Videos
First Time Here? Sign Up » Already Registered? Log In » Email Newsletter: Subscribe » Change Currency: Change Currency

Step-by-step guide to dolls' house wallpapering

Starting with a bare dolls' house kit or QuickStyle dolls' house, first take your house out of the packaging and make sure you have all the pieces as shown in the building instructions.

We recommend 'dry-building' the dolls' house to ensure you are happy with the construction and all the parts fit perfectly before reassembling and gluing/screwing it together as shown in the instructions.

If you have a QuickStyle dolls' house the front edges and ceilings will be painted white for you. If you have a dolls' house kit we recommend completing the painting before starting the wallpapering to get the best finish.

When ordering your wallpaper sheets make sure you have measured the room correctly and allow extra for cuts and repeats of patterns. We recommend a sheet of paper per wall but you might get away with two sheets of paper for a whole room if it's a smaller room without a pattern. Just like when buying life size wallpaper for your home, we recommend over-ordering to avoid having to reorder and possibly getting the extra sheets from a different batch which may differ slightly.

Once your dolls' house is assembled and glued/screwed you are ready to start preparing the walls for wallpapering.

Next, size the walls; mix PVA glue with water and paint this on your walls using a paint brush. This gives the wallpaper a key to adhere to. Make sure you leave adequate time for this to dry before starting to apply the wallpaper.

Looking at the room as three walls we would recommend starting on the middle, back wall. When cutting your wallpaper for the back wall we recommend adding 10mm so that there can be a 5mm overlap at each corner for a neat finish, when you apply the side wallpapers on top. (You may also want to add an extra 5mm to the bottom edge if you aren't going to use skirting board, so that the carpet and wallpaper meet perfectly.)

We recommend using a guillotine or setsquare and cutting mat when cutting your wallpaper to ensure it is straight and the edges run level to the room.

Once you have checked your paper fits, paste the paper or wall using wallpaper paste or border adhesive. Apply the wallpaper to the wall and slide into position, using a clean, dry sponge or a spatula/credit card with rounded edges to smooth the paper from the centre out. Make sure you get right into the corners, removing any air bubbles or creases. Always do this gently; when the paper is wet it needs to be handled carefully to avoid tearing.

When papering the side walls, try to accurately measure the length of the wall so you get a neat edge at the front/opening of the room. Also don't forget about adding a 5mm overlap on the floor for a neat finish without a skirting board.

Apply the same principles as above when smoothing out the paper and removing any creases or bubbles.

If you do end up with wallpaper protruding past the front edge of the house, always wait for it to dry before cutting it off with a sharp knife (if it's wet when you cut it, it will be more likely to rip). Always use a sharp scalpel blade & watch you don't cut your fingers.

You can help the wallpaper to dry more quickly by using a hairdryer on a low heat setting, continuously moving it around. (Don't leave it on one spot or it may cause the paper to peel and crack if dried too quickly.)

Scroll Top

10 Wallpapering Tips

  1. Always start at the top of the room, working from the ceiling down to the floor... then if you spill any adhesive or glue it won't ruin your newly carpeted floor!
  2. When decorating a room with a hole for a staircase, always take the wallpaper down to the ceiling height of the lower level room. This way the join won't be seen as much.
  3. Always sand down any lumps & bumps on the walls before papering or they may show through the wallpaper once it's dry.
  4. Use a guillotine or setsquare and cutting mat to ensure right-angle corners and straight edges.
  5. If you have to make any cuts once applied always use a sharp blade for a neat finish. Always work safely when using sharp blades to avoid cutting yourself.
  6. To speed up the drying process & to help with any bubbles in the paper you can use a hairdryer on a very low setting and keep moving it over the paper. Avoid over-heating or staying on one spot as this could crack the paper if it dries too quickly.
  7. Try & keep a diary of the wallpapers you've used and how much was needed for the size of the space. That way you will know how many sheets you will need next time you come to decorate.
  8. As an alternative to wallpaper paste try using border adhesive - it's already mixed in a handy tube ready to use when you are.
  9. If you need to make any cuts once applied always wait for the paper to be dry, other wise it may rip.
  10. If you aren't happy with the level or finish of your wallpaper once it's dried don't worry - adding skirting board and cornice to hide the edges makes a big difference!

Scroll Bottom