Frequently Asked Questions

Problem Walls

What products are best if I have problem wall?

Wall Doctor is the ideal product for those problem walls. Wall Doctor can cover lumps and bumps in your walls and it has also been designed to cover panelling and even woodchip. Some of our other expanded products can also be an effective remedy to problem walls, for example Superfresco Colours and Superfresco Paintables.

What products are best for high traffic areas?

Superfresco 5x Tougher has been specifically designed for those high traffic areas such as hallways and stairs, as it is proven tobe 5 times tougher than our conventional Superfresco papers.

I'm thinking of using lining paper over painted anaglypta without stripping. Is this possible as is with woodchip?

This is not recommended. For correct surface prep you should remove wallpaper. If you want to cover up the texture then try wall doctor woodchip cover, instead of lining paper. This will help cover up the Anaglypta underneath.

Paintable Wallpaper

Does superfresco paintable wallpaper require painting straight away?

You do not need to paint superfresco paintable wallpaper at all, however if you do wish to paint it you can.

How long should I wait before painting paintable wallpaper?

You must wait until the paper is dry

Match & Repeats

Why is the batch number important?

Always check that the batch number on each roll is the same. There may be slight colour differences between production runs and batches.

Should I check the colour match?

Check all colours match roll to roll and edge to edge, as there may be slight colour differences between production runs and batches.

What is a pattern repeat?

Wallpaper is printed using cylinders, with the design attached to the circumference of the cylinder. As a result after each revolution of the printing cylinder that pattern is printed again - or - repeats. For example, visually you may see that every now and then on a wall the same flower head appears. This is the pattern repeat. Pattern repeats are often accompanied with a measurement, for example 64cm. This would indicate (in this example) the distance between the appearances of the first flower head and the second flower head.

What is a free match?

A free match is the easiest to hang as no matter how the strips of wallpaper are hung next to each other the design has no match, so no visible joins or seams.

What is an offset match?

An offset match is where the right hand edge of the first strip only matches with the left hand edge of the next strip, when the second wallpaper is dropped by a specified distance.

What is a straight match?

A straight match is where the left and right edge of the wallpaper matches in a straight horizontal line with the left and right edge of the next strip of wallpaper.

Wallpaper Application

What type of paste do I use?

A general all purpose wallpaper adhesive is suitable for most wallpaper. For Wall Doctor products, such as woodchip cover, use extra strong adhesive. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on which paste to use.

How do I hang conventional or ‘normal’ wallpapers?

Step 1: Cut lengths. Measure the drop from the coving or ceiling to the floor allowing 50mm or 2 inch at both ends for trimming. Step 2: Applying paste. Apply the paste liberally and brush outwards to evenly dispense the paste. Step 3: Leave the paste to soak. Leave paste to soak following the instructions on the wallpaper label. Once you have hung a length of wallpaper: Step 4: Trim off excess paper. Trim the ends as soon as you have hung each strip. Run the back of your scissors along the edge of the wallpaper, this will leave a visible crease on the front and back of the wallpaper, cut along this crease and brush back into place for a perfect finish. Step 5: Remove excess paste from paper. Remove excess paste with a damp sponge immediately. Apply next length making sure to match the paper.

When should I use lining paper?

We would always recommend using lining paper as the perfect base on which to hang wallpaper.

What is cross lining?

Cross lining means hanging the lining paper horizontally to give an even more professional finish when the wallpaper is hung over it.

Is wallpaper easy to remove?

Our ‘Paste-the-wall’ wallpapers and Superfresco papers peel off easily when it’s time for a change, simply lift a corner at the base of the wall and peel upwards.

What is 'sizing'?

Sizing is a term used for applying a coat of paste to a wall prior to decorating. Sizing will normally involve applying a diluted solution of wallpaper adhesive to the wall prior to applying the paper, this process isn't always necessary but we would recommend it if applying paper to newly plastered/repaired or any other porous surface.

Other

I recently ordered from you and have 1 roll unopened remaining, can I return this?

Goods should be returned in a saleable condition within 7 working days following delivery of the goods

Is it possible to get old/archived wallpaper?

We do stock wallpapers that aren't available on our website and it may be possible that we may have some stock of an older wallpaper, if you have a pattern number or name that would help us to locate this product. If you contact our customer service team on 0800 328 8452 or email them at help.is@grahambrown.com they will be more than happy to help.

Decorating Tips

What is a plumb line?

It is important to hang the first strip of wallpaper vertically. To do this mark a vertical line with a plumb bob or spirit level, and draw a pencil line. This will give a vertical line to start hanging to.

How do you select a plain wallpaper to work with a feature wall?

By using our co-ordinating product tab when viewing products you can see which plain or semi plain we recommend using

Should I trim before or after wallpaper is hung?

You should always trim after hanging wallpaper. Run the back of your scissors along the edge of the wallpaper, this will leave a visible crease on the front and back of the wallpaper, cut along this crease and brush back into place for a perfect finish.

I am going to paint wall doctor lining paper with emulsion. The instructions say hang horizontally but this would be for normal use as lining paper. Should I hang vertically for painting over?

