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Home / Guides / How to prepare walls for wallpaper (sizing, priming and lining)
How to

How to prepare walls for wallpaper (sizing, priming and lining)

Quick answer

A good finish starts with a clean, dry, smooth and sound wall. Remove old paper and loose paint, fill and sand, wash off grease, and seal porous or new plaster with a suitable primer or size so paste does not soak in. Use lining paper on very uneven or patchy walls.

You will need

Step by step

  1. Strip and clean Remove old paper, wash off paste and grease.
  2. Fill and sand Fill cracks and holes, sand smooth when dry.
  3. Prime or size Seal porous surfaces so paste does not soak in.
  4. Line if needed Cross-line uneven walls and leave to dry.
  5. Mark guides Mark your first plumb line.

New plaster

New plaster must be completely dry before decorating. Seal it with a primer suitable for wallpapering.

Lining paper

Lining paper evens out porous or uneven surfaces. Hang it horizontally (cross-lining) so its joints do not line up with the wallpaper.

Designs to try

GeometricStafford Diamond Wallpaper in Fuchsia Pop

Stafford Diamond Wallpaper

3 colourways · 53 cm repeat
From £44.20 per roll
ChinoiserieKerrigan Garden Birds Wallpaper in Antique Gold Ivory

Kerrigan Garden Birds Wallpaper

3 colourways · 64 cm repeat
From £44.20 per roll
BotanicalRossiter Scattered Leaf Wallpaper in Eucalyptus Mist

Rossiter Scattered Leaf Wallpaper

3 colourways · 53 cm repeat
From £44.20 per roll
TrellisEdmund Bamboo Trellis Wallpaper in Powder Blue Gold

Edmund Bamboo Trellis Wallpaper

3 colourways · 53 cm repeat
From £44.20 per roll
TropicalCambrey Rainforest Wallpaper in Antique Gold Ivory

Cambrey Rainforest Wallpaper

3 colourways · 64 cm repeat
From £44.20 per roll
Designer · ChinoiserieTrerice Willow Court Wallpaper in Black Lacquer

Trerice Willow Court Wallpaper

4 colourways · 91 cm repeat
From £189.80 per roll
BotanicalMagnolia Leaf Sprig Wallpaper in Dusky Plum

Magnolia Leaf Sprig Wallpaper

3 colourways · 53 cm repeat
From £44.20 per roll
Mid-CenturyHammond Atomic Star Wallpaper in Pillar Box

Hammond Atomic Star Wallpaper

3 colourways · 53 cm repeat
From £44.20 per roll

Questions & answers

What is sizing?

Sizing means sealing a porous wall with a diluted paste or a size product so the adhesive does not soak in and the paper can slide into position.

Do I need lining paper under non-woven wallpaper?

Not on sound, smooth walls. It helps on walls with patchy repairs, hairline cracks or mixed surfaces.

More guides

How to hang wallpaper: a step-by-step guide for beginnersHow to measure a room for wallpaperHow to remove wallpaper (including old stubborn paper)How to wallpaper around windows and doorsHow to wallpaper around plug sockets and light switchesHow to wallpaper internal and external cornersHow to wallpaper a ceilingHow to wallpaper a stairwell or hallwayAll guides