A Guide to Various Types of Wallpaper

Bewildered by phrases such as paste the wall, grasscloth, and peel-and-stick? Read on to discover the various wallpaper options available to you.

Wallpaper is a continuation of a long-standing practice of treating walls as works of art.

However, while attractive patterns attract people to wallpaper, the wallpaper's composition maintains the art on the wall for as long as a cave painting.

Wallpaper has two equally essential components:

• The support: This determines the method of wallpaper attachment to the wall. The term used in the field is substrate.
• The face: This impacts the appearance and durability, colorfastness, and washability of the wallpaper. The term technically employed is front of sheet.

Wallpapers can feature any combination of front and backing materials.

Nonpasted: Nonwoven or Wall-Paste Backing

Similar to paper felt, nonwoven backings are composed of paper strands that have been compressed.

Using this backing, paste is applied to the wall; then, the wallpaper is adhered on top. This method can be used to apply nonwoven papers because the backing material does not shrink when wet.

Pros

• DIY installation is simple. It is less untidy and quicker than traditional "paste-the-paper" backing since it eliminates the need to pre-measure and pre-cut papers before hanging them on the wall. It can be hung while still on the roll, then trimmed.
• This wallpaper can be moved slightly on the wall after installation, which is useful for pattern matching.

Cons

• You must utilize the correct paste for your wallpaper. Check the wallpaper's label to determine the appropriate paste. Obtaining the proper paste is essential for keeping wallpaper adhered to the wall and facilitating its removal in the future.
• Not as clean as peel-and-stick wallpaper.

Paste-the-Paper-Only Backing

This is the most conventional variety. This sort of backing will flex slightly once the paste is applied, so you apply the paste to the wallpaper and not the wall.

Pros

• A conventional method for applying wallpaper.

Cons

• Wallpaper requires the proper adhesive paste.
• Messiest application.
• Best suited for a DIY expert or a professional.

Pre-Pasted Support

This contains chemicals on the back that must be activated with water. Typical techniques of soaking pre-pasted wallpaper might oversaturate the material, resulting in a messy installation. Misting the backing simplifies and reduces the messiness of the application.

Pros

• You never have to question if you purchased the correct or incorrect paste.
• You save a step by avoiding wallpaper paste.

Cons

• Can be untidy

Stick-and-Peel Backing

The adhesive on the back of the peel-and-stick wallpaper requires no activation. Remove the protective backing, and it is ready to adhere to the wall. It is frequently combined with a vinyl front.

Pros

• No messy paste.
• Application requires only a utility knife, a smoothing tool, and possibly a putty knife.

Cons

• If the pattern does not align as you install this wallpaper, you must remove it from the wall and reapply it. It cannot be moved like paste-the-wall nonwoven wallpaper.
• If you remove the backing too quickly, the pattern can extend slightly.
• Older peel-and-sticks had a tendency to peel off walls quickly or adhere excessively well. Modern manufacturers have resolved most of these issues.