Wallpaper
Basics
The decision to wallpaper is a smart and economical one. Today's easy-to-handle
wallpapers and printed borders are extremely popular. Wallpaper adds personality
to a living space and provides good value, especially considering how
long it can last.
Wallpaper 101
Wallcovering can be used on walls, ceilings, around windows, doors and
baseboards. The wallcovering family includes burlap, cork, embossed paper,
fabric, foamed vinyl, foils, grasses, hand or screen prints, and washable
prints. It is sold in rolls, and comes pre-pasted, which must be soaked
in a tray of water to activate the paste, or glue-ready. Prepasted vinyl
wallcovering is by far the easiest to handle. The others, especially those
made of fibrous materials, are more difficult to hang and maintain.
Wallcovering is priced by the single roll,
but packaged in double rolls called a double-roll bolt. Residential wallcovering
is made in 20 and one half, 27-inch and 36-inch widths; the wider the
roll, the more area you'll cover with each strip. Remember, however, that
patterns repeat. This means that what you see in the wallpaper book will
multiply and repeat over and over again. How much of any pattern you will
see depends on the pattern repeat measurement. In general, any pattern
with a repeat of 6 inches or less will appear quite busy. Larger patterns
with a repeat of 12 inches or more will appear more random and be easier
on the eye, especially in a small room. Whatever your pattern choice,
keep durability, washability and strippability in mind. Some papers are
easier to maintain than others.
Think Long-Term
There are things to consider before wallpapering, particularly since the
wallpaper you're looking at may be around longer than you expect. It's
not unusual for homeowners to keep the same wallpaper for 15 or 20 years,
so think long term when picking out a pattern or material. Babies grow
up, little girls turn to sports, psychedelics are replaced by pastels,
and decorating trends change, so beware the bold patterns and themes.
Wall imperfections
Hanging wallpaper can expose or mask the imperfections in your home. It
can hide a corner that isn't really square or a window frame that runs
slightly uphill. In general, stripes make a room seem taller and draw
the eye up vertically. With stripes, however, crooked walls or windows
become very visible. Florals and random repeats hide imperfect lines,
which is why flowers abound in classic Victorians. Colors also affect
the feel of a room. Light color seems to open up a room, making it larger.
Dark colors do just the opposite.
Take Measure
When wallpapering, you don't want to get caught short. First measure the
height and width of each wall, then multiply them to get your square footage.
Subtract 10 square feet for every door or full-sized window. Add together
the square footages of each wall for a total wall area. You must know
the pattern repeat for this method to work, so let a sales professional
calculate how much paper you'll need. He or she may suggest you use the
strip method, which determines your wallpaper needs based on the perimeter
measurement of the room, the height of the ceilings, the pattern repeat,
and the matching required.
Remember that the excess paper you trim
to match patterns and fit corners counts as waste. When you're hanging
paper with a pattern repeat, you'll need the pattern to line up, again
creating waste. Vertical patterns repeat anywhere from 1 to 25 inches.
The greater the distance between repeats, the more paper you will need
for matching, the more rolls you will need to buy, and the more waste
you will create. For all of these reasons, professionals recommend buying
an extra roll or two, in the same dye lot.
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Quick
Tips |
Dye
lot numbers
Every roll of wallpaper is identified by a dye lot number, which
may also be referred to as the run, batch or shade number. This
number is important because it ensures that all of your paper will
carry the same shade and ink qualities. Though the printing process
and the pattern may be the same, ink doesn't always take to the
paper the same way. Differences in shade and pattern can be dramatic,
so don't mix and match dye lot numbers. If the store doesn't have
enough rolls from the same batch, ask them to order it specially.
If you do have to reorder, ask for the same dye lot number.
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