Unveiling Wallpaper: Everything You Need to Know!

Wallpapers as we already know can be used as an alternative for paint for a specific wall. The main advantage that wallpaper has over the paint is that due to the imprinted designs or the patterns on the wallpaper it usually becomes really easy to decorate a wall with ease. It saves both time and money.

So here are a few things that you might want to know regarding the wallpaper.

Which colour to choose?

If you are really perplexed about the colour then you can just think it on yourself that what do you actually like? Is it the calm things that soothe you? Or are you comfortable with vibrant looks and colours? The only thing that you need to be sure of is that you do not mismatch things. (For instance, you have wooden furniture at your home and you select vibrant purple coloured wallpaper and the sofa cloth colour is that of a coffee colour). This will appear as if you have not pre-planned for the things and have mismatched the whole scenario. Also, the thing that you need to remember is that do take your time and select the colour that best suits your home because after all, it is a long time investment.

Things that you need to know are that warm colours like (red, orange, and blue) seems to be informal and cosy. Warm colours are usually picked for common areas like the dining or the drawing-room. Blues, greens, lavenders and greys are cool colours. They are often used in bathrooms and other small rooms. Cool colours make a room look bigger and is formal as well. So select accordingly according to locations and your needs also the space available.

Will patterns affect the look of my room?

Yes. Patterns do affect the look of your room. There are different kinds of patterns like small prints all over the wallpaper, larger prints apart from each other, Large patterns on all the walls with plain, light ceilings, geometric prints, Patterns with strong vertical lines, Horizontal stripes, Diagonal stripes. Small patterns all over the wall will make it look like a background colour only and will seem to be generally formal. Whereas large patterns over the wall add visuals to the room. It makes the room feel more intimate. Geometric prints give a greater impression of continuous space when applied to all the walls. On one hand, patterns that have vertical lines make the ceiling look higher than it actually is and on other hand horizontal lined patterns make the room look wider than it actually is. Whereas diagonal lined patterns will create some illusionary movement kind of a look. Therefore yes patterns do affect the look of a room

So this is how the patterns can affect the look of your home. Therefore it is suggested to look out for the best-suited pattern according to the needs.

What can I do with a border?

Borders are something that beautifies the room and can make it look more formal and nice. It gives a room a look of completeness. The designs and the colours do not look vague but due to the existence of the borders, the look of the room looks complete and finished. Borders do add grace to the looks of a room. You can also make your own borders by cutting a favourite wallpaper. Stripes and floral strips work best for this. Transform plain wallpaper with attractive wallpaper borders. The intricate detailing adds a luxurious touch of class to any room. For a more rustic, natural feel, consider brick wallpaper for a unique and textured look. A peel and stick border is the most fashion-forward way to create the look yourself. These wall decal borders create a stylish stripe of colour that can easily be removed or repositioned. A fresh take on a wallpaper border, we have perfectly pretty border designs for every room from the nursery to formal dining room decor.

Wallpaper calculator: How many sheets or rolls do you need for your room?

When you have decided on the best-suited wallpaper for your room you need to buy the wallpaper. But then when the shopkeeper asks you about how much do you need you to have no idea. So here is the proper way by which you can approximately calculate that how much wallpaper would be required by you to cover the wall of your room.  Finding wall coverings you love is easy, but determining a budget and staying within it can be complicated and confusing. That's when a wallpaper calculator can help. What you need to do is to pre-calculate the area that you are planning to cover. Also do not forget the edges or the trims that will be required to cover the wall area. The wallpaper will be required for these areas also and so it is recommended that you purchase a bit more than the required area because the wallpaper may be required for the fittings and also for the bottom of walls, near ceilings, around doors and windows, and sometimes across the middle of walls. Remember that with patterned papers that must match at the seams, you may need as much as 25 per cent more wallpaper than your initial calculations, in order to ensure that it looks good and lines up properly. 

How to prepare the wall?

Now finally you have bought the wallpaper and all that is required is to apply the wallpaper over the walls and now you need to see that how one can prepare the wall for the perfect application of the wallpaper. Firstly you need to know that if the wall is prepared in a nice manner then it will affect the life of the wallpaper. So the steps to prepare the wall nicely are stated below:

1^st step involves scraping out the extra paint from the wall. It consists of the old paint that needs to be scrapped away from the wall. This is done with the help of an iron plate kind of a thing.

