Wallpaper Guide
Wallpaper is hot and easier than ever to install.
Wallpaper is back in a big way with a wide array of luxurious papers on the market. Wallpaper offers a quick and effective way of making a design statement; colours, patterns and textures are almost limitless and can work in any room in the home. The new wallpapers are DIY-friendly, making them a popular choice for the weekend warrior.
In this article:
Before you buy
Buying wallpaper
Preparing the walls
Machine-printed paper
Hand-printed paper
Vinyl wall covering
Embossed paper
Woven fabric wall covering
Grasscloth
Flocked paper
Lining paper
Before you buy
- Measure entire wall surface excluding window or door openings
- Measure floor-to-ceiling height between baseboard and ceiling frieze
- Add about 4” to floor-to-ceiling height for trimming allowance
Buying wallpaper
- Colours may vary between batches so be sure that all rolls are from the same batch
- Buy an extra roll to allow for mistakes
- Check with manufacturer’s charts for recommended number of rolls for your measurements
- Use paste recommended by the manufacturer
- Avoid wallpapers that are too thin — heavier wallpapers are easier to hang and are less likely to tear
Preparing the walls
- Wall surface must always be smooth as any imperfections will be visible
- Baseboards, ceiling and window frames should be painted before hanging wallpaper
- Strip walls of existing wallpaper
- Walls painted with latex paint should be sanded prior to hanging paper
- Any cracks or holes in walls should be repaired
- Any new plaster must be completely dry (this typically takes a few weeks)
- If dealing with uneven surfaces, lining paper can be pasted horizontally on to walls first to provide a smooth finish for your wallpaper application
Machine-printed paper
- Most common wallpaper type available, sold in rolls
- Typically roller-printed onto white or coloured backgrounds
- Thicker papers are washable
- Paper will stretch slightly when made wet for pasting
- Some are pre-pasted for easy hanging
- Wide range of patterns and colours available
Hand-printed paper
- Patterns created using stencils, screens and blocks
- Innate hand-crafted beauty
- Colours are sharper than machine-printed papers
- Should be hung by a professional
- More expensive than machine-printed papers
Vinyl wall covering
- Water resistant so appropriate for bathrooms and kitchens
- Hard-wearing and durable
- Available in an array of colours and designs
- Surface offers a shinier look than paper
- Washable
- Hides wall surface defects well
- More costly than paper
Embossed paper
- Available in a wide variety of colours and patterns
- Also available in patterns imitating natural materials
- Delicate in quality — should only be used in low-traffic rooms
- Difficult to remove once applied to walls
Woven fabric
- Available in an array of fabrics such as burlap, silk, cotton, wool and canvas
- Creates a warm, natural look
- Provides more sound absorption than regular papers
- Maintenance requires vacuuming or sponging
- Should not be used in bathrooms or kitchens as fabric will absorb odours
- Requires underlay paper for installation
Grasscloth
- Made of paper-backed woven grasses and reeds
- Wide range of textures possible
- Creates a warm, natural look
- Seams are more apparent than with other wallpapers
- Colours are limited
Flocked paper
- A luxurious wall covering with patterns carved into velvet pile
- Most appropriate for formal areas
- Should be restricted for use in space with little traffic
- Should not be used in bathrooms or kitchens
Lining paper
- A plain underpaper that provides a flat surface for hanging decorative wallpaper
- Should be hung horizontally around a room
- Available in several grades
