Due to a mix-up in terminology, the homeowner originally received just four single rolls (two double roll bolts ) of wallpaper . They needed eight total single rolls (four doubles ), so two more double roll bolts were ordered. Being unable to get the same run number , we anticipated a slight difference in shade . But didn’t expect that the two new bolts would be thinner than the two original bolts . What the heck is up?! The selection book says this is a non-woven product, and a paste the wall installation method . Yet the label on both the original and the new rolls says to paste the paper. Even more puzzling, the instruction sheet included inside the rolls says that it’s non-woven material , and to paste the wall. It’s important for the installer to know what material he’s working with, so I needed to know if this was PTW or PTP . Usually, non-woven paste the wall are thick and hard to tear , due to their 20% polyester content . The fat roll felt and acted like a non-woven . But the thinner roll was thin and crispy and easy to tear. I sure thought it was a paper material , which would require a different installation technique . In recent months, I’ve had this same manufacturer send several rolls of the a particular pattern , but some were non-woven, and some were paper. So I thought we might be experiencing this again. It’s important to know what you’re working with, because different materials require different installation techniques. If a DIY ‘er follows the instructions to paste the wall , but it’s actually a paste the paper material, he’s going to encounter a whole lotta mess – and ruined paper . Here I used my 24” wide straightedge to tear off a strip of wallpaper from the roll of thin material. This answered my question. See the little fibers ? Those are indicative of non-woven papers, and their polyester content . Once I saw this, I was certain that it was, indeed, a non-woven material / paste the wall . So this material was easier to hang than traditional papers, because no need to paste , book , and let sit for a few minutes. There are other pluses, too, to NW papers, and most of us professionals like hanging them. But I wasn’t 100% pleased with the thin version of this non-woven material. For one thing, its stiff, crispness made it difficult to manipulate, and prone to crease . Also, notice the splotchiness of the paper. This showed up on the dry paper, right off the roll.But paper that has been pasted and hung on the wall showed even more splotches . This is scary, because there is a issue called blushing or staining , where the paper looks like it’s wet , but never dries out. Do a Search here to learn more. This happens mostly with non-woven papers , and is tied to certain types of paste . Which is why I don’t use those pastes! So curious as to what is causing this slight discoloration.I believe the spots were just due to moisture . As I worked my way across the wall and time went on, the paper I had hung first had a chance to air out and dry. The blotches disappeared .
I’m curious as to why the difference in material. Maybe the manufacturer was using different factories? In different countries? Or supply chain issues / material shortages meant that their usual substrate and inks were not available . Or just trying to cut costs? Saving money isn’t a bad thing. But it is, if it cuts down on the product’s quality.
Powder room before. Note the blue ceiling . I applied a white pigmented wallpaper primer ( Roman Pro 977 Ultra Prime ) to the walls . Done! So cheery and fun and lively! These flowers just make you smile when you walk in here!Toilet corner before. I’m grateful to the husband for removing the toilet tank, as well as the sink / vanity. This sure saved me a lot of time and squeezing into tight spots. The red square in the back is wall area that was blocked by the toilet tank, so previous painters were not able to reach that area. It had a heavy sand texture on it, which I took a little extra time to skim-float and then sand smooth. Nobody’s going to see it, but it will help the wallpaper adhere better . Toilet corner after. The corner you’re looking at was off-plumb by about 1/2″ from top to bottom, so there is a bit of a pattern mis-match as you get closer to the floor. Not a biggie with this wild pattern, plus it’s mostly hidden behind the toilet.Hard to see, but the focus of the photo is an angled wall under the stairs . The blue ceiling coordinates perfectly with the colors in the wallpaper . This is by Rifle Paper , and is called Garden Party . Every Rifle Paper I’ve hung previously has been on a non-woven substrate , and could be installed by the paste-the-wall method. The label said this was a PTW (see diagram of brush putting paste on the wall) … but it surprised me, because it was NOT! It was on a regular paper stock, and I’m betting it’s the same material that York prints its SureStrip line as well as the Spoonflower brand. I assumed the directions and diagram were correct, so first I pasted the paper and then took it immediately to the wall, with no booking time. Lo and behold, I got bubbles on the wall. This happens because the paper is absorbing moisture from the paste and expanding. With no way to escape being trapped between the paper and the wall, the moisture ” off gas es” and pushes away from the wall ,,, resulting in those bubbles. My solution was to treat the material as a traditional pasted wallpaper. So I pasted the back, folded pasted-side-to-pasted-side (called booking ), and then placed it into a black plastic trash bag for a few minutes. This allows the paper to absorb moisture from the paste, expand, and relax , all before it goes onto the wall. This is a pretty sure way to prevent the appearance of bubbles or blisters or wrinkles. The townhome is in the Highland Village / Galleria area of Houston .
The lady of the house likes glitter and bling, but didn’t want to over do it in the dining room. She also didn’t want anything too rigid or precise.
This rather scratchy, indistinct damask by York works perfectly. There’s a bit of glitter, but not overwhelming, plus a light texture that adds a pleasing effect.
This is a non-woven material, and so could be hung using the paste-the-wall method, which works nicely for an accent / feature wall like this.
In the last photo, you see me measuring off the strips, rolling them backwards (to prevent the surface from bopping into the pasted wall), and lining them up in the order they will be hung on the wall. Because I pasted the wall, there was no need for me to haul in my big work / pasting table. The PTW method is also very clean, because pastes goes on the wall only, so no messy wet scraps and no need to wipe paste off the woodwork.
This homeowner is all about glitz and sparkle and glitter, and originally she sought something of that ilk for the accent wall behind the headboard in their master bedroom. But she realized that if she toned down the wall, then the other aspects of the room (furniture, bedding, artwork) would stand out more.
So she went for this. I think it looks like roiling storm clouds rolling across the room. There is just enough glitter to make the wall sparkle in a subtle glow.
The pattern is by Exclusive Wallcoverings. It is an embossed (textured – see close-up shot) vinyl on a non-woven backing. I used the paste-the-wall installation method.
In the “before” photo, you see me rolling out the bolts to get a bead on the design, as well as the pattern match and placement, and measure out and cut my strips.
With PTW, it works best to roll your strips backward (from bottom up, and with the substrate facing out). Then, when you take these to the pasted wall, there is little chance of paste getting on the face of the wallpaper.
The home is in the Heights neighborhood of Houston.
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