Secondly, you need to putty the wall and make it really even. This is done with the help of putty or vinyl spackling compound as you may call it. If the wall is not even then it may lead to problems in the future for the wallpaper. The holes and the cracks of the wall have to be covered for the best results.

Once the putty or the vinyl spackling compound is applied over the wall and all the holes and the cracks are filled evenly then it should be left to dry up. Make sure you give proper time to let it dry well. Surfaces coated with flat (non-gloss) paint should be scraped (if old and flaking), sanded smooth and washed with an all-purpose cleaner.

Now once the putty is well dried up it is time to cover the wall with a layer of primer. You can select the best primer as per your needs. We do recommend an acrylic primer for this purpose. And then leave it to dry. Now your wall is prepared well for the wallpaper to be pasted up on the wall.

Applying the wallpaper:

Finally, it is now time to apply the wallpaper over the wall. Firstly, we recommend that you hire a professional painter for this purpose because it will lead to the proper application of the wallpaper over the wall and there will be really fewer chances of any occurrence of the mistakes. Whereas if you do it yourself and you are not trained for this then you may mess up things. Here is a simple guide on how you can apply the wallpaper to the walls. Here is the list of the tools that will be required by you to apply the wallpaper correctly in its place. Smoothing tool, Roller and tray or pasting brush (for non-pasted wallpaper), Trim guide (or broad knife), Sharp shears, Wall primer Seam roller, Razor knife with extra blades, Bucket & sponge, sandpaper, border adhesive, water tray, level or plumb line, stick, drop cloth, paste or glue (for non-pasted wallpapers)

Be very sure that you do it with high accuracy. The first strip of the wallpaper should be straight hung on the wall. This will ensure a perfect wallpaper job. You can ensure that the wallpaper is straight by measuring by a scale. Always start from the edge of the wall and mark the measurements with a help of a pencil. If the beginning of the application is right then it is probable that you will get the wallpaper straight and perfect. Also do not forget to cut the extras from the trims and the edges to make it neat.

Now there are two kinds of wallpapers: pre-pasted and non-pasted. The application of both the wallpapers vary from each other. Pre-pasted wallpaper requires getting submerged in water for 15-20 seconds and then the roll of the wallpaper is unrolled. The excess water is allowed to get off and then the wallpaper is put on the wall. Whereas in the case of non-pasted wallpaper  Unroll paper and apply the adhesive with a pasting brush or roller to the back of the paper, starting at the centre and working outwards. Be sure edges are well coated.

How to clean the wallpaper?

It is obvious that you may dirty the wallpaper or it may get dirty by itself due to the dust etc. So now we will see that how can we clean the wallpaper with ease and in the best possible manner to make it dust-free or stain free. Depending on what your new wallpaper is made of, there are simple steps you can take to keep it looking fabulous. 

Wallpapers that have vinyl coverings are really easy to clean. They can be cleaned easily with the help of mild soap and a drop cloth. Things that you must remember before cleaning a wallpaper is that after all it is paper and therefore a lot of water must not be applied and also you must not scrub very hard. Be very gentle and try to wipe it with a dry cloth as soon as possible else it is possible that it may leave water stains on the wallpaper. For tough or sticky stains, you might be tempted to use one of those magic eraser sponges. But it is advisable to first try with mild soap because the magic eraser may lead to the removal of the top layer of the wallpaper and thus making it look odd. But the wallpapers which have a texture that of raw silk, grasscloth, or string cloth cannot be cleaned with ease. Stains can be removed with the help of some cleaning solution and a drop cloth. No matter what variety of wallpaper you choose, there's a way to maintain a fresh look for as long as you like.

So these were a few queries cleared about the wallpapers that arise in your minds. Now you can select the best wallpaper as per your need and can apply it yourself with ease. All you need is some patience and the right strategy to do it. Keep in mind that you do not panic in any case because then it may lead to a bad wallpaper job. Also do not forget that if you have got your wallpaper dirty then you do not rub it harshly and rub it with gentle hands and also the solution that you use for the cleaning purpose should be gentle else it may lead to the fading of the colour of the wallpaper and thus making it look lame.

So all the best for the wallpaper job. Choose. Measure. Apply. And keep it clean. And make your home shine like it is Diwali every day.

Thank you!