Although there are little tricks and wrinkles for the application of special fabrics to special places which are acquired by practice, in the main wall covering is quite simple.
In Figure [137] we show the plan of a room measured for covering. The walls are drawn as if they had been pushed out flat like the sides of a cardboard box. Each wall is measured separately, and the positions of doors, windows, recesses and projections accurately indicated on the plan by the proper measurements.
To cut the sections for a wall such as we illustrate commence with section 1 and each separate section is cut and matched to the preceding one, so that the pattern will be continuous around the room; this requires nice calculation to allow for the quantities of pattern that are consumed by the tacking and back tacking in the angles, but an allowance of two or three inches extra each way will usually be found sufficient to allow of the pattern being matched, provided the lengths have been cut at the same pattern.
Upright seams only are permissible in wall fabrics, and these should be as few as possible and perfectly plumb.
After having cut the first length with about three inches extra for handling, if the next length when matched would cut to waste, try one of the shorter lengths or two of the short ones together—if this still causes waste try the other end of the goods—never cut goods to waste until you have exhausted every expedient you know to avoid it.
Fig 137
Beveled wall strips, as Figure [138A], are placed at top, bottom and both sides of every separate space as well as around all projecting frames, as windows and doors; these are securely fastened to the studding by nails or screws, and all holes in the plaster covered with pasted paper to prevent dust sifting out.
The double lines of Figure [137] illustrate where beveled strips are necessary and provide for two in every angle corner and two also on the face of each projecting corner.