Hanging Wallpaper

Now for the wall filling. Begin from the cen ter of the chimney breast, and work left and right till the break is reached, the door-frame not being right in the angle, but about 18 in. away from it. 'Work right around over the door top, and finish on the sides of the window fram ing. Pay attention to the joints; as the operator has been working towards the light, they must be well rolled. In cutting into frames, skirting, picture rail, etc., cut right into the corners; do not leave a quarter of an inch on the wood, un less there is a bad joint between the plaster and woodwork. hi the angles run the point of the scissors down lightly, so as to press the paper into the angle.

If the worker should be left with only one pair of steps to work with when about to hang the frieze (which very often happens in the busy season), lie can hang it thus: Paste, and fold in short fold, the first end being about a foot be yond the first fold; place the steps in the most convenient position, holding the folds in the right hand if working to the right; fix the other end, and hang as much as can be reached; let the remainder of the folds hang down at right angles; run the finger across where the paper finishes, and stick the other end on the wall firmly (see Fig. 76). It will hang there till the steps are moved, when another length can be hung and fastened as before, and so on all around the room.

Be sure not to roll embossed papers too much, especially at the joints; the roller flattens the embossed parts. Do not use alum in the paste for gold papers; it affects the metal, and causes it to tarnish.

With regard to the height of the dado, opin ions differ; a good height is 3 ft. 6 in. from the floor to the top of the border. When the dado is kept high it gives a walled-in appearance to the room. Leave the filling till after hanging the dado. With the level and straight-edge, level a line around the room to the height of the dado paper, less the width of the border. See how many lengths are required, and cut up with the straight-edge. Select a top, and if it appears that, by keeping up or down an inch, cutting up the pattern can be avoided, do so. But in any case keep a good top, and do all the cutting from the bottom. Begin hanging on either side of the mantelpiece. Try with the plumb-bob now and then, and finish at the door-frame.

After hanging the dado, measure the border; if it is a 5-iu. border, snap a line in. above the dado line. In cutting the filling, cut a bottom instead of a top pattern here; by doing this, cut ting up the pattern can be avoided; it will not be so noticeable if it has to be cut at the top. Cut

from pattern to pattern, and, if too long, cut off the tops, allowing enough to cut in by. Hang the first length from the bottom. Paste right down, place the bottom level with the line, and roll on upwards, finishing at the top. The re mainder can be hung in the ordinary way, work ing from the first length. Put the border on in as few lengths as possible—the same as friezes. Some borders are printed to match the dado that is, the pattern of the border corresponds with that of the dado, and should be hung accordingly.

If the dining-room is to be hung with em bossed paper, or paper with raised pattern, and is to have frieze, dado, and border-rail, a steel straight-edge and a shoemaker's knife will be required. A straight-edge 5 ft. or 6 ft. long will be found the handiest, as a good cut can be got without refixing the straight-edge. Measure and cut the lengths before trimming them. The best way is to trim on the floor on a piece of board. The straight-edge can be held in position with one hand and the knee while trimming. By this means more power is obtained than when trim ming on the board. Be careful, in trimming the embossed paper, not to press the relief so as to flatten it. Incline the knife slightly to the right, so as to cut under, but only very slightly. As sistance will be required with this ceiling. Make the paste for these papers of one part glue and two parts paste, boiled together till stiff; it will work more easily when hot. Embossed papers cannot be folded in such short lengths as ordi nary papers. An assistant must hold the end of the length while it is being fixed. If the relief is very deep, go over after pasting, and take out the paste with a tool. Do not soak too much, or the paper will become limp; and the pattern, being hollow, will be liable to stretch. Neither must it be rolled too much. Use a clean cloth for fixing instead of the roller. It is advisable to have a few gimp pins, such as upholsterers use, for fixing the corners. If the pattern is in deep re lief, place some slips of wood, cut to fit into the back of the relief, across the joints; this will keep them nicely in place. Cut into cornices, etc., with the shoemaker's knife; keep an eye on the edges and corners to see that they do not curl; it will be found awkward to stick them back when dry.