# Is hanging paper time-consuming for all?



## lynnerey (Nov 12, 2018)

_I am getting into the residential paper hanging business. I have done several bathrooms and kitchens, and it seems like each job takes more time than it should. Last week it took me two days to paper a powder room with 9' ceilings. I work steadily, but every piece seems to have a situation that takes a long time to handle. Is it just me? Anybody have tips on how I can speed up my work?_


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

Paint it!!  I hate paper...

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## deadend (Aug 1, 2013)

..."seems like"..."should"...your production rates are your productions rates...lack of speed is either just lack of skill/experience or are you saying you are having product issues...?...
...also...smaller spaces are deceptive in that they can take longer than larger spaces due to lack of freedom of movement...a wide open larger room may take you less time than a 6x8 powder room with vanities and toilets in the way...


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Kitchens and bathrooms always take longer than you think, lots of cutting, measuring, etc. As to the comment about hating paper, BAHH HUMBUG!


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

chrisn said:


> Kitchens and bathrooms always take longer than you think, lots of cutting, measuring, etc. As to the comment about hating paper, BAHH HUMBUG!


Go sniff glue, Chris.lol

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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

I broke in with some Union guys and I remember asking them what the secret to hanging paper was. Turned out to be: "Pay someone else to do it." Wise words.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

You'll get faster at it. A couple weeks ago, I did A powder room with 10 ceilings and a ton of PITA cut arounds took me 6 hours just for the hanging portion. There was two hours sanding my float and priming before then though. Start to finish I got there at 9:30, and left at 6:30. So, thats not that bad, considering I had to sand and prime first. Quite a few hundred dollar bills ended up in my wallet as well.

Yesterday, I did a 10' ceiling powder room with no sink, toilet, or baseboard in. I got there at 9:30, painted the ceiling for them really quick for free, pole sanded the walls which were already primed, and hung 27" paper with dalmation dots. I took my time in the corners, doing little curved cuts to minimize the dots being cut in half. About 10 minutes per corner doing that. Got there at 9:30, left at 4:30 with half a grand in my pocket.

You'll get faster with time, and you'll get fat checks for few hours. Usually, I do about 3 single walls for every powder room.


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

It depends on what your comparing it too....does it take longer than production painting or staining? Of course. Does it take longer than matching a difficult finish after new drywall damage repair or burnished venetian plaster? Prolly not.

Papering is time consuming, but the fine finishers here can tell you that their daily job is subjective to the project & outcome...often making it very time consuming when compared to other areas of the painting profession (gotta love it to live it). 

Just like any other new endeavor....take the time to do enough that you get a feel for the rhythm & how long it’ll take based on variables, then charge accordingly!


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## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

lynnerey said:


> _I am getting into the residential paper hanging business. I have done several bathrooms and kitchens, and it seems like each job takes more time than it should. Last week it took me two days to paper a powder room with 9' ceilings. I work steadily, but every piece seems to have a situation that takes a long time to handle. Is it just me? Anybody have tips on how I can speed up my work?_


The only way to get faster is repetition and practice. If you try to go fast you'll probably spend much more time trying to fix your mistakes. Small rooms are always tough, but that's really where you will hone your skills.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

All in all, a bathroom shouldnt take more than a day. Sometimes they are a long day though. You'll get faster, just keep doing it


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

lilpaintchic said:


> Go sniff glue, Chris.lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


Hey now, that's un called for!!


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## akrause (May 18, 2010)

Like anything, there are factors to consider (intricacy of the pattern, cuts and wall mounted obstacles) and tricks to learn over time that will speed up the process. Watching our best paper sub, I noticed he's a machine when it comes to mental prep. He's studies the room for a few minutes, takes a few measurements, writes some stuff down then pre-cuts and pre-pastes a half a dozen drops (sometimes more). He demands we use Roman 909 sizing when we're prepping for him, says it gives him the best slip and work-ability by far.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

I advise against pasting more than one or two drops at a time with paper. Commercial vinyl is a different story. you can paste half a days worth at once.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

I agree, you just have to be organized and have a good system. Do all your cutting at once. Have your paper and tools close by and organized. It usually takes me a day to get in and out of a bathroom, but I'm still a bit of an amateur. Or about 45 mins per drop, including measuring, cutting, cleanup etc.
I'm sure some guys are way quicker. .


