# Wallpapering a bulk head.



## mv8710 (Jul 28, 2010)

Not sure what you call it in your country but its in the photo attached.

So, my question is, would you paper the bulk head first or the wall first?


The paper pattern is like the photo, it has a match, but its' not as dark.


----------



## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Wow. Personally I would do the bulkhead first. Not sure how you would line the ends up though. That's gonna be tough. @Woodco will probably school you..


----------



## MeMyself (Jun 13, 2021)

Can you do it all one piece? From ceiling to floor?


----------



## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

MeMyself said:


> Can you do it all one piece? From ceiling to floor?


I wouldn't, because corners are never straight. Just make your cut in the corner where the wall meets bulkhead, then match up the pattern.. Will waste a lot of paper though potentially.


----------



## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

I would hang the bulk head first, then match the back wall to that and come back around from there.


----------



## mv8710 (Jul 28, 2010)

Thanks


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Normally, I would do the upper stuff first, but with this pattern, I would line up the pattern on the big walls first. and do the top (we call it a soffit) to match it.

And for those asking if you can do it it one piece, thats a negative. I doubt you can even do the ten inch top piece connected to the soffit it in one. It would waste a ton of material, but you 'd want a the upper ten inches overlapped a bit, then another peice that matches on the soffit, then another for the wall going down. Also, the bottom part of the wall will not match at the soffit anyway.


----------



## mv8710 (Jul 28, 2010)

Hi there thanks for your reply.
Did you say that the pattern won't match even if you did the three sections separately? So, Bottom wall first, then the underside of the soffit and then the top? The best place to lose the pattern would be under the soffit on the outside edge right?



Woodco said:


> Normally, I would do the upper stuff first, but with this pattern, I would line up the pattern on the big walls first. and do the top (we call it a soffit) to match it.
> 
> And for those asking if you can do it it one piece, thats a negative. I doubt you can even do the ten inch top piece connected to the soffit it in one. It would waste a ton of material, but you 'd want a the upper ten inches overlapped a bit, then another peice that matches on the soffit, then another for the wall going down. Also, the bottom part of the wall will not match at the soffit anyway.


----------



## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

mv8710 said:


> Hi there thanks for your reply.
> Did you say that the pattern won't match even if you did the three sections separately? So, Bottom wall first, then the underside of the soffit and then the top? The best place to lose the pattern would be under the soffit on the outside edge right?


I'm looking at the 2nd photo. You want the pattern to continue across the soffit at the ceiling line. If you hang the long wall (on the left) first, take it to the corner of the back wall. Then match the soffit in the corner to continue the pattern across the soffit. I would wrap the soffit to the back wall. Then match the back wall to the corner of the left wall to continue the pattern across the back wall. This will mean that the pattern won't match at the top of the back wall where it meets the soffit. You could do as you said and match it there back to the outside corner of the soffit, but this would leave an exposed edge that would be likely to come loose at some point, as well as being mis-matched at that corner.


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

mv8710 said:


> Hi there thanks for your reply.
> Did you say that the pattern won't match even if you did the three sections separately? So, Bottom wall first, then the underside of the soffit and then the top? The best place to lose the pattern would be under the soffit on the outside edge right?


The inside corner where the soffit (ceiling) meets the lower wall will not match. Most would cut off the pattern on the inside corner, but I guess you COULD do it on the outside corner. Just dont start with that wall. Do the full wall next to it, so you can use that corner to reference where the pattern of the lower wall will match.


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

I found this video. It may help you


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Note: Im not crazy about this guys technique, but it may help you out.


----------



## mv8710 (Jul 28, 2010)

Woodco said:


> Note: Im not crazy about this guys technique, but it may help you out.


Thanks for your reply, What I am going to do is to paint the "ceiling" of the soffit.
So, just the face of the soffit will be papered. 
Do you have any tips for trimming the edge where the face meets the ceiling? Other than using a sharp new blade?
Thanks.