Either would be suitable for a paint finish, however horizontal hanging would disguise the joins slightly better.

Can I use emulsion paint over lining paper?

Yes, lining paper will provide a good surface for all emulsion paint. Saying that you can also purchase a 'Decorative Effect' lining paper which provides an even better surface for painting.

Kitchen & Bathroom

What wallpaper is best for my kitchen and bathroom?

A vinyl wallpaper is suitable for use in the kitchen or bathroom, although no wallpaper is recommended for use in direct contact with water. Vinyl wallpapers resist moisture and are splash proof. Our Contour range is specifically designed for kitchens and bathrooms but Superfresco wallpapers can also be used.

Can contour kitchen wallpaper be applied over ceramic tiles?

No, we would not recommend this. We could not guarantee adhesion and there is a strong likelihood that the grout lines would show though the paper and moisture may get behind the paper. If you do not want to remove your tiles, we would recommend tile paint, this is available from www.ronseal.co.uk

Paste The Wall

What is the best paste to use on superfresco easy. Is it best to paste the wall or the paper?

We recommend using a strong all-purpose wallpaper adhesive. Easy is a paste the wall product so when pasting the wall, don't paste the entire wall before starting to hang your wallpaper. Simply paste one section at a time. If you find it easier to hang conventionally then you can paste the back of the product. It is still quicker as there is no soaking time.

What is ‘Paste-the-Wall’?

‘Paste-the-wall’ uses a special backing paper that does not expand when it gets wet. As it doesn't need to soak, the paste can beapplied directly to the wall which saves a lot of time compared to regular wallpapers. Therefore the product can be hung quicklyand easily, cutting decorating time by half.

How do I hang ‘Paste-the-Wall’ wallpapers?

After following the normal checks of batches, and drawing a plumb line follow these 3 easy steps: Step 1: Paste the wall rather than the paper. This is the quickest, cleanest and easiest way to wallpaper as unlike conventional wallpaper you can paste the wall rather than the paper, meaning no soak time and no pasting table, cutting decorating time in half. Step 2: Hang dry straight from the roll. Because ‘Paste-the-wall’ products are dimensionally stable when wet there is no need to soak them. This means the product can be hung dry from the roll, with less mess. Step 3: Trim for perfect finish. Because it is hung dry ‘Paste-the-wall’ is easier to trim either with a knife or by running the back of your scissors along the edge of the wallpaper. This will leave a visible crease on the front and back of the wallpaper, cut along this crease and brush back into place for a perfect finish. Plus: It is easy to remove. ‘Paste-the-wall’ is easy to remove when you fancy a change - simply lift a corner and peel upwards to remove.

Do I need a pasting table when using Paste the Wall?

No, unless you want to hang like normal wallpaper.

How much quicker and easier is paste the wall to hang?

Most people find that papering straight from the roll cuts decorating time in half. Plus, because the pasting table process is eliminated, it's a lot cleaner and less messy too.

How much of the wall should I paste?

Don't paste the entire wall before starting to hang your wallpaper. Simply paste one section at a time.

Will I be able to see the paste on the wall?

In normal lighting conditions the paste and wet area should be clearly visable. Alternatively, you can use a paste that goes pink and dries white.

Can I use paste the wall product over lining paper?

Yes. Some air bubbles may be apparent but they will dry out over time.

Can I paste the back of paste the wall products?

If you find it easier to hang conventionally then you can paste the back of the product. It's still quicker as there is no soaking time.

Will it slide easily for pattern matching etc?

The product slides into place easily.

Can I hang a border over paste the wall products?

Yes, for best results use a vinyl-to-vinyl adhesive. Paste the border first.

What happens when I want to redecorate?

Paste the wall product peels off easily when it's time to change, so there's no need for steaming or soaking. Simply lift a corner at the base of the wall and peel upwards! Remember 'what goes up, must come down'.

Do I need to size a wall if using paste the wall papers?

Whether or not you need to 'size' a wall is dependent upon the surface that you are applying the paper to, not the type of wallpaper. If you are applying the paper to a newly plastered wall, or newly repaired wall, we would recommend that you 'size' the walls in order to make sure all the moisture from the wallpaper paste isn't absorbed into the dry plaster.

I used 'paste the wall' paper but now find [a couple of days later] that some of the seams are visible. Grrrhhh! I read online that colour match pens ara available. Do you stock them?

Unfortunately from time to time edges can show particularly on dark wallpapers, we would recommend using a water soluble crayon/pastel run along the edge of the paper, we do not stock these but you should be able to source them from any good stationers.

Do i need special paste to hang 'paste the wall' wallpaper?

You don't need to use a special paste to hang 'paste the wall' wallpaper, however some products are available which may make the job even easier, such as a colour change paste which is coloured when applied to the wall so you can see where you have pasted but dry's clear.

I want to line the walls before using a paste the wall wallpaper. Should i line them horizontally or vertically?

We would always recommend that the lining paper is hung horizontally in order to ensure that no seems are visible underneath the final paper.