Installation

• Why do I have to book wallpaper?
• I can't get rid of the bubbles in my wallpaper. What should I do?
  
• The seams were flat before, now they're ridged. What happened?
  
• The seams won't lie down. What happened?
  
• Why do I have stains on the wall behind my wallpaper?
  
• Why won't my border stay on the wall?
  
• How can I hide the seams in my textured wallpaper?
  
• Why are there shiny spots and streaks on my wallpaper?
  
• Why is my new border segment not the same size as the one on the wall?
  
• Why are my seams shiny?
  
• Why have gaps formed at the seams?
• Why does the paper seem to tear and fray when I cut it?
  
• Why do I get wrinkles when I go around a corner?
  
• I'm hanging a plaid pattern. How do I ensure the pattern will stay straight around the room?
  

Booking relaxes the sheet and enables the paper to absorb the moisture in the paste. Improper booking may result in poor seams, bubbles, or other problems.

Back to Top

Wallpaper must be booked properly to allow the paper to relax and for the paper to properly absorb moisture from the paste. Improper booking may cause bubbles to continue forming after the sheet is taken to the wall. Air bubbles in a properly booked sheet can be gently worked out of the sheet with a smoothing brush or tool. Very minor bubbles will tend to work their way out as the paste cures. Bubbles found after the sheet has dried can be slit carefully, paste can be inserted into the bubble, and the sheet can be reapplied.

Back to Top

Most likely, the sheet was not permitted to book properly. The sheet may have continued to expand on the wall, resulting in peaked seams. In addition, if the wall was not properly primed, the seams may pull away from an inferior surface.

Back to Top

Several things can cause seams to pop, but they are all preventable. When booking the sheet, make sure the edges do not dry out. Secondly, don't work the sheet too much with a smoothing tool or seam roller. Doing so may cause the adhesive at the seam to be forced out from behind the wallpaper. Finally, after you've hung two to three strips, go back to adhere the seams. This ensures the paste has had time to gain additional tack as it cures.

Back to Top

Previously hung lining papers, old wallcoverings, adhesive residue, mold and unsealed freshly plastered walls can cause staining. Walls should be properly prepared and prime the wall with an acrylic-based primer/sealer specially formulated for wallcoverings.

Back to Top

If installing borders on painted surfaces, the surface must be clean and the paint must be secure. Walls should be primed with an acrylic-based primer/sealer specially formulated for wallcoverings. If installing borders on vinyl wallcovering, a vinyl-to-vinyl paste must be used. Alternatively, the sidewall and border edge can be doublecut and the sidewall piece below removed so that the border can adhere directly to the wall surface.

Back to Top

Occasionally in the printing process, the ink coverage will be slightly heavier on one side than the other (this is called side-to-side shading). This can be reduced or eliminated by reversing each strip, thereby butting the same edge of the roll against itself at each seam. Since texture designs do not have a discernable pattern to be matched, this will have no effect on the look of the wall other than to minimize any variance at the seam.

Back to Top

Paste residue left on the surface of the wallcovering after hanging can cause shiny spots. All paste must be thoroughly cleaned off the surface of the wallcovering with clean water before it dries.

Back to Top

The border on the wall has expanded as it has absorbed moisture from the paste. After pasting and booking the next segment, it should expand to the same size as the existing segment.

Back to Top

Either the paste residue has not been removed or the seams were worked to aggressively with the seam roller.

Back to Top

Most likely, the paper was not permitted to book properly. The paper may have expanded when wet, but not permitted to relax properly prior to taking it to the wall. Also, the sheet may have been stretched into position or worked too aggressively with the smoothing tool.

Back to Top

A sharp blade is critical to successful paperhanging. Make sure you have a good quality snap-blade knife and change the blade at least every other sheet. When cutting around doors and windows, or hanging thicker paper, use a new blade for every sheet.

Back to Top

Wallpaper should not be wrapped around an inside corner because the corners are rarely perfectly straight. Rather, it should be cut lengthwise into two trips, allowing the first piece to overlap _ inch onto the adjoining wall. The remaining piece is then installed on the adjoining wall, following a plumb line to ensure it hangs truly vertical. Vinyl-to-vinyl adhesive should be used at the overlap.

Back to Top

Use a level to draw a guideline around the room, near the ceiling, at the height as one of the elements in your pattern. The ceiling will not be perfectly level, but the line will be. Then, use the line to align the pattern as you go around the room.

Back to Top