Wallcovering

History and design. . . 

What is wallpaper?
In its simplest terms, wallpaper is a decorative covering for the walls.  It can be used to make a room appear more spacious using light backgrounds, cool colors, small scale design or large open design.  Rooms can be made to look smaller and more intimate with dark backgrounds, warm colors and large scale designs.  Wallpaper is used to complement other decorative elements in a room such as the carpet or furniture and is available in a wide variety of colors & designs.

When was wallpaper invented?
Wallpaper is traced back to China around 200 BC and was introduced to Europe during the late 1400's.  The first European papers were high-priced, hand painted and produced in small sheets making the applications quite tedious.  Early designs were patterns inspired by nature, such as birds and flowers, and Chinese scenics used in prestigious European homes.  During the 18th century, the motifs gave way to landscape and battle scenes.  Jean-Micel Papillon of France is widely considered the modern inventor of wallpaper and was the first to design wallpaper in repeating patterns.  In 1739, the first US wallpaper factory opened.  By the 1840s, machine produced wallpapers made wallpaper an easily obtainable and affordable design element.
What are the most popular designs?
Traditional designs are by far the most popular designs.  Traditionals include florals, damasks (textured - fabric like or woven appearance), chintz (cotton cloth-like appearance) and Jacobeans (Late English Gothic) in a medium to large scale which are usually coordinated with stripe and texture designs.  Contemporary designs are more open and free and are popular in many areas of the country.  Brushstrokes are the most popular contemporary design.  Country and juvenile wallcoverings also have a broad appeal.

What is the typical life cycle of a wallpaper design?
The wallcovering industry is really a fashion industry.  Tastes vary by region within North America to different parts of the world.  Wallcovering that is popular in Williamsburg or Old Sturbridge Village may not necessarily be popular in Miami, Florida, or Calgary, Alberta.

There are no typical "design" life cycles.  Generic designs such as textures and damasks could last twenty years or more by simply having the colors updated every so often.  Many designs have a life cycle of 30 to 36 months.  That's why most sample books have a life span of three years.  The best selling designs will be updated in color and carried forward to a new collection and will be continued until they stop selling.


Grades and Weights. . .

    
In Part I, we presented consolidated information about the history and design of wallcovering.  Part II, presented here, discusses paper composition, the differences between commercial and consumer/residential wallcoverings and other issues.

What is wallpaper made of?
Wallpaper is made from paper, vinyl or a combination of both.  There are usually three layers, the first being the substrate or backing which goes against the wall.  It is usually a paper or fabric backing.  The second layer is the ground and is the surface on which the design is printed.  The final or top layer is the design which can have a protective coating laid over it to protect the colors or provide enhanced cleanability.

What is the difference between peelable wallpaper and strippable wallpaper?
Paper-backed vinyls are termed peelable because the paper or similar backing material remains on the wall as the strips of paper are removed.  This backing then becomes a base for another wallcovering or can easily be removed before painting or hanging new wallpaper.  Vinyl coated papers are termed strippable because the removal process strips the wallcovering cleanly from the wall . . . leaving no backing.

Is there a difference between Consumer & Commercial Wallpaper?
Consumer or residentially directed wallcoverings are driven by the desire for fashion, theme or mood in a new or redecorating project.  Commercial, or contract wallcoverings are driven more by the need to withstand wear and abuse . . . as they are used primarily in public or institutional environments.  Commercial wallcoverings are generally manufactured in 54" widths and sold by the lineal yard . . . much like fabrics.  They are usually stocked on bolts in increments of 30, 50 or 60 yards.  The 54" wide strips cover more area per strip and lessen the number of seams in jobs covering large surface areas.

What are the classifications of commercial wallcoverings?
Commercial wallcoverings are generally classified in types by the weight per square yard. 

  • Type I weighs between 7 and 10 ounces per square yard and usually has a lightweight backing. 
  • Type II weighs between 13 and 20 ounces per square yard and uses a coarser cloth backing. 
  • Type III is heavy-duty, weighing 21 ounces or more, with a heavy-duty cloth backing.  The heavier fabric backing is necessary to support the greater weight of the Type II & III vinyls and the denser adhesives used in installation.