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Yesterday, I hung some Phillip Jeffrie's Lacquered Raffia. That was a tough hang. It was like REALLY stiff burlap lacquered a deep dark shiny blue. It did NOT want to bend to corners, so I couldnt cut anything straight at all. The ceiling, sides and the bottom all cut like crap. On top of that, it didnt want to stay down. I had to stick thumbtacks all over the lid and base line to hold it while it dried. Luckily, the material came with a little can of touch up paint. I spent two and a half hours just coloring the seams, and I actually had to make tape lines all the way around and on every corner, and paint the edge to the line, cuz the cuts just looked terrible. The designers assistant popped in right when I got done hanging, but before I touched anything up, so she was looking at me like I was a total hack. I had to explain the entire touch up process, and assure her that the seams would get handled, and the lines would be straight before I left. It was about a nine hour day, but I made a sh*$load of money on it.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Woodco said:


> Yesterday, I hung some Phillip Jeffrie's Lacquered Raffia. That was a tough hang. It was like REALLY stiff burlap lacquered a deep dark shiny blue. It did NOT want to bend to corners, so I couldnt cut anything straight at all. The ceiling, sides and the bottom all cut like crap. On top of that, it didnt want to stay down. I had to stick thumbtacks all over the lid and base line to hold it while it dried. Luckily, the material came with a little can of touch up paint. I spent two and a half hours just coloring the seams, and I actually had to make tape lines all the way around and on every corner, and paint the edge to the line, cuz the cuts just looked terrible. The designers assistant popped in right when I got done hanging, but before I touched anything up, so she was looking at me like I was a total hack. I had to explain the entire touch up process, and assure her that the seams would get handled, and the lines would be straight before I left. It was about a nine hour day, but I made a sh*$load of money on it.


 Man, that sounds like a nightmare. Haha. None of that wallpaper is ever the same. It's like a running joke from the designers to the hangers. Thank gawd there is actually some $ in it..


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## Gymschu (Mar 11, 2011)

I've done a lot of wallpaper over the years, not so much in recent times, but, I am still rather slow. I am so fearful of messing up a piece that I literally cut and hang ONE piece at a time. I guess the cost of it scares the beejeezus out of me and I hate wasting paper because of a dumb cut by me. And, there's always something that trips you up and slows you down......mainly a talkative customer!


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

I usually only paste two at a time if theres a straight shot down a wall. Almost never in a bathroom.


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## robertdaley848 (Dec 31, 2018)

> Like anything, there are factors to consider (intricacy of the pattern, cuts and wall mounted obstacles) and tricks to learn over time that will speed up the process. Watching our best paper sub, I noticed he's a machine when it comes to mental prep. He's studies the room for a few minutes, takes a few measurements, writes some stuff down then pre-cuts and pre-pastes a half a dozen drops (sometimes more). He demands we use Roman 909 sizing when we're prepping for him, says it gives him the best slip and work-ability by far.


Thank for your information


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## dnj300 (Jan 17, 2018)

Baths and kitchens are a pain in the ass. Price it accordingly..Don't over rush it. A bad cut or 2 and you won't have enough paper to finish

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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Did my first ceiling today. its about 15X15, and 14' high. Took me four hours. I charged a crapload, cuz I didnt know how long it would take. I made out REALLY well. Being round actually made it easier, cuz I didnt need to worry about lines. I was by myself. I could do half a strip on the scaffold, Then stick a couple thumbtacks to hold the middle down, smooth it, cut one side, then move the scaffold paste the rest, pull the tacks smooth it down and cut. Being nonwoven made it easier too, cuz I would paste the area, then roll the paper on out.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Woodco said:


> Did my first ceiling today. its about 15X15, and 14' high. Took me four hours. I charged a crapload, cuz I didnt know how long it would take. I made out REALLY well. Being round actually made it easier, cuz I didnt need to worry about lines. I was by myself. I could do half a strip on the scaffold, Then stick a couple thumbtacks to hold the middle down, smooth it, cut one side, then move the scaffold paste the rest, pull the tacks smooth it down and cut. Being nonwoven made it easier too, cuz I would paste the area, then roll the paper on out.


How did you do the outside pieces with round edges? 

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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

finishesbykevyn said:


> How did you do the outside pieces with round edges?
> 
> Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk


If you meant the two 'sliver' peices on the sides, its wasnt too bad. I measured the length and width. I believe they were 7' long and about 12" in the middle. I just cut the piece to 13" and stuck it up like anything else. I did a few relief cuts before the main cut, but nothing was hard. The circle is so big the paper had no problems conforming to it. I usually just did a freehand cut, but sometimes I held my blade on the end of the smoother and used that to cut.


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