Bespoke Wallpaper,Wall Murals and Canvas Prints

Canvas prints by Canvas Dezign. The worlds's best canvas printer.

2009-01-06T23:53:00.001Z

A new exciting, brilliant post on canvas prints by Canvas Dezign. The worlds's best canvas printer.

canvas art

2008-11-10T22:50:00.001Z

A new article can be found here on this topic http://www.bugdugle.com/photoontocanvas

Canvas Prints

2008-10-29T23:04:00.000Z

Canvas Prints

canvas prints uk

2008-10-22T00:00:00.001+01:00

Canvas Prints

prices are now reduced by as much as £10 though out the entire range of canvas pictures

Canvas Prints from Concept

2008-10-10T22:29:00.001+01:00

Concept Coverings are also now offering canvas prints to buy online. As well as the full range of wallpapers that they do, they can also transfer your photos onto canvas prints.

Special effect canvas prints include:-

1. Pop art canvas prints
2. Painted canvas prints
3. Stylized canvas prints
4. Warhol canvas prints
5. Black and white canvas prints
6. Sepia canvas prints
7. Spot colour canvas prints

Pictures to Canvas

2008-10-09T07:45:00.001+01:00

A new post on buying canvas prints for your home can be seen here :-

Canvas prints for the home

http://www.bugdugle.com/photoontocanvas/8477/Digital-picture-printing-online-and-canvas-printing.html

2008-10-02T23:32:00.000+01:00

http://www.bugdugle.com/photoontocanvas/8477/Digital-picture-printing-online-and-canvas-printing.html

Canvas Prints blog

2008-09-29T21:04:00.000+01:00

Please view our canvas blog http://canvasprints.blogspot.com/

Wedding photos onto canvas

2008-09-29T21:02:00.001+01:00

I have just posted a new article on our new range of wedding photos onto canvas. Please visit the following link for more details

http://www.canvasdezign.co.uk/blogs.php?act=view&blogid=41

Some great links

2008-09-13T12:06:00.002+01:00

http://bcafa.com/?p=539

http://www.articlegator.com/2008/09/08/make-it-the-best-design/

http://www.wordreport.com/?p=662

http://www.network-sense.com/?p=304

http://www.salereviewcenter.com/business/have-it-the-most-suitable-way.html

http://www.internationalrootssyndicate.com/2008/09/11/hype-up-your-design-with-your-canvas-prints/

http://www.lukejacksongolf.com/2008/09/11/make-it-your-own/

http://www.trinityknollschalet.com/2008/09/11/quality-should-be-considered/

http://www.cyrillus67.org/2008/09/11/the-most-valuable-canvas-to-be/

http://www.corporate4u.com/2008/09/11/personalize-your-canvas-design/

Concept Coverings team up with Canvas Dezign

2008-09-08T11:35:00.002+01:00

Concept Coverings have teamed up with the sister company, Canvas Dezign for ordering canvas prints.

The new partnership are set to help each other when it comes to marketing the company brand for the search term canvas prints.

Canvas prints have become very popular over recent years and Concept Coverings is now set to help promote sales and distribution for canvas prints

For more canvas prints see www.canvasdezign.co.uk

Geometric Canvas Print line is launched

2008-09-05T11:03:00.002+01:00

New range of canvas prints is here

A new range of canvas prints was launched today by Canvas Dezign, the Uk's original and premier source for digitally printed canvas prints.

The canvas prints are of a geometric theme and the colours are inspired by todays current trends. If the colours in the canvas prints do not match your scheme and decor, why not have CanvasDezign recolour one of their canvas prints to match it.

For more information visit http://www.canvasdezign.co.uk

Please support us by Voting below

2008-09-03T09:59:00.000+01:00

New website is launched

2008-08-08T00:15:00.002+01:00

Over the last few weeks, the people at Canvasdezign have been working hard on a new wensite design. Now, finally, after months of hard work the site is complete.

Canvasdezign have introduced 3 major upgrades to the website.
1. Online preview of images and how they will appear on the wall.
2. Addition of Barclaycard to sit alongside Paypal
3. Upgraded uploading system to make the whole experience a lot easier.

