Wallpaper 101: So you want wallpaper? What now?
Wallpaper can be intimidating, and if you've never used it before, you may have a few questions. On this page you'll find the papering basics you'll want to know before hiring Paper Dolls!
Textured Walls
The texture of your walls is the first thing to take note of when considering wallpaper. Most wallpapers will not hide wall texture, but rather accentuate it. If your walls have textured finishes like orange peel, popcorn, or machine brocade, you may want us to skim coat your walls.
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Skim coating is the process of adding a layer of joint compound to your walls, which fills in any crevasses and ridges, leaving a smooth surface for us to install on. This process is permanent. If you were ever to remove the wallpaper, and wanted the original texture back, you would need to re-texturize your walls.
Bare minimum, your walls should be primed.
Whether you decided to skim coat your textured walls or not, adding a layer of wallpaper primer is essential to our installation process (this is a service we offer, and insist on). Priming walls creates a thin barrier between your wall and the wallpaper being installed. Its primary purpose is to protect your walls in the event that you ever wanted your wallpaper removed. It also aids in a smooth installation, and provides a reliable surface for our glue to adhere to.
Types of Wallpaper
Traditional
Traditional wallpaper feels like, well, paper. This style of wallpaper comes in various thicknesses depending on where you order from and the quality of the paper. While the printed pattern may rise off the paper a bit (this usually happens with hand printed papers) the paper itself is untextured.
Grasscloth
Grasscloth is a natural fiber wallpaper and is very textured. Being natural, it tends to have shading and imperfections. This is intentional and brings character and texture into rooms. Most grasscloth will show seams, so be prepared for this and set your expectations accordingly.
Peel and Stick
Peel and stick is a renter-friendly wallpaper, and/or is a great idea if you don't want to commit to wallpaper for too long. It functions like a very large sticker, and can be removed by simply peeling it off the wall. Peel and stick papers rip easily and should not be used in high-traffic areas.
Vinyl
Vinyl wallpaper is a durable and wipeable option for high-traffic areas in your home or business space. It is suitable for bathrooms seeing as it is more moisture resistant than other types of paper. It has a plastic-like feel to it and a gloss finish as oppose to traditional wallpaper, which tends to be matte.
Wallpaper Companies We Love!
Need to get inspired and browse some different wallpapers? Check out our list of paper companies below that we use and love!
