Instructions For Mounting the Murals to the Wall

These steps are for drywall or plaster walls that are primed and painted and don't yet have wallpaper on them. For most of these murals you won't be covering the entire wall so the process should be simpler than pasting canvas to the entire wall surface. For more tips on hanging wallpaper try these helpful links:

• Preparing the Wall

Step 1: First patch any cracks, nail holes or plaster and repair any loose, chipped paint on the wall.

Step 2: Be sure that the wall area where the canvas will be hung is clean and dry and that every surface is either painted or primed. You don't want to apply paste to a surface that will just absorb it - the canvas might not stick.

Step 3: For a more precise alignment, hold the canvas against the wall to get an idea of where you want the mural to be (a second set of hands and someone to stand back and "eye ball" the canvas helps).

Once you decide the placement, mark the left or right edge of the canvas (lightly) with a pencil and place the canvas aside. Using a carpenter's level and a pencil, draw a vertical line from the floor to the ceiling that goes through the mark you just made - again, be sure to make the mark as light as possible.

You will use this line as a guide and align the edge of the canvas (for rectangular canvases) to this line. For images that are cut out and not rectangular, follow the same steps as above but place the vertical guide line so that it will run through the center of where the canvas will go and align the two (removable) marks on the top and bottom of the canvas with the vertical line.

OR skip all this retentive stuff, hold the canvas to the wall, have someone "eye ball" the placement, and make a little mark on the wall above the top center of the canvas.

• Applying Paste to the Canvas

STEP 1: Mix wallpaper paste that comes as a powder in a separate bucket before pouring it into the bucket or roller tray you will use for the job. Stir well with a stirring stick to remove all the lumps, but not so well that you put a lot of air into the mix.

STEP 2: Pour liquid adhesive directly into a bucket or roller tray.

STEP 3: Lay a strip of wallpaper - already cut to size, pattern side down - on a long, flat, dry table (the table won't stay dry for long). Let one end of the paper flop over the edge of the table.

STEP 4: Use a paste brush or a paint roller to apply the paste to the half of the paper that remains flat on the table, being sure to cover every inch.

STEP 5: Fold the section you just pasted over onto itself, and slide the dry section of the paper onto the table. Apply the paste.

STEP 6: Fold the next section onto itself, then fold the two halves against each other, being very careful not to crease the paper. This process is called 'booking.' Booking keeps the paper moist, the paste from dribbling onto the floor and the pasted surface clean.

STEP 7: Set the paper aside in a clean spot for no more than 5 minutes before hanging it.

STEP 8: Be a clean freak: As soon as each strip of wallpaper is booked and set aside, use a clean, wet sponge to clean the table - but don't bother to dry the surface. Do this even if you're going to paste several pieces before you hang them; you'll want to get the adhesive off the table before it has dried.

Tips & Warnings

* You're going to get paste on the table, the pattern face of the paper and yourself. Don't be overly concerned - it's water-soluble.

* Let the paper set after applying paste. This allows the paper to expand or shrink before you lay it on the wall. It also takes a few minutes for the paste to activate the dry adhesive on prepasted wallpapers.

• Applying Paste to the Canvas

STEP 1: Apply paste to the paper (see 'eHow to Apply Paste to Wallpaper'). Or, if using prepasted wallpaper, follow the manufacturer's instructions. (Most professional installers apply paste even to prepasted wallpapers, but be aware that this voids some manufacturers' warranties.)

STEP 2: Start at the ceiling, aligning the paper with the plumb line you drew on the wall. Roughly 2 extra inches should flop against the ceiling, and 2 more inches should flop below the top of the baseboard.

STEP 3: Smooth the paper using a smoothing brush or a plastic smoother (which looks like a wide spatula without the handle). Remove wrinkles by pulling a section of the paper away from the wall until you reach the wrinkle. Smooth out the paper as you lay it back against the wall.

STEP 4: Smooth from the middle out, applying enough pressure to push out the bubbles but not pressing so hard that you stretch or tear the paper. If you have an air bubble that just won't budge, poke it with a pin and press down on the paper before the adhesive dries.

STEP 5: Trim the paper. Using a wide putty knife, press the paper against the ceiling, baseboard, or corner and trim it with a sharp razor blade. (The putty knife provides a straight edge to guide the blade.)

STEP 6: Continue with the next piece, aligning it with the one you just laid down. If a pattern just won't line up between two strips, match it at the most obvious spot - eye level.

STEP 7: Roll each seam with a seam roller, but don't press so hard that you squeeze out all the adhesive. Go back 10 or 15 minutes later and roll each seam again.

STEP 8: When you reach the end - the place where you started - you'll want to create a clean final seam. Lap the final strip of paper over the first strip and trim both simultaneously.

STEP 9: Be sure to wipe any excess adhesive off the paper, ceiling, baseboards and adjoining strips. Use a wet sponge, following with a dry rag.

Overall Tips & Warnings

* After removing electrical cover plates, you'll be wallpapering right over exposed electrical outlets and switches. Be sure to turn off the electricity to the room before cutting around these fixtures. Water, electricity and metal are a dangerous combination.

* Place pieces of tape over the outlets and switches to minimize their exposure to paste and water. But remember, the tape won't in any way protect you if the electricity is still on