About Wallpaper
FAQs
What's the best way to figure out how many rolls I will need?
Check out our wallpaper calculator how-to here. You can also contact us with your wall measurements and wallpaper selection if you'd like us to double check the rollage.
What else can I wallpaper besides my walls?
Wallpaper can cover more than just your walls. It is an easy way to add design and dimension to many places in your home. Use a bold patterned wallpaper inside your bookshelves to make your books and display pieces stand out. Add texture and pattern to your room by wallpapering your ceiling. You can also paper smaller pieces such as dressers, coffee tables, and nightstands. Design blogs, DIY tutorials and social media are great places for unique wallpaper ideas and inspiration.
What is the best starting point in a room to begin my wallpaper installation?
Since your starting and stopping point is the only place in the room that is unlikely to match, it is important to start your job in the least visible corner of the room. A good place to start is usually in the corner that is closest to the entryway.
What do installation guides mean when they talk about "booking" the paper?
Depending on type, wallpaper can expand its width up to 1/4 inch. To avoid expansion on the wall, which can cause bubbling, wrinkles and seam separation, it is necessary to "book" the paper before hanging. "Booking" means folding the paper onto itself for several minutes, paste-to-paste, to allow the paper to relax before applying to the wall. Book un-pasted paper immediately after applying paste; book pre-pasted paper immediately after dipping in water. This allows the paper to fully expand, relaxing its curl, and in the case of a pre-pasted paper, it allows the pre-paste to fully activate.
Can I apply paste to pre-pasted wallpaper?
Pre-pasted wallpapers are coated with dried paste that activates when moistened. The moisture from a paste will also activate the dried paste on a pre-pasted wallpaper. So, yes, you can paste a pre-pasted paper, but be sure to use a thin paste to uniformly activate the dried paste. Otherwise, you could be left with some dry pockets and may negate the strippability feature of the pre-pasted paper. If you are pasting because you prefer that method of installing over the use of a water box, we suggest you also consider using a pre-paste activator. An activator is applied like a paste, but is specifically designed to properly activate the dried paste on a pre-pasted paper without having to completely submerge the wallpaper in water.
Can I hang wallpaper over existing wallpaper?
-
1. Make sure the wallpaper over which you install your new wallpaper was properly installed. The better the previous installation; the better chance of success.
-
2. Ensure that all of the seams over which you hang your new paper are completely flat to avoid obvious ridges that might show through.
-
3. Plan your first strip so that your new seams do not align with the old seams.
-
4. Test hang a strip and let it stay overnight to make sure the moisture from the new paper does not loosen the previous layer of wallpaper.
-
5. Before hanging over wallpaper, it is even more important to seal and/or size the existing wallpaper in order to create a surface that is easy to slide your paper into place and which will maintain adherence to the old wallpaper.
-
6. Finally, if you are installing a light colored paper over a dark or high contrast paper, use a specialty pigmented wallpaper primer to block the old pattern from showing through the new design.
Why does the match and pattern repeat matter? Do I need to measure differently?
The pattern match and repeat affect the hanging method, the waste amount and the total amount of paper needed for a job. Generally speaking, the larger the repeat, the greater the chance for waste, but a drop match of the same repeat would have less waste than a straight match.
I hung a paintable wallpaper! How long do I have to wait before I can paint it?
Wait at least 36 hours after hanging our paintable wallpaper before painting it. This will allow the adhesive to fully dry and set. If you try to paint too soon, the wallpaper can bubble. Paintable wallpaper can be painted over several times if you change your mind or redecorate in a new color scheme.
Does paintable wallpaper need to be painted?
Nope! It can be left as-is if you want to leave it as a clean, white textured wallcovering.
Do I have to use special paint for my paintable wallpaper? Do I need to prime the paper first?
You don't need to use a special paint for paintable wallpaper. Paint the wallpaper just as you would a regular wall. Paintable wallpaper can be painted over several times if you change your mind or redecorate in a new color scheme.
You also don't need to prime the paintable wallpaper before painting. In fact, we don't recommend it. In some cases, customers have reported that priming filled in some of the texture and lead to a less dramatic effect.
Can I repair a small tear in my wallpaper?
Yes! If a piece of wallpaper has been torn from the wall, you can smooth it out and glue it back into place. Use a small brush to apply paste to the piece, re-affix it firmly to the wall with a smoother and wipe away any extra glue with a damp sponge.
If you don’t have the original piece, or it is too damaged to replace, you will need additional wallpaper for the repair. This is why we recommend ordering 10% extra and to hang on to any wallpaper left over from a project. To repair the tear, cut off any loose bits of wallpaper from the damaged area with a utility knife. Cut out a piece of the new paper that is larger than the hole or tear you are trying to cover, where the pattern exactly matches the area you are trying to repair. Place the patch wallpaper over the damaged area and cut out a shape that is larger than the torn area, cutting through your patch piece and the wallpaper underneath. Gently scrape away the wallpaper from the wall that is inside of this new shape you have created. Apply glue to the patch piece and apply it on the wall. Wipe away any excess glue from the seams.
GLOSSARY
New to the wallpaper world? Don't worry - we've got you covered! Check out the popular wallpaper terms below:
BOLT: A double roll of wallpaper.
BOOKING: The term refers to the process of folding wet, pasted wallpaper, back-to-back and paste-to-paste, accordion style, then allowing it to sit for several minutes. Booking allows the paper to expand and relax before being applied to the wall, making the paper easier to maneuver on the wall and minimizing the risk of air bubbles and exposed seams.
COLORWAY: The term describes the particular color used in a pattern. There are usually multiple color ways for a single pattern.
