Lately, The Paint Doctor has shared a lot of information about paint with you. We thought we’d switch it up and share information about our wallpaper installations from vinyl papers to hand-painted murals to traditional faux finish papers. To decode the mysteries of wallpaper for you, The Paint Doctor posed questions to John Little, our nationally certified wall covering expert who has decades of experience, and doesn’t beat around the bush. And, if you have more questions, feel free to call or email us.
Q. What are some benefits to wallpaper?
A. Wallpaper can camouflage flawed or damaged walls, soften rough or irregular architectural features, and unite awkward angles. Wallpaper also offers combinations of colors, patterns, and textures. You can apply wallpaper to drywall, new and old plaster, concrete, masonry, and paneling. You can even wallpaper over slick, nonporous surfaces, such as tile, concrete block, or synthetic laminate paneling.
Q. What makes good wallpaper?
A. Better materials, better substrates in the backing of papers, better inks, quality control in the manufacturing. Generally, pre-pasted papers are not great quality.
Q. What are the latest trends in wallpapering?
A. People are buying less paper but buying better paper. They’re papering one room with really good paper rather than doing three rooms with cheap paper. We’re mostly doing powder rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. In dining rooms, textured wallpapers seem to be the most popular — like grasscloth and weaves, more subtle patterns, surreal painting, and a natural look. Old-fashioned vines and big flowers are out. I just stick it up there. Designers can tell you more.
Q. I’d like to try to install the wallpaper myself.
A. Save yourself some money and headaches: Don’t do it. Wallpaper is not a do-it-yourself thing. For the most part, every do-it-yourself job I’ve seen has been a disaster because the do-it-yourselfer didn’t have the right tools, didn’t know how to make right cuts in the paper, and didn’t know about proper wall preparation. If you do attempt it, here’s my number when you need me to come fix it: (404) 524-8283.
Q. Why should people choose the Paint Doctor as their wallpaper installation resource?
A. We don’t mess around. We have 32 years of experience, we are professional, we’re licensed, and we have insurance. There are so many different wallpapers out there; you really have to have experience to install them. For example, I carry in my truck four different types of adhesives and four different primers because every paper has different needs. The more exotic and custom the paper — like bamboo or glass beads – the more difficult the installation. Experience means you know how to lay-out a room for wall paper. You don’t just slap paper on the wall and you don’t just start in a corner. You often need to measure the walls and figure out the best way to make the pattern even.
Q. What kind of wallpapers do you install?
A. Just about everything, including Brunschwig & Fils, Cowtan & Tout, Donghia, Innovations, Maya Romanoff, Nina Campbell, Osborne and Little, Phillip Jeffries Ltd., Romo, Scalamandré, Schumacher, Silk Dynasty Inc., Stark Wallcovering, Thibaut, and York Wallcoverings.
Q. Any wallpaper blogs to read?
A. I’m a pretty simple guy so I don’t read too many blogs but Wallpaper Weekly is good for reading about the latest in innovative wallcoverings. So is this blog!