Paperhanger

Though a freshly painted wall always looks great, there’s something unbeatable about really interesting wallpaper. Paperhangers make their living hanging wallpaper to please people who want that extra dose of eye-appeal on their walls.

Though your job as a Paperhanger is to hang things up, you might occasionally start by taking wallpaper down. To avoid wrinkles and get the new stuff sticking better, you need to steam or strip the old stuff. If there are holes in the wall or bumps that might affect your hanging job, you fill in the holes or smooth out the bumps.

When the wall is ready, you cover the entire surface with a thick, sticky adhesive. Then before the glue dries, you hang up the covering. Though your title says “paper,” you might actually hang fabric, vinyl, or anything else your client wants.

The biggest responsibility of your job as a Paperhanger is to make sure the paper hangs cleanly. You measure and cut the fabric to the exact size of the wall, making cutouts for things like built-in shelves or outlets that can’t be covered. You also take into account the shape of the ceiling and where windows will go so the paper hugs closely to the shape of the room without covering anything up. When you finish, you smooth out any bumps, and then cover the final product with a special coating that will keep it looking fresh for years to come.