Seams on Vinyl Faux Grasscloth

Like many thick, textured vinyl products, the edges curl back just a teeny bit, due to how the material is trimmed at the factory – probably by hot rollers that caused the plastic to melt a tad and thus curl back. Believe it or not, run your finger over this seam and you’ll feel that it’s perfectly flat. In fact, this look is typical with real grasscloth, because the edges tend to fray up a bit. From two feet away, you don’t notice any of this.

To support my hot-trim-roller theory, here are two strips that, because I needed narrower strips, and because it was over a door where the pattern didn’t have to match perfectly, I used my straightedge and razor blade to trim off one side from each strip. This seam is the join of those two trimmed edges. No curled edge.
There’s nothing wrong with any of this – it’s just part of the manufacturing process, and it’s what you can expect to get, with the heavier textured vinyl products. Seems especially prevalent with the new-ish non-woven backings.

The wallpaper is made by York .
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Vinyl Faux Grasscloth in Guest Bathroom

Before. Walls primed and ready for wallpaper .

Vanity area done. This blue , brown , and metallic gold material has the warm look and texture of real grasscloth, but is much more water- and stain-resistant and consistent in color . It also has a pattern that can be matched , so the seams are much less visible than with real grass . Note that some of the lines you’re seeing in the photo are cast by the light fixture .

Going around these arched windows took a while!

Toilet wall without lights off.

With lights on, you see the true colors more accurately. Note the light fixture casting vertical stripes on the wall .

Like many thick, textured vinyl products, the edges curl back just a teeny bit, due to how the material is trimmed at the factory. Believe it or not, run your finger over this seam and you’ll feel that it’s perfectly flat. In fact, this look is typical with real grasscloth, because the edges tend to fray up a bit. From two feet away, you don’t notice any of this.

This material mimics the look and texture of real grasscloth .

Another wall, along the shower . One nice thing about grasscloth is that, since you don’t need to match pattern motifs, you don’t have to paper walls in sequence or order. We were a little tight on material on this job, so I hung my full length walls first, then went back and hung the shorter walls. This helped me plan usage – how many strips needed and how many strips I could get out of each roll / bolt of paper .

Made by York , one of my favorite manufacturers.

Pineapples in a Powder Room, Revisited

If this room looks familiar – it should… This week I’m working in a home in the Meyerland area of Houston where I hung paper after the home was repaired following flooding during the Tax Day Flood in April 2015. This home was flooded again during 2017’s Hurricane Harvey. The homeowners wanted everything exactly the way it had been before the flood.

This paper went in the powder room. The pineapple is the universal symbol for hospitality, which is fitting for this household, because the homeowners are friendly, down-to-earth, and welcoming.

This pattern melds nicely with the faux grasscloth that went in the entry (see previous post), both in color and appearance. The background of this paper looks like grasscloth, but it is not. It is a printed paper, with a very slightly raised ink texture. It is a wonderful alternative to the real stuff, and has none of the color variation or visible seam issues of real grasscloth – and it will hold up to the occasional water splash, too.

The chair rail will be painted and attached soon. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the workmen don’t mess up the new wallpaper in the process.

This wallpaper pattern is by Designer Wallpapers, and was bought from my favorite source for good quality, product knowledge, expert service, and competitive price – Dorota Hartwig at Southwestern Paint on Bissonnet near Kirby. (713) 520-6262 or dorotasouthwestern@hotmail.com. She is great at helping you find just the perfect paper! Discuss your project and make an appointment before heading over to see her.

Dings in the Edges of Heavy Vinyl

If you look closely, you can see small “dings” in the edges of this heavy vinyl faux grasscloth with a woven fabric backing. Look at the points of the scissors and pencil. These dings were caused during shipping. They look slight, but, with this particular material, it’s unlikely they will pull flat against the wall as the paste dries. So a little bitty “blip” will show along the seams.

So I am trimming a little off the edge of the paper, to create a new edge that is free of “dings.” This paper has not pattern match, so the lost inch along the edge will not be noticeable.

This is Thibaut Designs wallpaper pattern #839-&-6815