Is much consumer wallpaper pre-pasted?
Over 75% of consumer wallcovering is pre-pasted and peelable (i.e. paper backed vinyl).  The wallpaper manufacturer has applied the paste to the paper in the manufacturing process, thus eliminating the sometimes messy problem of applying wallpaper paste.  The paper can be soaked in a water tray before it is hung . . . or a pre-pasted activator such as ALLPRO's Add-A-Bond® may be used to improve the workability and adhesion of the wallpaper.  Peelable means that when it comes time to remove the paper, the ground wood backside portion of the paper will remain on the wall after the decorative surface has been removed.  The word vinyl refers to a clear coating applied to the decorative surface to help withstand damage and washing.  Paper backed vinyl paper is typically used in the low-to-mid price range and with the more popular simple designs.

What does vinyl-coated mean?
Vinyl coated strippable paper refers to a heavier coating or grade of paper that is truly strippable from the wall.  Vinyl coated paper may or may not come pre-pasted.  It is more scuff resistant and withstands repeated washing.  Vinyl coated paper is typically used in the mid-to-upper price range and with more "upscale" designer - fashion forward collections.

What's the difference between the standard American roll and the metric roll?
The standard American single roll contains 34 to 36 square feet of wallpaper.  It will range from 18 to 36 inches in width and 12 to 24 feet in length.  The metric single roll contains between 27 and 30 square feet.  It will range from 20-1/2 to 28 inches in width and 13-1/2 to 16-1/2 feet in length.  The most common size metric roll is 20-1/2 inches wide by 16-1/2 feet long.  This means that the metric roll has about 25% less wallcovering than the American size roll . . . so it will take about 25% more metric sized paper to cover an equivalent area.

Is there a rule of thumb to use in estimating the amount of paper needed to do a typical residential room?
The average usable amount of wallpaper from a standard American single roll is 30 square feet.  Although there is approximately 35 square feet in a standard American single roll, roughly five feet will be wasted because of trimming around doors, windows, etc.  Plus, matching patterns from one strip to another.  Another rule of thumb is to take away or subtract about 15 square feet or 1/2 a single roll for each normal sized door or window in the room.  Don't subtract the actual dimensions, as there is always waste involved when trimming and keeping the pattern flowing smoothly.

What is the rule for estimating the amount of paper when dealing with metric rolls?
Figure the quantity for American sized rolls and then convert to metric by adding a single metric roll for every four rolls figured for American sized single rolls.

What are the different pattern matches?
Patterns are repeated on each continuous sheet, often in increments of 14 to 28 inches for matched prints.  Pattern matches are usually straight across, drop matched or random matched.

Straight matched patterns are designs which will line up or match in a straight line across a horizontal sequence.  Each individual strip will have the same pattern or design at the ceiling line.

In drop matched patterns the design will line up in a diagonal line or sequence.  Every other strip will have the same pattern or design at the ceiling line.  A little more care goes into the hanging of drop matched patterns to assure that two of the same strips are not installed side by side.

A random or plain match means the paper may be hung at any level without worrying how it positions relative to the previous or next sheet that is hung.  

Why are dye-lot or run numbers important?
Wallpaper is produced in groups of rolls called batches or runs.  The dye-lot number is assigned to a particular run or batch.  The number will change each time a new run is made.  When this happens, the color may not be exactly the same, there may be a change in the vinyl coating, a notch may have been taken off the plate resulting in a different "speck" in the paper or some other minor variance.  It is important to assure that the same dye-lot or run is purchased and installed.

Can you recommend a source to read more on wallpaper and it's installation?
One of the best sources we've seen is The Complete Guide to Wallpapering by
David M. Groff from Creative Homeowner Press in Upper Saddle River, NJ.

 

Wallcovering Primers and Adhesives. . .

Confused about which adhesive to use?  Starch?  Clay?  Powdered?  Ready-Mixed?  What about Primers?  Or Sizing?  Don't be confused!  Just read this short article and you will be able to determine which surface prep and/or adhesive to use for most wallcovering jobs.
Keep reminding yourself that the objective is to get the wallcovering to stick to the wall (or ceiling) and be easy to remove at a later date.

Why should I use a Primer?
If you have a wall that is too slick, the paper may appear to stick, only to later slide down into a pile on the floor.  If the wall is too porous, it could absorb the paste which is needed to hold the paper on the wall.  Or, if the painted wall is not sound, the paint might stick to the paste and the paper and literally peel off the wall. When it comes time to remove the paper, poor preparation often results in extra work and usually there is damage to the wall. So if in doubt, it is always best to prime.

