Where do I start papering a chimney breast

By Olivia Bennett March 18, 2026

There are two main methods of doing this; by starting at the centre of a section of wallpaper, or using the centre of your chimney breast and placing the first and second section on either side of it. The first method requires you to have a section cut out that will be used as the centre of the chimney breast.

Where do you start wallpapering on a chimney breast?

Start in the middle of the chimney breast Cut a length to go above the shelf. For paste the paper designs place the wallpaper face down and brush on the paste, from the centre out. Loosely fold and leave to ‘soak’, according to paste instructions. With modern wallpapers you will paste the wall directly.

Should I wallpaper chimney breast or alcoves?

I agree that papering the alcoves is the best idea. The added advantage is that you won’t have to deal with the corners of the chimney-breast; they are often not perfectly straight and this presents a real problem keeping stripes vertical, even for a professional.

Where do you start when papering a wall?

Ideally begin at the corner and hang your first length of paper on a wall with no doors or windows. That way, you can hang a full length from the ceiling to the top of the skirting-board. Choose a wall to the right of the window if you’re right-handed or to the left if you’re left-handed.

Can you put wallpaper above a fireplace?

Use wallpaper panels. Keep the wallpaper confined to panels around the fireplace and the rest of the room. … This often will be a custom design, which allows you to frame your fireplace however you want. Panels are a good option if you feel that wallpapering your whole room might make your space look too busy.

Where do you start when wallpapering hall stairs and landing?

Where to start papering the hall, stairs and landing. You should start by hanging the longest sheet first down the stairwell, and working along one way until a corner.

What should I put on my chimney breast?

Consider decorating your non-active chimney breast by installing a mantelpiece (if you don’t already have one), putting flowers, logs, ornaments, books, bunting or even artwork in the hearth.

What is a plumb line when wallpapering?

Plumb at Corners. Your first wall plumb line will be a guide for aligning the first strip of wall coverings you put up. Strike the plumb line a wall covering strip’s width minus one-half inch from the doorway starting point.

Do you need to size a painted wall before papering?

Sizing is a substance which you can apply to walls as part of your preparation before hanging wallpaper. Depending upon what kind of walls you have and what preparations you’ve already made, applying sizing is a largely optional step.

Can you line over lining paper?

Its ok to apply lining paper over paper but you must remember you are taking a risk. The wallpaper adhesive which is holding up the existing paper is water soluable. This is how it comes off with a steamer or ordinary warm water because the water simply dissolves the existing paste through the paper…..

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Can you wallpaper a chimney breast with a log burner?

Use suitable materials! You may wonder if you can wallpaper around a contemporary log burner in the middle of room or any wall covering behind a wood burning stove – in terms of safety, the answer is no. The general rule is not to wallpaper your chimney breast decoration.

Should a chimney breast be darker or lighter?

Wallpapering just the chimney breast is a classic approach. Paint alcoves in a pale shade that ties into the design to reduce their visual depth and create more of a classic look. Picking up on a dark tone instead will cause your alcoves to recede, visually, and the overall effect will look more dramatic.

Should you paint chimney breast a different Colour?

A common feature to paint is the chimney breast (the wall above the fireplace). “What color should I choose?” It’s a feature wall, so make it a unique color or shade in the room (or it could match one other sparse color, like pillow accents).

Can you reduce the width of a chimney breast?

yes it is possible to reduce the chimney breast but there are various ways of doing it. It may be possible to rebuild it as it but smaller but there are a lot of factors to consider.

How do you highlight a fireplace?

To further accentuate your fireplace, use colours to set it apart from the rest of the room. Try painting the fireplace wall with an accent colour from your palette, or utilise wallpaper patterns. You can repeat this colour and accents around the room for cohesion.

How do you cover a fireplace with wallpaper?

Wallpaper the facing. The immediate exterior walls surrounding your fireplace are the easiest place to start. …
Flank the fireplace. Consider your fireplace the art in the room and cover the walls on each side with wallpaper. …
Use wallpaper panels. …
Back the shelves. …
Add a backdrop. …
Wrap the whole room.

Is vinyl wallpaper heat resistant?

