper paste
Bucket
Plumb line or spirit level
Tape Measure
Paintbrush/paint roller and roller tray
Wallpaper Brush
Seam Roller
Clean damp cloth
Filler
Sandpaper
Sugar soap solution & sponge

1. PREPARE YOUR WALL FOR WALLPAPERING

Before starting to wallpaper, you need to take some steps to make sure your final results are as polished as possible. This includes filling in gaps and imperfections in your walls, measuring them and applying wallpaper paste. For in-depth instructions to preparing your wall for wallpapering, have a read of How to Hang Wallpaper.

2. HANG THE WALLPAPER THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO THE WINDOW RECESS

Start at the right-hand side of the window hang your first ‘drop’ of wallpaper, beginning at the top of the wall and letting the length of paper fall in front of the window. Then, use your wallpaper scissors to cut horizontally at the top and bottom of the recess, so that you’re left with a flap of paper that can be folded inwards. Brush this in with wallpaper paste, and trim the paper where it meets the window frame.

If your window has a particularly deep recess, you might need to use another piece of paper. On the other hand, if your window doesn’t have a recess, make the same horizontal cuts at the top and bottom of the window and cut off the excess flap, rather than folding it in.

3. HANG THE SECOND PIECE OF PAPER ABOVE THE WINDOW

Making sure that the pattern aligns, hang the second ‘drop’ of wallpaper next to the first, above the window. Then, fold the overhanging paper into the top part of the recess, and brush it in with paste. As in step 1, trim the paper where it meets the window.

This will leave you with an un-wallpapered space in the recess, between the right-hand side and the second ‘drop’. To fill this in, follow the next step.

4. USE AN OFFCUT TO FILL IN THE GAP

Take an offcut with a 10-15cm overlap, and paste it over the paper above the recess, making sure to align the pattern. Then, fold it into the recess to fill the gap. To make sure everything is flush and neat, use your craft night to slice horizontally across the middle of the overlapping paper. Then, peel away the top of the overlapping piece and the underneath of the original piece, leaving a single layer of paper with no ridges or bumps.

Trim any excess paper where it meets the window frame.

5. CONTINUE TO WALLPAPER AROUND THE WINDOW

Depending on the width of your window, you may need to repeat step 3 several times, until you reach the left-hand side. At this point, repeat step 2, to make sure all parts of the recess have been wallpapered.

6. WALLPAPER UNDERNEATH THE WINDOW

Once you have finished wallpapering above the window and in the window recess, its time to complete the job by applying wallpaper from beneath the window down to the skirting board. Then you can continue wallpapering as normal, making sure that the next ‘drop’ after the window aligns correctly.

Stuck on other tricky decorating projects? Check out How to Paint a Radiator and How to Paint a Ceiling on our blog.