How do I know if the surface is OK?
We recommend that you test the surface before you begin installing wallcovering.  If applying wallcovering to fresh drywall, prime the drywall with a quality pigmented acrylic primer like ALLPRO's ULTRA-PREP™.  The only exception to this is when applying a fabric-backed strippable contractor grade wallcovering over fresh drywall.  In this case, use ALLPRO's PRO-CLEAR™ adhesive alone.  It promotes strippability and will work without a primer, although you are always better off priming.

If the drywall is damaged due to the removal of old wallcovering, ALLPRO SEAL 'N BOND™ can help restore the drywall.  SEAL 'N BOND is a clear water-based primer/sealer that repairs damaged drywall and returns it to a sound, secure surface.  It seals down loose fiber on the damaged drywall and eliminates the bubbles that are common to most drywall repair.  It is possible to patch directly over SEAL 'N BOND or use it as a water-resistant base for hanging new wallcovering.  It is also excellent for protecting new drywall from future damage and for sealing porous builder's flat paint.

 

 

X

What surface tests should I recommend for painted walls?
     Only two tests need to be done.  One is call the X-tape knife test.  Cut an "X" with a sharp blade (a 13-point razor knife works great) then apply a piece of scotch tape over the X and pull sharply from the wall.  If the tape is clean, then the surface is sound.  The second is a water rub test.  Wet a spot on the wall and rub it with a clean wiping rag.  If no paint appears on the rag, the paint is sound.  If the surface is not sound prep it with a quality product like ALLPRO ULTRA-PREP.
What if the surface is too slick?
If it is an oil-based or glossy surface, will the wallcovering slide off?  Probably, but maybe not right away.  It may just stick, but it is also possible that vinyl coverings will bubble or blister.  This happens since the vinyl coating won't let the moisture escape.  What's worse is the bubbles or blisters won't disappear after the paper has dried.  Glossy surfaces should be prepared by either sanding or priming.

What if I want to hang new wallpaper over old wallpaper?
It is okay to hang new paper over old provided the existing wallcovering is clean and firmly adhered.  First, check the soundness of the wallcovering.  If it is peeling, or if the seams are no longer adhering, it is best to remove the wallcovering.  If hanging new vinyl wallcovering over existing vinyl, use ALLPRO's VINYL OVER VINYL.  The other issue is if hanging a light colored wallcovering over a dark pattern - the pattern might show through.  This can be remedied by priming the wall with ULTRA-PREP, which can even be tinted to match the background color of the new wallcovering.  BORDER ADHESIVE is the proper recommendation for hanging borders over existing wallcovering.  ALLPRO also carries a BORDER ADHESIVE FOR PAINTED SURFACES.

     



Why are there so many different types of adhesives?
Actually, adhesives can be classified into one of four basic types:  powdered wheat starch, ready-mixed clay, ready-mixed corn starch and ready-mixed wheat.  Ready mixes are a relatively "new" situation.  Until the early 1950's, wheat starch was the best and about the only adhesive available.  It was sold in dry powdered form and the paperhanger was required to "mix their own".  In the early 1950's, vinyl appeared on the scene and powdered wheat starch was not strong enough to hold the vinyl paper to the wall.  In response to the need, ready-mixed clay adhesives were developed.  Clay adhesives offered better holding power.  By being ready-mixed, they made a more consistent adhesive, they had more binder, or solids, and certainly offered more convenience.

Wheat powder, ready-mix clay or clears - which adhesive should I use?
Just as the primer depends on the surface to be covered, the adhesive depends on the wallcovering being applied.  In most cases, PRO-CLEAR is the best overall choice for vinyls, foils and strippable (non-pasted) wallcovering.  PRO-DUTY 3400™ is an alternate choice.  For pre-pasted wallcoverings, ADD-A-BOND™ is a great activator - allowing more working time than simply using water.  Natural wallcoverings, like grasscloth, strings, and silks will achieve best results when hung with ALLPRO PRO-CLEAR.  And for hanging borders, ALLPRO BORDER ADHESIVE will give just the right amount of adhesion needed.  There is also ALLPRO Kitchen & Bath Adhesive that is formulated to provide superior performance in high humidity environments such as bathrooms and kitchens. 

So, if PRO-CLEAR is the best all around ALLPRO adhesive, why are there clay adhesives?
     Many contractors have used the clay adhesives for years before the clears were developed and have grown accustomed to using them.  They will use the clays out of habit and the belief that they are truly better.  Although the clears are actually superior, having more workability (open time) and quicker "tack", the clays do work. 

     To accommodate many customers, ALLPRO offers a full line of wallcovering adhesives.