The site is now live and is being tweaked to make the experience even better for the end users.
Canvasdezign have been making hand made custom canvas prints for over 8 years now and are the UK's leading source for digitally printed canvas prints.

For more information on what they ar up to visit http://www.canvasdezign.co.uk

The invention of Anaglypta

2007-07-18T23:01:00.000+01:00

The last quarter of the Nineteenth Century was one of tremendous energy within the manufacturing side of the wallcoverings industry. Sanitary wallpapers were developed in 1871. Lincrusta followed in 1877 and ten years later another new product - a lightweight alternative to Lincrusta appeared. This new product, patented by its inventor Thomas Palmer in 1887, was named Anaglypta.

It was extremely light in weight yet very durable. Its manufacturing costs placed it within reach of the ordinary householder. The manufacturing process involved the embossing of the cotton pulp base whilst still in the wet state. This process enabled the product to maintain its form when applied to the wall. The same basic principles of manufacturing are still used today at our company in Darwen, Lancashire.

Thomas Palmer had previously worked for Frederick Walton as a showroom manager in London. He approached Frederick Walton in 1883 with an idea for an embossed wallcovering made from a cotton and pulp base. Its advantages over Lincrusta were to be its lightness, flexibility and comparative inexpensiveness of manufacturing costs. Walton quickly realised the enormous potential of this new decoration but he rejected it outright as he saw it as a rival to Lincrusta. Three years later in 1886, Palmer left the company to concentrate all his efforts towards producing examples of his new idea. He first exhibited his new product at the Manchester Royal Jubilee Exhibition in 1887 and the qualities of Anaglypta were immediately recognised and eagerly taken up by the decorating and finishing trade.

Incidentally, the name Anaglypta is derived from two Greek words ana meaning 'raised up' and glyptos meaning 'engraving' - a raised up engraving as a cameo.

From 1880-1900 many other manufacturing companies launched embossed wallcoverings to compete with Lincrusta and Anaglypta.

These products were made from various raw materials including crushed cork, asbestos, but to our knowledge none of them have survived to the present day. In 1900, exhibiting at the Paris Exposition Universelle, Anaglypta was awarded two gold medals. This was an unprecedented accolade that put the efforts of its competitors to shame.

The two leaders in relief wallcoverings were finally allied under what is now known as Relief Decorations (RD), but their manufacture was kept separate until 1918 when Lincrusta was transferred from Sudbury to Queens Mill in Darwen, Lancashire.

The history of Lincrusta

n the year 1877 the inventive mind of Frederick Walton had an exceptional idea. He had been associated for some years with a product that had been a remarkable success - the celebrated Staines Linoleum. It occurred to him that the material was capable of development in another and totally distinct way. Instead of applying to floors he would, with some variation in its manufacture, apply it to the walls, to create a decorative embossed surface. The resultant product was 'Linoleum Muralis' which was subsequently changed to Lincrusta Walton.

The name Lincrusta was formed from two Latin words linum (flax) - one of its main ingredients being linseed oil - and crusta - a hard shell.

The product was an instant success and was soon acclaimed as being a fabric of immense strength yet giving the impression of delicate plaster-work.

As a lasting testament to its inventor, Lincrusta is still produced today in the same time honoured manner as it was over 100 years ago.

Anaglypta and Lincrusta wallcoverings

2007-07-18T21:58:00.000+01:00

Anaglypta and Lincrusta wallcoverings have been
beautifying homes since the late 1800's.
Anaglypta and Lincrusta embossed, paintable wallpaper and paintable wallcovering.
Lincrusta, created in 1877, is an exquisite, deeply textured paintable wallcovering made from materials similar to linoleum. It was originally created by Frederick Walton as an inexpensive way to emulate the more expensive pressed plaster designs - very popular during the late Victorian era.

