Spoonflower Gold Metallic and Silver Metallic Wallpaper are non-PVC specialty wallpapers suited for a variety of room applications. The non-woven construction does not shrink or expand, making it a perfect choice for paste the wall installation. This paper has several acceptable installation applications: paste the wall, paste the paper or with a pasting machine. The paste the wall technique is the most recommended method and is described in detail below.
A copy of our full Technical Specifications & Installation Guide can be downloaded at the bottom of this article. Professional installation is highly recommended. You may consider locating a member of the Wallcovering Installers Association (WIA) in your area for installation.
Preparation
Supplies
Primer: ROMAN PRO-977 Ultra Prime® or similar alternative
Paste: installer choice of below or similar alternative
- ROMAN PRO-880 Ultra® Clear Strippable
- ROMAN 234 Premium Grade Heavy Duty Clear
Other Tools:
- Rollers and brushes based on installer’s preference
- Soft plastic smoother and/or brush smoother
- Sharp utility knife with extra blades and blade receptacle
- Seam roller
- Non-abrasive soft cellulose sponge and/or microfiber towels
- Other: Straight edge, drop cloth, ladder, buckets, table, pasting machine (optional), etc.
Wall Preparation
Walls should be smooth, clean, dry and free of mold, mildew, grease or other stains. On new walls, drywall joints should be taped, mudded and sanded smooth. Remove any nail heads, nicks, gouges and other surface imperfections. Old wallcoverings and any residual adhesive must be removed; walls should be repaired.
Residual moisture content of the wall should be < 4%. Follow primer recommendations provided above. Recommendations are based on installation on a gypsum drywall sheetrock surface. Allow adequate drying time before applying paste and wallpaper.
Paper Preparation
Allow the wallpaper and paste to acclimate under clean, dry and protected conditions between 65° F to 75° F and 45% RH until the supplies adjust to the environment.
Spoonflower wallpapers are packaged with the bottom of the pattern rolled to the outside of the roll. Unroll each roll to find the top of the pattern.
Inspect all materials prior to installation for the following: print scale and size of panels are correct, color matching of panels is acceptable, print surface is free from defects, and edges have enough space for overlap and trimming (overlap is 1⁄2”). Do not crease the material prior to or during installation, as creases may not disappear. If you see any issues, please contact us.
Installation
Paste the Wall
Optimum installation conditions are between 65° F to 75° F and 45% RH. Higher temperatures and relative humidity may impact installation.
Apply paste directly to the wall using a paint roller. Use a paint brush to apply paste in corners, near ceilings, baseboards and around windows and doors. Apply enough paste to cover at least 2” more than the width of the panel (You may want to apply enough paste to handle two panels at a time).
Note: If preferred by the installer, the back of the paper can be pasted with a roller or pasting machine instead. Book for five minutes. Then proceed with installation.
Install the Wallpaper
Locate the printed barcode. This is the bottom of the pattern. Identify the the top of the pattern before starting installation.
For the paste the wall method, install dry panels directly to the pasted wall. Work from the top of the panel down, smoothing paper to the wall with a plastic smoother and working out bubbles. Take care not to crease the paper. It is best to work vertically taking care not to squeeze paste onto the paper face. Remove excess paste immediately with clean, lukewarm water and a soft sponge. It will be difficult to remove paste after it starts to dry.
Overlap panels as needed for pattern match. Trim with a double-cut method. Intended overlap before trimming is 1⁄2”. The face of the paper can be slightly slick; hold straight edge firm when trimming.
Roll the seams lightly with a seam roller as necessary. Avoid excessive pressure when rolling the seams to avoid squeezing out paste. Trim excess paper at top, bottom and sides of walls and along any openings like windows or doors.
Removal
Wall preparation is the most crucial step for a successful removal. There are two options for removal. The first and recommended option is Dry Strippable. If you try this method and the wallpaper is not separating for the wall cleanly, see the Wet Removal step.
Dry Strippable Removal
Tools for Dry Removal:
- Putty knife, utility knife or scraper
- Sponge
- Bucket + warm water
- Dish detergent
Instructions for Dry Removal:
- Find a seam and follow it to the top of your wall. This is your starting point. Gently slide a putty knife, utility knife, or scraper under the seam and lift the corner of the wallpaper.
- Pull the wallpaper away from the wall at a 10-degree angle until the entire top of the roll is separated from the wall. Continue to move your hands as you pull the paper, keeping your hands closest to where the paper is still attached to the wall. This will help prevent wall damage. Gently work the wallpaper from the wall, pulling down instead of out.
- If the wallpaper is not easily coming off using the Dry Strippable method, you can apply warm water to the surface of the paper to help remove it. See the Wet Removal instructions below.
- Once all wallpaper has been removed, use a sponge with warm water and about ¼ tsp dish detergent to wipe down walls, cleaning off any small bits of paste that didn’t come off when you removed the paper.
- Used wallpaper cannot be recycled. Please dispose of it in your trash.
Wet Removal
If the dry strippable method isn’t working, applying water can help reactivate the paste and allow you to remove the paper from the wall.
Tools for Wet Removal:
- Painter’s tape
- Drop cloth or plastic sheet
- Old towels or absorbent fabric you don’t mind getting dirty
- Spray bottle
- Sponge
- Bucket + warm water
- Dish detergent
Instructions for Wet Removal:
- Prepare your space. Wet removal can be messy, so cover all furniture or move it out of the way. Cover floors and baseboards with a drop cloth or plastic sheet and use painter’s tape to attach the covers above moldings to protect them from any water. You can use old towels or absorbent fabric to line the floor at the bottom of the wall.
- Spray the front of the wallpaper with warm water to help reactivate the paste. Start spraying from the bottom and work your way to the top. Once the panel is wet, wait about 10 – 20 mins to let the water soak in. If you prefer, you can use a sponge for this step.
- Once the water has absorbed through the paper, remove the paper following the Dry Removal Step #2 above. If the paper is still not separating from the wall, wet the paper again and wait for the water to soak in.
- Wet the paper as many times as needed to get the paper to peel off. Designs that have more ink saturation will require more water.
- In extreme cases, you can use a scoring tool, like a sanding block, to penetrate the paper and allow water to soak in.
- Once all wallpaper has been removed, use a sponge with warm water and about ¼ tsp dish detergent to wipe down walls, cleaning off any small bits of paste that didn’t come off when you removed the paper.
- Used wallpaper cannot be recycled. Please dispose of it in your trash.
Wallcovering Installers Association (WIA)
Spoonflower is a proud member of the Wallcovering Installers Association (WIA). The WIA is the only trade association dedicated exclusively to the interests and needs of wallpaper installation professionals. You can find out more about the WIA on their website, here.