Your Seams Are Showing! Prevent This Wallpaper Problem

If you are using non-woven paste-the-wall wallpaper, you may think there are only two possible culprits on your wall; you have the paper and you have the paste. However, one of the special features of non-woven wallpaper is the resistance to expansion and contraction. In the old days of wallpaper when you had to soak the paper to activate the adhesive, the wallpaper could expand when wet and contract when drying. Non-woven wallpaper is created with this problem in mind. The mix of synthetic and natural fibers in the wallpaper backing keeps the paper stable. Also, Milton & King wallpaper is designed as a butt-join, meaning it requires no overlap. You just butt the edges of the wallpaper right up against each other for a seamless design pattern.

So if the wallpaper isn’t to blame, is it the paste? It’s not impossible. However, if you are using a reputable brand like Zinsser or Roman, chances are it’s not the result of the paste expanding or contracting. The likely problem of your wallpaper separating and the seams showing may be due to a few possible causes. Either the paste has been unevenly applied or the wallpaper paste is drying unevenly or not enough pressure has been applied to the wallpaper via smoothing (or all three!!!). Let’s dive a little deeper.

Wallpaper paste has a quality known as “tack.” This is just a term to describe the stickiness of the paste. A wallpaper paste with a good “tack” means it holds the wallpaper in place very well. You also want good “glide” which allows you to push and maneuver your wallpaper. Both “glide” and “tack” will help as you are smoothing out the paper. This smoothing of the wallpaper is VERY important. It’s not just for getting wrinkles out of the wallpaper. It is for apply a good amount of pressure to the wallpaper to increase the tack and to push any excess paste out at the edges. If you just sorta, hang your wallpaper up without applying any sort of pressure to it, it won’t have the tack it needs to keep it in place as it dries.

Think of when you apply a band-aid to a scratch, or packing tape to a box. After immediate application, you always rub your hand over it to make sure there is enough pressure and hold. It’s almost a natural instinct. The same idea applies to wallpaper installation.

So as you can see, all three problems are related…
A lack of pressure and smoothing, can lead to an uneven application of paste which can lead to an unequal rate of drying. When the paste dries in one area faster than another, it can pull the wallpaper in a particular direction. And if the wallpaper wasn’t applied with a good amount of pressure, those unsightly wallpaper seams can appear.

Heat and cold tend to have expansion and contraction affects on everything from the air you breathe to the water you drink. However, even still, the wallpaper is constructed to be a durable product. So why even bother mentioning the heat and cold? This has more to do with the issue of uneven drying mentioned previously. Specifically, if you have installed your wallpaper under an air conditioning unit or next to a heater or if part of your wall is affected by direct hot sunlight, it’s conceivable that the section of wallpaper in these areas is going to dry faster than others. That uneven drying can tend to pull your wallpaper in one direction or another. We recommend allowing the wallpaper to dry as naturally as possible, avoiding using any cooling or heating units that may come into direct contact with the wallpaper. That being said, proper pressure and smoothing of the wallpaper should still aid in resisting any sort of uneven drying issues, but when you want all the elements on your side, it’s best to avoid unnecessary cooling or heating for 48 hours after installation.

We’ve discussed paste application, tack, smoothing and drying. But let’s say you’re a newbie with wallpaper. Regardless of the these instructions and tips, you may still get it wrong. What else can you do avoid unsightly lines in your wallpaper? If you have a black wallpaper on a white wall, the appearances of seams will be highly noticeable. The more you can match your wall with the color of the wallpaper, the more you can camouflage any issue of wallpaper seams. Primer, which we always recommend to seal your wall, often comes in white. But you can ask your local hardware store to tint your primer in almost any color. It doesn’t have to be exact, but a dark wallpaper on a dark wall or a light wallpaper on a light wall will help any issues of imperfect installation to be much less noticeable.

What do you do if you think you did everything right or perhaps you got to this blog too late? What can you do after you installed the wallpaper to get rid of the seams showing? We spoke to celebrity wallpaper installer Katie Hunt, who you may have seen on a number of HGTV type shows. This is her helpful tip:

“I recommend water color pens. They can be applied to the seams, then wiped right away, with a damp/wet microfibre cloth. The color will stick to the wall/liner, and then wipe away from the face of the wallpaper, making the seam no longer visible. As always, it is recommended to test in an inconspicuous spot first, before attempting a ‘main’ area. Quite an easy process, and works amazingly well.”

Thanks Katie!

At the end of the day, you just want your wallpaper to look beautiful. Seams in your wallpaper can make it look tacky. Now you have the knowledge of what to do before, during and, if needed, after installation. So let’s sum up…

Steps to avoid wallpaper seams:

1. Paint or primer your wall a similar color to your wallpaper.
2. Be generous and even with your paste application
3. Apply a good amount of pressure when installing and smoothing the wallpaper. Wipe away any excess paste that pushes out at the seams/edges with a soft cloth.
4. Allow your wallpaper to dry as naturally as possible for 48 hours in a well-ventilated space.