Spoonflower Vinyl Wallpaper is a Type II, commercial-grade vinyl wallcovering. With a textile scrim backing it is made to last and has scrub—and stain resistant performance. Vinyl wallcovering is a permanent solution and is not intended for temporary wall applications on melamine, gator board, foam core, or other composite
boards. 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: installer choice of below or similar mold inhibiting alternative
- Roman PRO-977 Ultra Prime® Pigmented Primer
- Zinsser Universal Shieldz primer*
- *Note: A similar product, Zinsser Gardz is not recommended, as the strong seal can trap moisture which creates bubbling or a slow curing time.
- Henkel Metylan Ovalit Ultra (Europe)
- Henkel Solvite Super High Performance Heavy Weight and Textile ready mix adhesive (Europe)
Paste: installer choice of below or similar alternative
- ROMAN PRO-880 Ultra® Clear Strippable
- ROMAN PRO-774 Clay Strippable
- Zinsser Plus Sure Grip Heavy Duty Clear
Other Supplies:
- 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 towel
- Other: Straight edge, drop cloth, ladder, buckets, table, pasting machine (optional), etc.
Wall Preparation
Use of a mold inhibiting primer product and the use of an adhesive containing a mildew inhibitor is recommended.
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. All loose paint, old wallcoverings and any residual adhesive must be removed; walls should be repaired.
Mold or mildew must be removed from the walls prior to installation. To prevent further mildew growth, walls should be treated with bleach, Lysol, and/or other approved mildew inhibiting products. Residual moisture content of the wall must be < 4%. Walls should be primed with a white pigmented, mold inhibiting wallcovering primer. Recommendations are based on installation on a gypsum drywall sheetrock surface. Allow adequate drying time before applying paste and wallcovering.
Paper Preparation
Allow the wallcovering and adhesive to acclimatize under clean, dry and protected conditions above 65°F. Spoonflower wallcoverings 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. Use only a lead pencil for marking walls and back of wallcovering. Do not use ballpoint or marking pen; they may bleed through the surface.
Inspect all materials prior to installation for: 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 (intended 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 before beginning installation.
Installation
Book the Wallpaper
Optimum installation conditions are above 65° F. Lay out the area to be covered as appropriate for the wallcovering to be hung. Locate the printed barcode on the roll. This is the bottom of the pattern. Identify the top of the pattern before starting installation. Apply an even coat of adhesive to the backing of the wallcovering using a roller or pasting machine. Ensure the edges of the panel are covered with paste. Do not over-apply paste as minor bubbling may occur. Do not crease the wallcovering. Paste-the-wall application is not recommended. Fold the ends of the panel to the middle and allow the panel to book for 10 minutes.
Install the Wallpaper
Install wallcovering with a plastic smoother, working out air pockets or bubbles. Stop the installation if there is a question about panel color matching and contact Spoonflower. Remove excess paste immediately with clean water, a soft sponge and blot dry with a clean cloth. Use the soft side of the sponge if there is an abrasive side. Allowing paste to dry on the surface may leave a white residue and may be difficult to remove. Overlap panels as needed for pattern match. Intended overlap before trimming is ¹/₂”. Trim with a double-cut method. Roll the seams lightly with a seam roller as necessary. Avoid excessive pressure when rolling the seams to avoid squeezing out paste. Trim excess material at top, bottom and sides of walls and along any openings like windows or doors. After installation, the walls and wallcovering should be monitored for potential moisture or vapor infiltration or accumulation. Any such infiltration or accumulation after installation must be promptly eliminated to reduce the risk of mold and mildew growth.
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 panel 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 score the surface of the wallpaper and 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, scoring the surface and 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
Sandpaper
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.
- Use sandpaper to score the surface of the wallpaper. Sanding the surface of the paper will help the water soak through the paper and reactivate the paste.
- 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 may require more water.
- 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.