Papering over the faults

A continuation of last week's column, but these are the faults we sometimes come across when wallpapering but really don't understand how or why they have come about. Over the years I have probably experienced most of these faults in my application or in private homes. There are so many different papers in today's market and some papers need to be treated with more care than others.

For years we have had good solid vinyls, the indestructible type we see in most family homes; but imagine hanging a beaded paper or a bold stripe finished in metallic or a pearlised paper that shimmers on the wall.

Without the correct technique, reliable tools or not having read the instructions these are some of the faults you may come across.

Application Faults

Tearing: I'm referring to obvious rips or tears in the hung wallpaper. This is often caused by careless trimming of the top or bottom edges due to blunt blades or the blade being used on the wrong angle. If the paper has been left to rest too long and becomes too wet it can also pose a problem when cutting or trimming. (It can also be caused by the paper hanger falling off the ladder while trying to hang a 10ft drop at 6am before rushing off to work. Fortunately no one was hurt and we managed to smooth the paper out and hang it - just as well as it was the last drop of a deleted line).

Inaccurate Finishing: This is often seen as an uneven finish at the top or bottom of the drop or careless trimming, often done too fast. No scribing before trimming or the straight edge being held incorrectly can also cause this problem.

Staining: I'm referring to the face of the paper. More delicate papers need to be treated with care as the oils in your hands can mark the paper. Paste and unclean tools or rags can also mark paper. Imagine that lovely wide metallic stripe with finger prints and glue on the leading edge.

Poor matching: Paper that is matched perfectly at the top and part way down becomes impossible to match. This is usually caused by excessive downward brushing. Partially removing the paper from the wall because it may not quite be in the right place can also result in poor matching as the paper can stretch. Long lengths of wallpaper that have been folded in half and left to long can have stretching on the fold. Trimming faults may come under this as well.

Polishing: Shiny patches or lines down the length of the seams are often caused by paste on the face of the paper that hasn't been removed or over use of a seam roller or rubbing the seams with a rag. If there isn't enough paste under the seams no amount of rolling or rubbing is going to make the paper adhere, rather it will push the remaining paste away from the seam.

Blistering or Bubbling: Round or oval bubbles of air trapped under the paper will sometimes appear. This is usually caused by a poor brushing technique when applying the paste, or can be caused by incorrect wall preparation. For example if there is dust under the paper or a lack of size the paper has nothing to adhere to.

Expansion Bubbles: These are long narrow bubbles that form towards the centre of the paper. This is caused by not allowing the paper to expand and relax before hanging. Always read the instructions on the time required.

Wrinkles: These are usually caused by excessive brushing or rolling and stretching the paper. Other causes may be that the wall isn't straight or the paper hasn't been hung straight. Most of us would have had this happen at some stage. Sometimes they will disappear overnight if there isn't too much damage done to the paper but in most cases we probably try and force the wrinkles out and in doing so make them permanent.

Loss of Emboss: Heavily embossed papers are papers that have the pattern pressed into them by the use of male and female rollers in production. It is logical if you apply too much pressure with either a brush or a roller when hanging you press out the pattern.

My husband and I hung embossed wallpaper on to the ceiling of our old villa. We only had a small area to paper and as neither of us had seen it done professionally it was very much trial and error with a lot of laughing and paste everywhere. Embossed paper can be heavy and once we thought we had the paper in the right place, moved along the roll to the other end we turned to find the first stage slowly peeling its way off the ceiling. Hence we forced some of the embossing out of the paper with the brooms we were using. But it was on the ceiling and not a well lit area so we managed to get away with it, just!

Peeling/Lifting: This can be caused by the paste being too thin or stale (it does have a use by date). Other causes are incorrect paste, excessive porosity, which is usually caused by the substrate not being prepared correctly i.e. not being sealed, no size or dust.

And my pet hate...

Joins or seams opening: This is caused during the drying process, so on application you have a perfect job, in the morning you don't. Common causes are incorrect wall prep, over use of a roller, heat either natural or artificial and scribing (double cutting). And always wallpaper in good light.

So does that bring back a few unwanted memories? Or does it make you laugh at some of the silly things you've done? For me it brings back good memories - of a young married couple doing crazy early morning stints wallpapering before racing off to work or working with Dad and learning from him. Wallpapering can be fun, take your time, read the instructions and go for it.

If you have any questions about issues discussed or product supply give me a call on 027 602 3298 or email me at terry@terrylobb.com. www.terrylobb.com (website under construction)