Welcome to this inagural issue of the "Wallpaper Times." In this newsletter, to be published twice a year, we will cover topics of interest to the increasing number of consumers who recognize the beauty, and appreciate the value, of wallpaper. The industry is certainly changing as are the customers who purchase the product. There is no such thing as a typical wallpaper customer. And, the range of materials and pattern choices make wallcovering an excellent choice for any decor from the most traditional to the most contemporary. Even the uses for wallcovering are evolving.

The wallcovering industry has managed to confuse customers for years over product specifics. Even today, advertisements for wallcovering are not consistent in how they describe the product being offered. Some ads are priced per single roll, some per double roll; some offer the dimensions for a single roll, some for a double roll.

Manufacturers typically package wallpaper in double rolls, while most hand prints come in triple rolls. Most wallcovering is 20.5 inches wide although some patterns are 27 inches wide and some, particularly grasscloth, are 36 inches wide. A double roll of wallcovering that is 20.5 inches wide is 33 feet long. A double roll of wallcovering that is 27 inches wide is 27 feet long. A double roll of wallcovering that is 36 inches wide is 24 feet long. So if you are ordering a single roll, you will want to divide the double roll length dimensions listed above, in half.

Wallcovering is moving towards high drama. The drama is achieved by adding texture and three dimensional objects to designs that run the color spectrum from deep purples to warm blacks and glacial whites. Colors tend to be richer, deeper and more noteworthy than the typical pastels of the past. And the new textures incorporate a full range of natural materials that are impregnated into the actual substrate. Included are sand, glass, crystal and metallic shavings. The result is a unique, random, custom finish.

Water boxes or water trays are often the product of choice for pre-pasted wallpaper. But, based on years of experience, the experts at our partner company U.S. Wallcovering, have come to question the use of water trays. When you use a water box (tray), the basic ingredient is 'water' & it is difficult to control the rate of water absorption which can ultimately impact the quality of the total project.

If you use a water box for pre-pasted wallpaper, the water will cause the paper to expland. The water will evaporate quickly not allowing the paper adequate time to expland to a stable size. Under these conditions, when you take the paper to the wall, the paper is still absorbing moisture & you will have to smooth out bubbles & wrinkles. You will end up overworking the paper beyond its stable size. Once the paper reverts to its natural stable size, you will get shrinkage of seams and seam curling.

The preferred installation method for pre-pasted papers is to use an Adhesive designed for pre-pasted paper. Apply the Adhesive with a roller (roller is preferred over a brush for a more uniform application) to one-half of the wallpaper strip & fold the strip towards the center; then, apply Adhesive to the other half of the strip & fold that towards the center. Then loosely roll (do not fold) the entire strip up and let it rest for 7-8 minutes. This is referred to as Booking. The Adhesive does not evaporate as quickly as water, thus allowing adequate time for the paper to expand & become stable during the 7-8 minute booking process.