Ceiling Wallpaper Ideas

The ceiling is always to be papered first, then the walls, and the border is put on last. Before beginning at the ceiling unroll the wallpaper, face up, and cut it into suitable lengths, allowing enough for the ends to turn down, and match the pattern, so that it will go on right; you cannot match the pattern after you have the paste on. Having cut and matched enough to cover the ceiling you may begin, applying the paste and trimming. In order to have the first piece on straight, it will be well to draw a straight horizontal line on the side wall about two inches below the ceiling; you may do this by driving two nails in the wall the right distance below the ceiling, one near each corner of the room, and attach a cord from one to the other; rub the cord with colored chalk or charcoal, and snap it against the wall. Then you may do the same thing on the ceiling, making the chalk-mark sixteen inches from the wall; as the paper is eighteen inches wide, it will cover the space between these two lines. One line will do; the one on the ceiling is the more convenient.

When all is ready, take the first piece of wallpaper, which is folded over upon itself as has been described; get up on your platform, which should be high enough so that your head is six inches below the ceiling; begin in the right-hand corner of the room (that is, the corner where, if you stand facing the wall along which the length of the ceiling paper is to go, the corner will then be at your right hand); unfold the end of the paper which you begin with, hold it over your head, and let the other end, which is still folded, hang down behind you; attach the paper to the ceiling, first with your hand, and then smooth it out with your smoothing-brush. This first piece is the most difficult in the whole job, as you have only the chalk-line for your guide, and it must come down on the wall a little. When you have got half of it on, you will unfold the other half and put it up. After that you have the edge of the last piece for your guide, and have only to look out for matching the pattern.

When the last piece is up, its edge comes down on the other side wall.

Next Page: Wallpapering Ideas for Side Walls.