DYE LOT NUMBER: Also referred to as RUN number, is the sequential number assigned to a specific production run of wallpaper, guaranteeing uniformity of color match throughout that production run. All of the rolls identified with the same dye lot were made at the same time. This means that they have the same coloring and that the design will be consistent across the different rolls. Although most people never need to know the lot number, if you run short of wallpaper to complete the job, it is best to get the same run number for an exact color match.
DOUBLE ROLL: The standard size of wallpaper, also referred to as a bolt. Wallpaper is often be priced in single rolls and packaged in double rolls.
DROP MATCH: When a pattern match is drop, the design runs diagonally from the ceiling (it does not run in a straight line across the wall). The design is staggered so only every other strip is identical at the ceiling line.
FAUX: A term used to mean fake or imitation, such as faux brick, faux grasscloth, or faux stone. They closely imitate the original when the thing being imitated will not work.
FEATURE WALL: The wall in a room where additional work has been done to attract attention.
GRASSCLOTH: This particular type of wallpaper is popular because each pattern is unique. Grasscloth is handcrafted using entirely natural materials and give a room a textured look that cannot be achieved by other kinds of wallpaper. The primary drawbacks are that they are difficult to clean, often requiring a professional cleaner if stains and smudges are not treated immediately, and they do not do well in humidity (grasscloths are discouraged for bathrooms and kitchens).
MATCH TYPE: The pattern match and repeat refer to the wallpaper design. Most automated presses print wallpapers using an imprinted cylinder that repeats the design, creating both a vertical and horizontal pattern repeat. The horizontal repeat is created to match from strip to strip, and the vertical repeat allows for a design to print on the reel in endless repetition. Here are examples of various types of matches – STRAIGHT, DROP, and RANDOM.
MEMO: Another name for a wallpaper sample.
MURAL: An artistic or photographic rendering of a large scale single motif, intended to cover a full wall or large portion of a wall. The entire mural pictorial is usually composed of separate wallpaper strips, hung in proper sequence, which then combine to create the full image. Murals are a great way to create a dramatic feature wall and are usually available in two different sizes – a full wall size or a smaller size to be used above a chair rail. Artistic motifs range from serious subject matter and classic art to whimsical themes and fun designs.
NON-WOVEN: The non-woven material is fibrous, making it easier to install and remove. They tend to be environmentally friendly as well, which is a large reason why this type of wallpaper has been gaining in popularity over the last decade.
PEEL + STICK: Similar to modern stamps, peel and + wallpaper can be installed directly from the roll without water or adhesive. Once you cut a strip, peel the backing a short way down from the top and carefully set the wallpaper to the wall, smoothing out the bubbles and other problems before pulling more of the backing from the strip. It is best used on untexturedwalls. Since it is easy to install and remove, peel + stick wallpaper can be a good starting place for novices or for renters However, it is not as durable as other types of wallpaper and will begin to peel from the wall sooner.
PRE-PASTED WALLPAPER: Pre-pasted papers have dried paste imbedded on the back surface and are activated when moistened by submersion in a water trough or by contact with a pre-paste activator.
RANDOM MATCH: When a pattern match is random the wallpaper does not have to be matched at the seams. No matter how you position the wallpaper next to the previous strip, the pattern looks well. Typical examples of a random match are textures, grass cloths, and simple stripes. Note: as a general rule, every other strip should be reverse hung to reduce the possibility of shading.
REPEAT: A pattern repeat refers to the distance between the top of a pattern or motif and the next occurrence of that pattern or motif. Textured wallpapers and wallpapers with a random match do not have repeats and have little waste at the end of the installation process. Other types of matches will have waste based on the size of the repeat. The larger the repeat, the more extra wallpaper you will need to ensure you have enough to complete the project.
RUN NUMBER: Also referred to as DYE LOT number, is the sequential number assigned to a specific production run of wallpaper, guaranteeing uniformity of color match throughout that production run. Although most people never need to know the lot number, if you run short of wallpaper to complete the job, it is best to get the same run number for an exact color match.
SAMPLE: Wallpaper companies provide samples of the wallpaper upon request. Samples typically include at least one full repeat and give customers the opportunity to see how well the pattern and colors work in the room to be wallpapered.
SCORING: The term used to describe perforating wallpaper prior to removal. Scoring allows for the removal solution to penetrate the wallpaper to weaken the adhesive, making the removal process easier.
SCRUBBABLE: Wallpapers that are described as scrubbable are durable enough to withstand being scrubbed when they have a stain or blemish. They are more durable than washable wallpaper, which can be washed, but will not withstand more vigorous scrubbing.
STRAIGHT MATCH: When a pattern match is straight, the design moves straight across from one wallpaper strip to the next. When hung, every strip will be the same at the ceiling line (the same part of the pattern in the first and following strips will be the same distance from the ceiling).
STRIPPABLE: The easiest wallpaper to remove, strippable wallpaper does not require any extra work to peel it from the walls. You do not need to wet it or apply anything to peel it, and it will not leave anything behind to cleanup. Typically strippable wallpaper is on a non-woven substrate.
UN-PASTED WALLPAPER: Unpasted papers require that a proper wallcovering adhesive be applied to the back of each strip prior to installing on the wall surface.
WALLCOVERING PRIMER: Chemical coating that protects and seals the wall in preparation for the installation of wallcoverings. Primers will seal out porous surfaces to prevent paste from absorbing into the wall, promoting better ‘slip’ during installation and better ‘grip’ afterwards.
WASHABLE: Washable wallpaper can be cleaned using a damp cloth or sponge without sustaining any damage. It will not withstand scrubbing or pressure for darker or older stains.