Expanded Vinyl Wallpaper is resistant to fire. Due to its density and stability of this type of wallpaper texture, it is almost immune to the fire.

What do you do with a chimney hole?

Put Decorative Kindling in your Non-Working Fireplace. …
Use Candles as a Fire Element. …
Turn Your Fireplace into Built-in Storage. …
Build Shelves Into your Fireplace. …
Craft a DIY Wine Rack. …
Create An Illusion Fireplace. …
Use Color to Tie the Room Together.

Can I cut into a chimney breast?

An internal chimney breast can be removed at ground and/or first floor without having to remove the external stack. … Bear in mind that you only remove sections of the chimney. Anything remaining above, such as the stack, will need to be supported.

How do you decorate a blocked up fireplace?

No Heat Required. …
Fill It With Fire-Ready Logs Anyway. …
Embrace a More Organic Design. …
Fake Stacked Logs With a DIY Summer Front. …
Place Tiered Candles Inside. …
Cover It With an Ornate Fire Screen. …
Use It as a Shadow Box to Display a Favorite Object. …
Handsome Firebox.

How do you hang wallpaper on slanted walls?

Work from the highest point of the sloped ceiling at your starting corner, allowing the excess paper to stick on the ceiling to keep it from hanging down as you go. Hang the wallpaper with the leading edge against your level starting line. Wrap 1/2 inch around the corner.

How do I decorate my hall stairs and landing?

It’s all about the wall. …
Maximise your landing like Erica. …
Get your DIY on. …
Make a mirror mosaic. …
Create a staircase gallery wall. …
Opt for on trend hallway tiles and two-tone walls. …
Turn your landing into an office space. …
Keep styling simple.

How long does it take to wallpaper a hall stairs and landing?

you got to be looking at around 5 days+ . To say 1-3 days to strip paper, prep all walls thoroughly (getting rid of paste from walls/filling etc) 2 coats on walls and ceilings, prep and paint all wood work (undercoat and gloss or satin) to be honest the end result will look slap dash…..

Do I have to prime walls before wallpapering?

Newly installed drywall should be be primed before papering. Priming creates a smooth surface for the paper and seals the surface so the paste will not penetrate into the wall material. … You can also use a special glue size called wallpaper primer/sealer to prime the walls.

What primer should I use before wallpapering?

For new drywall, gypsum wallboard or other porous surfaces that have never been sealed or painted, apply two coats of alkyd primer. This assures that the paper will be strippable. When the alkyd primer is dry, apply one coat of clear acrylic primer and let dry (2 hours) before hanging wallpaper.

Do I need to prime a painted wall before wallpapering?

All painted walls should be primed with a good quality opaque/white primer. Walls where old wallpaper has been removed: Old adhesives should be removed by sanding or by using adhesive remover. Rinse the wall and allow to dry.

Do I need a plumb line to hang wallpaper?

For a successful hanging job, it is essential that your wallpaper be hung straight. Most homes, however, have walls and ceilings that are often slightly out of alignment. To compensate for this, you must begin your job with a truly vertical plumb line.

Where should a plumb line be placed?

You should use a plumb line whenever you need to make a straight, vertical line – whether that is for hanging wallpaper, putting up a painting, or checking the angle of a door.

How do you plumb a wall for wallpaper?

Hanging wallpaper. Meet the expert. …
Prep the walls. Use a “wall size” primer/sizing product. …
Roll on the paste—don’t dunk! Apply paste with a paint roller. …
Seam inside corners. …
Gently smooth out the paper. …
Wipe down as you go. …
Roll every seam. …
Overlap and cut both pieces at once.

Why is lining paper hung horizontally?

STEP 4: LINING PAPER Because your wallpaper will hang vertically, you should hang the lining paper horizontally – this will reduce the areas where the edges coincide when you wall is finished, which means that you wall should be smooth and free from imperfections. … This will allow the paper to soak in some of the paste.

What side do you paste on lining paper?

(4) The roll offers two surface finishes, either side can be pasted but always use the same side for all lengths used on your project. (5) Apply adhesive generously and evenly paying particular attention to edges.