The way you hang lining paper is really down to your own personal choice.
Lining paper can be hung horizontally so that there is no risk of the joints lining up with your wallpaper joints, I prefer to hang the lining paper vertically as it is much easier to do and have never had a problem with the two sets of joints in the lining paper and wallpaper overlapping, they are usually a slightly different width and you can always stagger the joints of your wallpaper so they don’t overlap the ones below in the lining paper.
See also: Wallpapering tips
To achieve a good wall surface on which to hang the lining paper, fill all knock marks, holes and cracks using a filler knife and flexible filler, remove any loose plaster and re-plaster if necessary (read the wall plaster repair for detailed instructions).
Go back over areas you have filled several times as I was amazed how much I had missed on the first pass.
Let the filler/plaster dry hard, then sand the wall down, concentrating on a small area at a time, sand the filler level and remove any loose flecks of old paint and bits of wallpaper. This does take time to do but it is well worth the effort.
I used an electric sander and sanding block to do this but you could always use a small block of timber wrapped with sandpaper to enable you to sand down using a flat surface and not your hand.
Don’t forget to use dustsheets to cover furniture and floor coverings, and I would also recommend using safety goggles and a face mask to avoid breathing in any small particles of dust.
Safety tip
Keep children and pets clear of the walls/room being sanded down to avoid them breathing in any dust present in the air. Ventilate the room by opening windows, if possible close the doors to adjacent rooms to avoid the dust spreading throughout your home.
If you have used a lot of filler or plaster to patch up the wall it is worthwhile sizing the wall prior to hanging the lining paper, size is basically diluted wallpaper paste (the dilution ratio can usually be found on the packet), this is applied to the wall to stop the filler or plaster from removing too much water from the pasted piece of lining paper too quickly and therefore reducing its adhesive properties.
Sizing a wall also allows you to slide the paper more easily into position when you start papering the wall.
Should you decide to hang the lining paper horizontally across the wall, mark a level line, preferably with a chalk line and spirit level, see fig 1 below.
If your lining paper has a width of 24 inches (600mm) mark the line approximately 20 inches (500mm) below the ceiling, this should easily take into account any discrepancies in the existing ceiling level.
Measure the width of the wall and add 6 inches (150mm) to the length for trimming in the corners.
You will need two pairs of steps and a walk board or planks supported where necessary in order to reach the work area, the lining paper is pasted and folded in the same way as normal wallpaper (hanging wallpaper) the only difference being you are hanging the lining paper horizontally rather than vertically.
Safety tip :- Great care must be taken when working at height, especially as you will no doubt be concentrating on hanging the paper correctly rather than looking where you are placing your feet as you move along the walk board or planks. An assistant is invaluable, if only to watch your step for you and pass any decorating tools you may need.
As shown in fig 1 above, hang each piece of lining paper in position butting the joints together, try to ensure there are no overlaps as these will show through your wallpaper eventually and spoil the finished look.
Cut the lining paper (Do you know you can buy it from Amazon?) into the corners of the wall and trim as required along the ceiling and skirting board edges, once again don’t let the lining paper overlap anywhere if possible. Let the lining paper dry out for approximately 24 hours and then you can start to hang your wallpaper.
Have a look for other tips and advice in the main decorating section on hanging wallpaper etc.
