Lining, patterned, metallic and contract papers

Wallpaper Hanging

Papers hung on walls prepared to take them, with the pattern set out before the first drop.

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From lining paper to papers that cost more than the room.

We hang the full range: plain lining papers that go under paint, patterned and textured papers, heavy contract papers, grasscloth and other natural wallcoverings, and metallic and hand-printed papers where a single drop can be expensive to get wrong.

Feature walls and full rooms are different jobs. A feature wall has to relate to the three walls around it, and the setting out needs to account for where the pattern lands against the cornice, the skirting and any joinery.

Most of our wallpapering is in London period property, where very little is square and the paper has to be worked around original cornices, picture rails and panelled joinery.

The wall decides how the paper looks.

A patterned or metallic paper shows every flaw in the surface beneath it. Walls are made good, lined where the surface or the paper demands it, and sealed so the paper takes evenly rather than drying patchy.

Lining is not an upsell on a poor wall; it is what stops an expensive paper telegraphing every imperfection once light rakes across it. On a wall that has been repeatedly filled and repainted it is usually essential.

New plaster has to be properly dry and sealed before anything is hung, and old paper has to come off rather than be papered over, because the moisture in fresh adhesive lifts whatever is underneath.

Where the first drop goes decides the whole room.

The first drop is hung to a plumb line, not to the wall, because almost no wall is truly vertical and following it walks the pattern off true across the room. On a strict geometric repeat we set out to a laser.

Pattern repeat has to be planned before cutting: where the repeat lands at eye level, how it meets the cornice, and which corner takes the inevitable break. Those are decisions, not accidents.

Drops are reverse-hung or batch-checked where the paper calls for it, because a shade difference between batches is invisible on the roll and obvious on the wall.

Metallics, geometrics and anything with a shimmer.

Metallic and shimmer papers reflect light along every seam, so any step or overlap at a join is picked out rather than hidden. A strict geometric repeat compounds any drift: invisible at the first join, obvious by the fifth.

Heavier contract and natural papers behave differently again, with more movement as the adhesive dries and less tolerance for being repositioned once placed.

Two jobs on this site show the extremes: a period townhouse in cherry blossom, gold damask and illustrated papers, and a bronze metallic scallop feature wall hung to a laser line.

Areas we cover

Hampstead · Kensington · Chelsea · Notting Hill · Mayfair · St Albans · Harpenden · Watford · Bushey · Hertford · Bedford

We work across London and Hertfordshire. If your area is not listed, ask — it is usually still within reach.

Questions we are asked about this work.

Do walls need lining before wallpaper?

Often, yes. Lining gives an even, absorbent surface so the paper takes consistently, and it stops imperfections in the wall telegraphing through. On a wall that has been repeatedly filled and repainted, or under a metallic or heavily patterned paper, it is usually essential.

Can you hang paper I have bought myself?

Yes. It helps to know the make and batch before we start, because repeat, drop length and how much the paper moves when pasted all change the setting out and how much is needed.

How much paper should I order?

More than the bare calculation. Pattern repeat means offcuts, and ordering short later risks a different batch with a visible shade difference. We will work out quantities from the repeat and the room rather than from area alone.

Can old wallpaper be papered over?

It should not be. The moisture in fresh adhesive lifts whatever is underneath, so old paper comes off and the wall is made good first.

Do you wallpaper ceilings and stairwells?

Yes. Stairwells need proper access rather than ladders balanced on treads, and that is planned into the job.

Is wallpaper suitable for a bathroom or kitchen?

In the right place, yes, but not in a splash zone or an unventilated shower room. We will say honestly where paint or tile is the better answer.

Tell us about your project

Send a few details and we will come back to you with a free, no-obligation estimate.

Contact Us Directly

Phone / WhatsApp

07968 994 595

Location

London & Hertfordshire

Working Hours

Monday - Friday: 7:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed

Bring your walls to life.

Talk to BestFinish about a whiteboard wall installation — we'll survey the space, specify the right product, and give you an honest quote.

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