Wallpaper Symbols Explained
Hanging your wallpaper doesn’t have to be as hard as you
think! Even though wallpaper symbols may look like hieroglyphs from an ancient
culture, they are very easy to understand once you know what they are!
Below is a quick and easy guide to wallpaper symbols and how
to use them correctly to hang your wallpaper perfectly!
TOP TIP: Although there are various ways to clean your
wallpaper, ensure that you only clean your wallpaper using the symbols on your
wallpaper. If there are no symbols on your roll, the wallpaper is not able to
be cleaned using any methods stated below.
CLEANING WALLPAPER SYMBOLS
These symbols show how much cleaning the wallpaper can
withstand. Ranging from spongeable to extra-scrubbable, these symbols reveal
how durable the wallpaper is.
Spongeable
This symbol means that your wallpaper can be lightly
cleaned, but not washed. It is recommended that this type of wallpaper should
be cleaned using a sponge, but not getting it wet.
This symbol suggests that the wallpaper should not be used
in areas with high humidity as a result of the water as it can be easily
damaged when exposed to water. This wallpaper should not be used in areas with
high traffic either.
Washable
This type of wallpaper is more cleanable than the ‘spongeable’
type of wallpaper above, however it is still vulnerable to water damage.
Light stains can be removed from washable wallpaper using a lightly
damp sponge and soapy water; however, this should be used cautiously. Any oils,
fats, and other types of solvent-based stains cannot be removed from this type
of wallpaper.
Extra-Washable
Extra-washable wallpaper can endure quite rigorous cleaning
using a wet cloth and soapy water. This type of wallpaper can be cleaned down
to remove most water-based stains as long as it is cleaned carefully.
This type of wallpaper can be hung in areas which are likely
to become damp, however it can only withstand exposure to small amounts of water.
Some greasy stains can be removed from the surface of this extra-washable
wallpaper, but only if it is cleaned immediately after impact.
Scrubbable
This is a very durable type of wallpaper. These types can be
scrubbed clean using a sponge or a cloth from a variety of different stains.
Scrubbable wallpaper can also be scrubbed clean using a soft
brush and mild detergent. However, oils, fats and other solvent-based stains must
be cleaned immediately to be removed from the surface.
Extra-Scrubbable
Dirt and domestic water-based stains can be easily removed
from this type of wallpaper. It can be scrubbed clean using a sponge, cloth or
brush using a mild detergent or soapy water depending on the stain.
Again, oils, fats and other solvent-based stains must be
cleaned immediately to be removed from the surface.
LIGHT FASTNESS SYMBOLS
These symbols below reveal the degree that your wallpaper
will keep its colour when exposed to sunlight. These symbols can help you find
the correct wallpaper to hang in areas with lots of natural light.
Moderate
This type of wallpaper can withstand some natural light but
is likely to fade with large amounts of natural sunlight quickly.
Satisfactory
This type of wallpaper can withstand natural light but will
fade with huge amounts of exposure to light.
Good
Wallpapers with good light fastness can be hung in areas
with large amounts of natural light, however, will fade with long exposure to
light.
Very Good
These types of wallpapers are perfectly designed for areas with
large amounts of natural light and will not fade as quickly as the other three
when exposed to sunlight.
WALLPAPER PASTING SYMBOLS
These symbols help to indicate not only what type of
wallpaper adhesive should be used in conjunction with the wallpaper, but also
how the adhesive should be applied to the wallpaper in order to hang it
correctly.
Paste-the-Paper
Paste-the-paper wallpapers are one of the most common-and
most traditional- ways of hanging wallpapers.
This symbol means that the wallpaper should be hung by
applying paste directly to the back of the wallpaper and leaving it time to
soak into the paper before being applied to the wall.
This type of paper is the traditional way to hang wallpaper,
however, requires a few more steps to hang the wallpaper than other types of
wallpaper adhesive techniques.
For more information about how to hang your wallpaper,
please see the blog post ‘How to Hang Wallpaper Like a Decorator’.
Paste-the-Wall
Paste-the-wall wallpaper is a less traditional way of
applying your wallpaper to the wall, however it is considered a quicker and
easier way than paste-the-paper wallpapers.
Paste-the-wall wallpaper is applied exactly how it states in
the name by applying the adhesive to the wall and then by hanging the wallpaper
straight on top of that. This type of wallpaper needs no soaking times and it
has less of a risk for errors too.
Ready-Pasted Wallpaper
This is not a very common type of wallpaper as it is already
pasted. All it needs is to be dipped into a water tray to activate the paste
before it can be hung onto the wall.
WALLPAPER REMOVAL IMAGES
Even though you may not be thinking about removing your
wallpaper before you’ve even hung it, knowing how to remove the wallpaper will
save you a lot of time and effort later.
Strippable
This type of wallpaper can be easily pulled straight off the
wall in one strip while the paper is dry. Removing the wallpaper back to front will
make the layers come straight off the wall.
Peelable
Peelable wallpaper only allows the top layer of the
wallpaper to come off the wall, which means that the backing paper is left
behind when peeled. This paper can be removed when the wallpaper is dry too.
Wet Removable
This type of wallpaper can only be removed with the help of
a stripping solution or by soaking the paper in water. This wallpaper will have
to be manually scraped off the wall after it has been soaked in your chosen
solution or water.
WALLPAPER PATTERN MATCH SYMBOLS
One of the most important parts of hanging wallpaper is
understanding the pattern match and how to hang it properly using this.
A wallpaper pattern match is simply how the wallpaper’s
pattern matches up when two adjacent strips of wallpaper are hung together.
Free Match
By far the easiest pattern match, this type of wallpaper
needs no aligning. Simply hang the wallpaper in any way you wish, and the
pattern will line up which means there is less wasted wallpaper as a result.
Straight Match
This wallpaper requires each strip to match in horizontal lines
across adjacent strips. The design will be the same from left to right on one
strip.
Offset Match
This pattern requires every second strip to be offset-or
dropped- by the distance of it’s drop match.
Reverse Alternate Lengths
This wallpaper hanging pattern is often seen on plainer
wallpapers. It requires each strip of wallpaper to be hung in the reverse of
the other. This prevents shading on plainer wallpapers.
If you need any more help or advice for your decorating project, please don’t hesitate to DM us on any of our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter & YouTube), email us on sales@decoratingcentreonline.co.uk, phone us on 01388 665844 or even live chat us on our website.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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