Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-20
Hanging Wall Paper.

| MANY persons living in remote places
| defer re papering their apartments on ac-
count of the difficulty of procuring skilled
labor in that branch of industry; but it is
really such simple task that there is no
| reason why any person of ordinary capa-
city should not do it with as little trouble
as whitewashing. The directions here
| given are the result of practical expert
ence and, if observed, will enable any one
to hang paper as well as an expert.
| Surprising you have decided to paper
| your apartment anew: the first thing to be
done is to remove the old paper; if there
| is but one thickness on the wall, it is not
| necessary, as this will not do any harm
1t is only where layer after layer is put on
| that the apartment becomes offensive from
| the condensation of vapors, accommodating
with years until at last they become dan
gerous sources of disease. This isawell
established fact, as recent investigation
by Board of Health in London disclosed
that the several layers or thicknesses of
wall paper, in homes in the crowded part
of the city, were absolutely damp with
nolsOme deposits accruing from defective
ventilation.
To remove the old paper, take COM
mon whitewash brush and pail of water
Wash the wall all over and you can easily
tear the paper off in long sheets and SO
| render the surface clean again Care
must be taken not to remove or break the
surface of the under layer, or ground;
tor II this is done, there will be ridge
or seam wherever it is torn that will show
badly If your new paper has a light
ground; If it is dark and the pattern is in
arabesque, it matters little, as it will not
show.
Having cleaned or removed the old
paper, take roll of the new that you de-
sire to apply and hold it up to the wall;
arrange it SO that the pattern will show
evenly at top and bottom, if possible, and
then cut off one length Have ready a
table or board long enough to take the
whole piece; then use the first strip cut
as guide, and match all the rest to it.
You may cut all the paper up for the
straight part of the wall, leaving the in
tervals over the door and windows to be
done at leisure, or with the waste pieces
that always accumulate. In cutting the
length be careful to cut the bottoms and
tops perfectly square across, and not zig
gag, or at hap-haZard, for it looks badly to
see the pattern mismatched, or a ragged
end where it meets the wash board.
There are two white edges or selvages on
wall paper, one of which must be cut Off
Be sure and cut off the right one, or the
one that you intend to paper from, and
cut all the others at one time. In apply
ing the paper, you will doubtless find that
between the doors and windows the pat
tern will not come out right, leaving
hands breadth Or so to fill up between the
frame and the last piece applied This
is of no consequence, as it can be easily
filled up by piece specially cut for it.
Be careful and see that you do not reverse
the paper or get it upside down in hang
ing. You easily tell the right side up
if the pattern is in vines, leaves, or geo.
metrical shapes, by noticing which side
the shading of the figures is on.
Having cut all the. paper ready to ap-