Borders are used to complement wallcovering or as a contrast to painted walls. They are usually placed at the ceiling but are also used around doors and windows and as a chair rail. Borders can be placed at any height on the wall . . . use your imagination!
No matter where you are hanging them, borders should be book-folded and allowed to relax for a minimum ten minutes. Be sure to fold not crease.Gradually unfold as you smooth the border into position and thoroughly rinse the paste off the wall as you go.
TIP: If hanging borders over existing wallcovering or existing border you must use Border Adhesive. For best results, wet and book border ten minutes prior to applying border adhesive.
GETTING STARTED
Sizing the wall surface is an optional step. Measure down from the ceiling the same width as your border. Next, using a level or a bubble stick, draw a light pencil line to indicate where the bottom edge of the border will be positioned. It is important that this line be level. The border can be trimmed where the wall meets the ceiling if necessary. Continue around the room.
Along Ceilings: Start at the same mismatch spot as with the wallcovering you are hanging over; or if hanging over painted walls, start at an inconspicuous corner. Measure enough border to cover the first wall from corner to corner plus 1/2" to turn corner. Hang borders using the pencil line as a guide. Smooth and rinse as you go. At the corner the extra 1/2" should be smoothed into position on the adjacent wall.
Next, measure enough border for the second wall plus 1/2". Begin the second strip by overlapping onto the 1/2" extra from the first strip. Hang border as you did on the first wall. Turn the corner and smooth into position the extra 1/2" from the second strip. Continue in this fashion.
Borders are packaged in 5 yard spools. To maintain the pattern match from spool to spool it will be necessary to overlap and double cut. After hanging the first spool, overlap the next spool onto the first until the patterns of the two strips match. Using a sharp razor blade, cut through both strips, remove the two ends and smooth down.
Continue hanging around the room.
Using a border at chair rail height: If you are using a border at chair rail height, use a level or a bubble stick to draw a line to indicate where the top edge of the border will be
positioned. Hang as you would along the ceiling.
If hanging over a wallcovering, be sure to use Border Adhesive. If different companion wallcoverings are being used above and below where the border chair rail is planned, double cutting will be necessary.
Mark a line where the center of your border will be. Hang the first bottom strip to 1/2" beyond that line. Hang the first upper strip to 1/2" beyond the line creating a 1" overlap. Double cut at the mark. Remove the excess wallcovering. Continue around the room in this manner. Once these companion wallcoverings have been hung, go back marking a level line and hang the border at chair rail position following the previous instructions.
Around Doors and Windows: When hanging borders around doors or windows, double cutting will provide much more professional results. Simply extend each strip past each corner slightly more than the width of the border. Hang the next strip so that it overlaps the previous strip (see diagram). Match the pattern at the corner. Double cut at a diagonal from the corner. Remove excess wallcovering beneath. Continue in this manner. Note: Use a border that does not have a strong directional print to minimize mismatches at each corner.