A Guide To Wallpapering & Painting Behind Radiators
Hanging wallpaper in a room can create completely change the look and feel of the space, but it is important to get the finish as professional as possible for the best effect.
Papering a square or rectangular wall is relatively straight forward, and papering only starts to cause problems when there are things like radiators,
light switches and windows which have to be worked around.
However, there are a few simple tricks which can made this job a lot more simple.
Easy method for wallpapering behind a radiator
The easiest way to paper behind a radiator and get a good finish is to remove the radiator, paper the wall, and then replace the radiator.
Many householders are reluctant to do this however as removing a radiator requires some basic plumbing skills to make sure everything is sealed up correctly and there are no leaks from the replaced radiator.
If moving the radiator is not a practical option then the only alternative is to paper behind the radiator.
This job may appear tricky and fiddly and it is certainly not the easiest DIY task, but as with everything around the home the key to a successful job is taking your time and careful preparation.
Measuring and cutting your wallpaper
First, paper the rest of the wall getting the paper as far down the wall behind the radiator as is possible.
Make sure it is well glued down and leave it to dry completely.
Once the paper is dried, use a measuring tape to measure the unpapered space and then cut a piece of wallpaper to size, bearing in mind any pattern which will need to be matched up correctly.
Turn the radiator off so it is cool when you are working with it.
This reduces the likelihood of burning yourself while working, and will also stop the glue drying out too quickly.
Pasting and positioning the paper behind the radiator and pipework
To paste the wallpaper securely into place behind the radiator, the best tool to use is a special radiator roller.
These are available from all large DIY stores and are smaller than standard rollers used for paint.
They also have a longer handle to allow you to reach more easily behind the radiator and glue the wallpaper down.
Once the paper has been cut, spread paste on the back of the paper, ensuring it is evenly covered and not patchy.
Starting at the top, attach the top edge of the paper to the wall, matching it to any pattern on the rest of the wall.
Gently allow the paper to drop down behind the radiator, smoothing it down with the roller to straighten it out and make sure it is fixed to the wall.
The finish behind the radiator is not as important as it is on other parts of the wall as the paper will be less visible, but it is still important to take your time and try to smooth it on as evenly as possible.
Take extra care over any joins as these will be the places where a hasty job will show quickly with gaps and wrinkles.
Painting behind radiators and pipework
When it comes to getting behind the radiators when decorating your home, this can be tricky.
However, one solution is to create a type of long home-made tool which consists of a thin piece of wood with a small piece of sponge (say 1/8 of a bath sponge) stapled (using decorating staples or some industrial strength staples) onto the wood.
You are likely to want to use a thin, flat piece of timber such as dowling or light beading.
Be careful not to split the wood when stapling the sponge in place.
Once the sponge is stapled onto the wood you can then go ahead and get into the tricky areas behind radiators and pipework.
For pipework, use tape to cover the pipes (for example parcel tape which is larger than normal masking tape) and wrap the tape round and round the pipes.
Be careful when taking off the tape though if the pipes are painted themselves, because you don't want to end up ripping off paintwork from the piping when taking the tape off.
Need a local decorator?
If you would rather leave a tricky wallpapering job such as this to a professional decorator, you are free to post a job and compare up to 4 quotes from local painters and decorators in your area. Simply use the job posting form above and we will match you without obligation with tradesmen locally.