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

mv8710 said:


> Thanks for your reply, What I am going to do is to paint the "ceiling" of the soffit.
> So, just the face of the soffit will be papered.
> Do you have any tips for trimming the edge where the face meets the ceiling? Other than using a sharp new blade?
> Thanks.


cutting outside corners is tricky... It takes a lot of practice.... In situations like that, Ive even brought it a big square, and cut the bottom exactly where its supposed to be as to not deal with it. Its a lot harder with a pattern obviously... Other than that, I just extend my blade out really far, angle it out, and try not to dig into the corner too much. you'll get good at piecing in little tiny spots where you mess up... Youve got a gray paper, so you should be able to use a pencil to disguise minor bad cuts...

Dont be afraid to take a couple scraps and practice.


----------



## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Good a


mv8710 said:


> Thanks for your reply, What I am going to do is to paint the "ceiling" of the soffit.
> So, just the face of the soffit will be papered.
> Do you have any tips for trimming the edge where the face meets the ceiling? Other than using a sharp new blade?
> Thanks.


Good plan on painting bottom side of bulkhead..


----------



## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

Woodco said:


> cutting outside corners is tricky... It takes a lot of practice.... In situations like that, Ive even brought it a big square, and cut the bottom exactly where its supposed to be as to not deal with it. Its a lot harder with a pattern obviously... Other than that, I just extend my blade out really far, angle it out, and try not to dig into the corner too much. you'll get good at piecing in little tiny spots where you mess up... Youve got a gray paper, so you should be able to use a pencil to disguise minor bad cuts...
> 
> Dont be afraid to take a couple scraps and practice.


When cutting open corners I find it best to make sure you are holding your knife above eye level a bit for the best perspective, while keeping the paper that you have just cut taut. Don't over extend, pull the blade don't push.


----------



## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Gwarel said:


> When cutting open corners I find it best to make sure you are holding your knife above eye level a bit for the best perspective, while keeping the paper that you have just cut taut. Don't over extend, pull the blade don't push.


Just put one of those self stick plastic corner beads on after.  😅


----------



## mv8710 (Jul 28, 2010)

I think what I might do is this...
Paste the small sheet.
Let it tack off for a bit.
Scribe the line on the back of the sheet along the line of the corner.
Take the sheet off and put it on the table. 
trim the line carefully
Re hang the sheet.
Give myself a medal.


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

THat would work. Just watch your upper ceiling line... make sure that pattern doesnt drift.


----------



## mv8710 (Jul 28, 2010)

Woodco said:


> THat would work. Just watch your upper ceiling line... make sure that pattern doesnt drift.


I have a laser level.


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Thats great, but dont forget to use your eyeballs as well. Those little 10" fascias can go off kilter quick. Ive been there... I get done, jump off my ladder and realize it dropped an inch and a half..

It wouldnt be a bad idea to hang your first strip, find a match point, then do a level line all the way across the room, so your pattern will be at the same level when you hit back to your first corner. Come to think of it, that might be a good reason to do the 10" upper piece last, so you can make any corrections there. Thats another thing I commonly do, is end up in my final corner and the pattern is usually of by a half inch up or down. Keep stuff like that in mind, especially with damask patterns like this,.


----------



## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

Most rooms are not level at the ceiling. I like to make a pencil line by butting my level to the ceiling and scribe a line along the bottom of the level all the way around ( assuming the line will not show through white paper). I use a laser level alot too, but the pencil line will help you see if you are losing your pattern, and you can cheat accordingly (to some degree).


----------



## Debralena (6 mo ago)

Definitely do the soffit first starting in the corner. Keeping it level. Then do your inside corner pieces under soffit so you can match the long corners and the bottom of soffit as best as possible Know that the top short corners of soffit won’t match. You can explain that to client ahead of time if you think it will be an issue.


----------



## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Debralena said:


> Definitely do the soffit first starting in the corner. Keeping it level. Then do your inside corner pieces under soffit so you can match the long corners and the bottom of soffit as best as possible Know that the top short corners of soffit won’t match. You can explain that to client ahead of time if you think it will be an issue.


check the dates before posting


----------



## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

All the same, I'd like to know how the OP made out..


----------

