Wallpaper Guide

Wallpaper Buying and Caring: Everything You Need to Know

 

Choosing the Right Wallpaper

Which design should I choose?

This really depends on your style, your home and your taste. We have a wide range of wallpaper patterns to choose from that would suit a variety of spaces. If you are unsure which one will best suit, our Inspiration Room is full of beautiful photos of how others have used our wallpapers in their homes, a perfect way to find some inspiration.

 

Is your Wallpaper Suitable for Bathrooms?

Our wallpapers are suitable for most areas of the bathroom, except for where in direct contact with water or anywhere that is highly humid. You can coat your wallpaper with Decorator's Varnish to give it an extra layer of protection in wet or humid rooms, such as bathrooms or kitchens. We advise you test Polyvine on a wallpaper sample to check you are happy with the finish before applying to the wall.

 

How do I give my wallpaper an extra layer of protection?

If you would like to add an extra layer of protection to your wallpaper, we recommend sealing it with Polyvine Decorators Varnish, available from our store. You may want to consider this option if your wallpaper is placed in a high-traffic area such as bathrooms or corridors.

 

Are your wallpapers VOC rated?

All of our printed wallpapers have a VOC A+ rating, the highest rating achievable for French Indoor Quality (i.e. the lowest emission of Volatile Organic Compounds) .

 

How many rolls will I need?

This is a tricky question. It depends greatly on the size of your room and the pattern you have chosen. For example, if you are hanging a pattern that requires a straight match, you will need fewer rolls than one needing every-other length to be half dropped (see techniques below).

 

For your convenience, we’ve provided a wallpaper calculator on each wallpaper page to help you determine the number of rolls you will need, depending on the pattern.

 

For more complicated rooms – for example, a room with a window or with a sliding rooftop – we are happy to help. Please email us your room dimensions and, if possible, a rough drawing of the room.
info@sianzeng.com

 

What are the types of wallpaper that you offer?

(The type of material for each wallpaper can be found on the respective product page.)
There are two types of wallpaper that we offer:

 

Non-Woven

Non-woven wallpapers are made of a combination of natural and synthetic fibres. Whereas traditional wallpapers need to be soaked before application, non-woven wallpapers do not, making them the easiest choice for both application and removal. Simply apply the wallpaper paste directly to the wall to hang your wallpaper.

 

Choose this wallpaper type if: You want the beautiful texture of a wallpaper with as much ease as possible.

 

Download Non-Woven wallpaper hanging guide

  

Magnetic Non-Woven

Our unique magnetic non-woven wallpaper is a fun and whimsical addition to any room. It’s comprised of three layers: a magnet receptive liner against the wall, a white lining paper and the patterned non-woven paper on top. Please remember to leave sufficient drying time in between each layer application.

 

Choose this wallpaper type if: You want a fun, unique wallpaper with the benefits of a non-woven wallpaper.

3 step magnetic mountains diagram.jpg

 

Download Magnetic Non-woven hanging guide. 

 

Before committing to any wallpaper purchase, we recommend that you purchase samples. The colours you see on your monitor may differ slightly from the actual colour of the wallpaper, and even the light in your room can affect how your wallpaper looks. As an extra bonus, when you order a sample pack, you will also receive a 10% discount code that can be used on your full wallpaper order.

 

Order your wallpaper samples from the Wallpaper Sample section on our website.

 

Dino magnetic wallpaper sample pack.jpg

 

 

 

Hanging Your Wallpaper

 

Short Wallpaper Hanging Advice

The following instructions are basic guidelines on how to hang wallpaper. However, we strongly advise that you follow the detailed specific instructions that will be included with the wallpaper roll you have purchased.
If you’ve purchased one of our magnetic wallpapers, please refer to the Magnetic Wallpaper Hanging Guide enclosed within your parcel. You can also find an electronic copy of our Hanging Guides on the product description pages or in the wallpaper types section of this page.

 

Important: We will not accept any hanging costs greater than one roll.
Before you begin, it’s crucial to ensure that all of your wallpaper rolls are correct. This means that all product names, batch numbers and colours are the same for each roll, and that nothing was damaged during shipping. It is your responsibility to make sure that everything is as you ordered before you begin hanging. During hanging, it is also your responsibility to ensure there are no visible faults. We cannot provide any refund for damage costs associated with the above.

 

Mock up image of the wallpaper roll, product code and batch number circled in

Batch number mock up 

 

 

If you are unsure, please email us at info@sianzeng.com or
call us at +44 (0) 20 86917770

 

Preparing the walls

1) Walls must be firm, clean, dry, smooth, absorbent to paste and free from paint or chemicals.
2) All old wallpaper, backing and lining paper must be removed.
3) Ensure your wall surface is as sealed and smooth as possible for optimal results. Where necessary, fill any holes with fine filler. Powdery and flakey surfaces should be scraped off.
5) Absorbent surfaces should be appropriately sized using a diluted wallpaper adhesive and, if necessary, should be cross lined with grade 800 or 1000 lining paper.
6) Sealed walls (i.e. painted or glossy ) should be roughened by rubbing with sandpaper/glass paper to create a ‘key.’ However, never hang wallpaper over newly plastered walls or any walls that are unprimed.
7) If lining paper is used, make sure to leave 24 hours for the lining paper to dry before hanging any wallpaper.
8) Switch off the supply of electricity to sockets and light switches as a precaution.
9) Switch off radiators during installation. Removal of radiators will aid installation if in the immediate area, but it is not essential.

 

Choosing a Paste

 

Make sure to choose a high-quality, ready-mixed tub paste. If you are in the UK, we recommend using Solvite High-Performance Ready Mixed Paste.

 

Hanging the Wallpaper

Non-Woven: if you’re hanging non-woven wallpaper, you must paste the walls (do NOT paste the wallpaper).

 

Fire Safety Instructions: Never hang wallpapers over any flammable products (including expanded polystyrene veneers). Make sure that all wallpaper and any coverings are put firmly in place.

 

 

Hanging Techniques: Match

 

Straight Match

Straight match

The wallpaper matches edge-to-edge with the next drop, forming a pattern repeat.

 

 

Half Drop

The wallpaper is lowered on the second drop to create a diagonal-effect pattern repeat.To prevent white edges showing at the seams, darker wallpapers may need their edges coloured with a slightly lighter chalk or pastel.

 

Washing/Care instructions.

All of our wallpapers are classed as washable.

 

Water-soluble stains and dirt may be removed with a damp cloth or sponge. Do not scrub the surface.

 

VARNISH
If you would like to add an extra layer of protection to your wallpaper, we recommend sealing it with Decorators Varnish. You may want to consider this option if your wallpaper is placed in a high-traffic area, a bathroom or a children’s room. Available from our store in Dead Flat, this varnish will protect your wallpaper from stain, algae, mildew, fungi and colour fading. If you have already purchased one of the polyvine varnishes, we will have included a short application guide tailored specifically for applying the varnish on you wallpaper.