Wallpaper: Types and Preparing Walls for Hanging

Paper, non-woven, vinyl and textile wallpapers differ in durability and in the wall preparation they need. A comparison of types and steps before hanging.

Wallpaper can change the character of a room in a single day, but the result is only as good as the wall underneath. Every dent, old paint drip or joint shows through thin paper, and the wrong adhesive can make the edges lift within a few months.

Main types and how they differ

Paper-backed wallpaper. A thin, breathable, simple material. It stretches when wet with paste and shrinks as it dries, so there is a risk of seams opening. It does not cope well with moisture or cleaning and tears when damaged. It suits dry, lightly used rooms.

Non-woven wallpaper. Made from cellulose and polymer fibres. It barely changes size when wet, so the seams stay precise. With most non-woven papers the adhesive goes straight onto the wall, which speeds the job up. It also bridges small cracks better than paper.

Vinyl-faced wallpaper. A vinyl layer on a paper or non-woven backing. It resists cleaning and moisture and is chosen for hallways and for kitchen walls away from the work area. Its drawback is low vapour permeability: on a damp wall it creates a risk of mould behind it, so the wall must be completely dry.

Textile and natural-fibre wallpapers. Fabric, bamboo or grasscloth facings give a deep, warm look. They are sensitive to stains, hard to clean and need experience to hang. They are typically used for a feature wall in a bedroom or living room.

Paintable wallpapers. Embossed non-woven or glass-fibre materials that can be repainted several times. A practical option for offices and spaces that are refreshed often.

Choosing by room

• Bedroom: non-woven or textile; durability is not the priority here.
• Children’s room: washable non-woven or vinyl, since pencil and hand marks are inevitable.
• Hallway: scrubbable vinyl or paintable wallpaper.
• Kitchen: only on walls away from the work zone, in a cleanable version.
• Bathroom: unsuitable for most wallpapers; even products designed for it are only worth considering away from splashes and with good ventilation.

Preparing the wall

Wallpaper does not hide uneven plaster or filler, especially thin and light-coloured types.

• Old wallpaper, flaking paint and weak plaster are removed.
• Cracks and holes are filled and the surface is sanded.
• The wall is dusted and primed with a primer recommended for wallpaper.
• For thin, light papers the wall colour must be even: dark patches can show through.
• Moisture is measured, because paper hung on a damp wall bubbles and encourages mould.

Primer also makes future removal easier: on a well-primed wall the paper comes off without pulling the filler with it.

Adhesive and hanging rules

The adhesive is matched to the wallpaper backing: there are different formulations for paper, non-woven, heavy vinyl and textile. Symbols on the label show where the paste is applied, how long to soak and how the paper can later be removed.

A few key points:

• check that all rolls come from the same batch, as tone can vary between batches;
• allow extra for the pattern repeat when calculating quantities;
• hang the first drop against a plumb line; starting from a corner spreads any lean across the whole wall;
• avoid draughts and sharp temperature changes in the room while hanging and until the paper dries.

Corners, sockets and window surrounds

The neatness of a wallpaper job shows less on a flat wall than at the awkward spots. Wrapping a full drop around an internal corner is tempting, but because corners are never perfectly plumb, the next drop will lean. The better method is to take the drop slightly past the corner, draw a fresh plumb line on the next wall and trim the overlap.

Around sockets and switches the work is done with the power safely switched off. Cover plates are removed, the paper is hung, opened with a cross cut and trimmed, and then the plate goes back on. That way the cut edge stays hidden under the plate.

Window reveals, the wall behind radiators and the line where wall meets ceiling also need a plan. The wall behind a radiator is often not fully covered, but whatever is visible must be papered. If the ceiling junction is crooked, a sharp cut will emphasise it; in that case a cornice or a slim moulding gives a tidy transition.

Zaferoğlu İnşaat's designers help match wallpaper to the room's colour scheme and lighting as part of the design project. Show us the label of the wallpaper you have chosen and we can pin down how the walls need preparing for it.