Wallpaper Inn: Everything You Need To Know About Wallpaper

Wallpaper offers a world of versatility in interior design. Choose from bold prints and patterns to muted tones and textured wallpaper for a truly inspired look. Here we share everything you need to know before deciding on wallpaper in your space.

Endless possibility

Wallpaper comes in a range of colours, patterns and designs to suit your unique style and circumstances. At Wallpaper Inn, you will find over a thousand different wallpapers to match the perfect style, texture and colour to complement and uplift your space.

Instant and easy

Unlike other wall applications, wallpaper is super easy to install. Simply apply the paper to the wall and voila. Wallpaper is both practical and functional. It is often quicker to apply wallpaper than to paint. There is no need for a second or third coat and once your wallpaper is up, the job is done.

Most wallpapers are also easy to maintain with variations of paper that can simply be wiped down to clean. And if you wish to redecorate in the future, wallpapers are that much easier to remove.

Where to begin?

With so much choice on the market today, it is important to do your research and define which colours and styles you prefer. Shop around and look out for the latest designs and trends. Choose something you love and that you will want to feature in your space.

At Wallpaper Inn you will find a selection of wallpapers that are affordable, fashionable and trendy. There is something for everyone whether you are doing a child’s room, dining room, bedroom or even a bathroom or kitchen.

You can also shop their wallpaper by design here. We love the wood-look finish as well as geometrics and stripes. Stone and brick patterns also create a more natural finish, so depending on your desired outcome, you can search by design and choose a pattern you love. Wallpaper Inn also have the timeless damask in many different looks to bring your room to life.

Measure Up

The one big consideration when buying wallpaper is the size. You will need to measure the space properly in order to purchase the right size. Too small and your wallpaper will not work. Too big and you may have to cut off and have a ton of wastage at the end of your project.

What surfaces should you measure? Everything that you wish to cover in wallpaper should be sized up.

Most roll wallcoverings are made to a standard size – 10.05m long and about 530mm wide. A few, such as lining paper and woodchip paper also come in longer rolls.

The cheapest patterned wallpaper you can buy is simply printed, so it’s very vulnerable to stains and physical damage. Avoid this type except for ceilings and for walls in protected locations – the back wall of an alcove, for example.

Washable or spongeable wallpapers are a little more expensive but have a plastic coating.

Applied over the design so they’ll withstand staining and can be sponged down without wetting the paper. The waterproof coating makes them difficult to strip, however – you may need a steam stripper. Hang them in rooms subject to moderate daily wear, using a paste containing a fungicide to stop mould growing as the paste dries out. Some washable papers are sold ready-pasted – with a layer of dried paste on the back which you activate by soaking each length in a trough of water before hanging it.

What types of wallpaper are available?

Vinyl Wallpaper

Vinyl wallpaper has the design printed on the plastic surface layer, and this is bonded during manufacture to a paper backing for ease of hanging. This makes vinyls much tougher than washables – you can scrub them if necessary – and makes them easy to strip too. You just peel off the plastic surface layer, then soak and strip the plain paper backing from the wall. Hang them in steamy rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms, and in areas where heavy wear or marking are expected – stairwells, for example. Hang them with paste containing a fungicide. Ready-pasted vinyls are also available.

Blown Vinyl Wallpaper

The vinyl surface layer of this wallpaper contains tiny air bubbles that expand its thickness and allow it to be embossed in register with the surface design – for example, to resemble ceramic tiling. Plain textured vinyls are also available, intended for overpainting once hung. They’re tougher than relief wallpapers.

Relief Wallpaper

Relief wallpapers are plain papers embossed with regular or random designs and are intended to be overpainted once hung. They are ideal for covering up defects such as cracks and lumps on wall and ceiling surfaces, but need hanging with care to avoid flattening the emboss. Use any type of paste.

Woodchip Paper

Woodchip paper has small chips of wood sandwiched between two layers of paper, giving a surface texture resembling coarse porridge. It’s a very inexpensive paper that covers wall defects well, and is intended to be overpainted once hung. Use any type of paste.

Lining Paper

This plain smooth paper is used to line walls that contain a lot of cracks or are of uneven porosity. It comes in two grades – 800 (standard) and 1000 (heavy-duty trade) – and is hung horizontally with butted joints. It can also be used as an economy coverup wallpaper, hung vertically and then painted with emulsion paint.

Borders

Borders are narrow rolls of printed washable or vinyl wallpaper used as a contrast to the rest of the wall finish – at ceiling level, for example, or next to picture or dado rails. They’re hung on painted walls with paste containing a fungicide. If they are being hung over a washable or vinyl wallpaper, you need to use a special ready mixed border adhesive.