# Wallpapering a small chimney breast



## figbat (17 Feb 2020)

My daughter's bedroom has a narrow chimney breast running through it, from the fire in the room below. We are redecorating it for her at the moment and most of the walls will be painted, but she wants this chimney breast papered as a feature. I've never wallpapered before but thought this might be relative easy to do. However I have one concern - the paper she wants is 52cm wide. The chimney breast is 51.5 cm wide. By my reckoning it won't be easy to put a single sheet on the front face as there will be around 2.5mm of overhang either side, with the likelihood of the whole thing not being square anyway. It feels to me that such a small overlap will be difficult to fold over and will, in time, be a source of future peeling away.

The other option is to have a join in the middle of the front face, meaning papering around the external corner.

Any wallpaper masters here?


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## MontyVeda (17 Feb 2020)

2nd option, for all the reasons described in the first option.

If you make sure you match the pattern you won't see the join in the middle. And draw a vertical line in pencil to work to, either with a plumb line or spirit level to ensure the first sheet goes on straight.

It seems like you know what you're doing, despite not papered before. 

edit... I'm guessing you'll have a full roll for a small section, so you can safely get it wrong several times before perfection is achieved.


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## midlife (17 Feb 2020)

Wallpaper the whole wall ? Usually the thing for a feature wall.


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## Cycleops (17 Feb 2020)

Joining in the middle might be problematic as the corners might not be vertical so when you come to folding the sides around the corner they won't lay flat. I'd go with a single piece on the front, if you're worried about peeling secure them with PVA. Then do the sides.


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## roadrash (17 Feb 2020)

if I was doing it I would join in the middle to avoid the peeling edges .


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## PeteXXX (17 Feb 2020)

One roll will do 3 drops with a long pattern match, and 4 drops with small, or no pattern match. You'll have at least one full drop to spare if you join in the middle, then wrap around the edge, as @roadrash says.


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## Phaeton (17 Feb 2020)

It will all depend on the pattern on the paper, but I would stay away from having joins on the bends


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## glasgowcyclist (17 Feb 2020)

Widen the chimney breast by 5mm.


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## Phaeton (17 Feb 2020)

glasgowcyclist said:


> Widen the chimney breast by 5mm.


I've done that before it means you can get nice sharp corners, but it was 50mmish to get it true, I presume it's a rental or the best thing is to take the chimney out.


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## figbat (17 Feb 2020)

Thanks all. To pick a few points out:

- the rolls are 10.5m - the pattern is 53cm, so quite large
- the house is mine and the fireplace is used, so the chimney has to stay
- doing the whole wall is an option but this paper (that is the only paper in the whole world that must absolutely be used) is £50+/roll

I just know that doing it with a joint in the middle will leave a tiny strip one side or t'other - that's just the way things work out for me! The paper also demands "paste the wall" which looks like a perfectly reasonable thing to do, unless advice suggests otherwise?


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## Randomnerd (17 Feb 2020)

Surely you could use one roll wide and trim with a straightedge and scalpel blade once dry? Or am I missing something?


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## roadrash (17 Feb 2020)

pattern wouldn't match if you trimmed the edges off


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## furball (17 Feb 2020)

Putting feature paper on a chimney breast makes a room feel smaller because you are more aware of the chimney breast intruding into the room. Better to have the feature either side in the recesses. It draws the eye beyond the chimney especially if it's a small room. Makes no difference to the actual space of course.


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## gbb (17 Feb 2020)

Is the chimney in use ?
Try papering a warm wall, you will regret it  ....DAMHIKT.


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## PeteXXX (17 Feb 2020)

£50 + a ROLL? 

You are / she is John Bercow AICMFP


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## MontyVeda (17 Feb 2020)

woodenspoons said:


> Surely you could use one roll wide and trim with a straightedge and scalpel blade once dry? Or am I missing something?


depends what the edges are like... if they're relatively sharp then it's worth considering. All mine are rounded so it wouldn't look right.


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## Levo-Lon (17 Feb 2020)

How about some angled hardwood or soft to finish the edges.

Like this.
Nice finish ,paint or stain..no problem if banged as it will protect the corner.

https://www.diy.com/departments/bui...orative-timber/corner-mouldings/DIY570354.cat


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## Phaeton (17 Feb 2020)

Alternative is to put the join straight down the centre of the chimney breast if you can match the pattern correctly.


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## PaulSB (19 Feb 2020)

I would match the pattern in the centre and finish the two pieces in the corner created by the chimney breast and wall.

Papering round the edges of a chimney breast can be very tricky and, in my view, requires experience to get a good finish. I feel paper which requires you to paste the wall will make it harder. I find working with damp, pliable paper much easier.

My terraced cottage is 180 years old. We only have two papered bedrooms these days. I've papered in and out of all sorts of corners and recesses. It's not easy and with no experience you may struggle to get a good result.

Do use a plumb line!!


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## Andy_R (19 Feb 2020)

I was taught to paper around external corners, and to cut into internal corners (if that makes any sense)


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## Deafie (22 Feb 2020)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLqjOOhp0KA


Easy!!!!


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