Lincrusta is made from a pulp of linseed oil mixed with sawdust, plant resin, chalk, zinc oxide and a colored dye. The pulp is applied to a paper base and then run between two rollers. One of the rollers engraves the pattern creating the design relief. The authentic designs, some of which have been around for over 100 years, replicate the classic beauty of elaborate, embossed plaster work. Unlike the fragile quality of plaster, Lincrusta offers a tough, ornate, durable surface which actually hardens with time. You will find spectacular uses for Lincrusta as dado's (the lower part of a wall decorated separately), frieze's (a horizontal border with designs or carvings around a room or along a wall), borders, and wallcoverings.

Anaglypta, a white, embossed paintable wallcovering made originally of a cotten and paper pulp, was created by Thomas Palmer and introduced 10 years later. It is extremely flexible, and comes in a great variety of styles, and designs including borders, friezes, wallcoverings, and dado panels. Many original installations of Lincrusta and Anaglypta can still be seen today, over 100 years later.
Anaglypta and Lincrusta are paintable wallcoverings. There's no limit to the looks you can achieve using your own creative color schemes and paint techniques.
In addition to adding beauty and elegance, Anaglypta and Lincrusta provide the perfect solition for cracked walls or damaged plaster.
Anaglypta and Lincrusta are historic, turn-of-the-century wallcovering materials and are well suited for authentic restoration projects.
Choose from the wide selection of collections.

How Flock Wallpaper was made

2007-07-12T23:38:00.000+01:00

Flock wallpaper was made in England in the mid–18th century. First, using animal hide glue, sheets of a cotton paper were glued together to form rolls. Then a green distemper was brushed on and the rolls were hung to dry. Distemper, the traditional paint for wallpaper, is composed of chalk, china clay, pigments, water and a binder. The last step before flocking was to print the “lace” element of the pattern with an off-white distemper. In flocking, varnish is used to adhere chopped wool to the surface of the paper. Rather than print with distemper, the printing block is placed on a film of pigmented varnish and then set on the wallpaper. Pressure is applied and the block lifted; the result is the image in wet varnish. Any areas that the block missed are touched up with a small brush. The paper is then advanced to a series of chambers where the chopped wool comes in contact with the wet varnish; flock that lands on areas not printed with varnish falls off.
Upon exiting from the last box the paper is once again festooned to dry.

Bespoke Wallpaper

2007-07-12T23:25:00.000+01:00

Like art, fashion and design have evolved, so have the various styles of wallpaper designs. The earlier wallpapers were made to resemble the tapestry styles, as fashion style and taste of people evolved, so did the wallpapers. Just like clothing, technology and so many other things today, wallpaper has now come to reflect the taste and moods of a home owner. With the numerous advances in technology, the method of printing wallpaper too has advanced. Earlier massive offset printers, or block printers were used to manufacture wallpaper, where as today more and more people are turning to digitally printed wallpaper for their homes.

Wallpaper and Bespoke Wallpaper has been around for hundreds of years, and yet people claim that there has been very little advancement in wallpaper. At the surface it might seem like a remark that seems true, but the truth is far from it. Wallpaper has evolved from the really old looking red and white striped wallpaper, to a work of art that can transform your home, or your work place. There are no limits to the colours, variations and styles you can choose from and the best part is, contrary to popular belief, wallpaper has evolved and changed as time has gone by.

There are 2 main types of wallpaper, Residential and Commercial Wallpapers.

Residential Wallpapers

The earliest and oldest application of wallpaper is for home use, wallpaper for home use is by no way inferior to commercial wallpaper, as it too has to meet strict quality control guidelines, however the added advantage that wallpaper for home use has is that, it is easier to apply when compared to commercial wallpaper, and in addition you can have multiple wallpaper in the same home (compare this to commercial establishments where the wallpaper is uniform throughout). Just like commercial wallpaper, digitally printed wallpaper is available for home users also, the biggest benefactors of digitally printed wall paper have been home owners, who can now either get custom wallpaper with a particular design built, or can choose to adorn their home walls with some of the greatest works of art ever made. The choices that wallpaper today has bought to home owners is just mind boggling, and all it takes to get customized wallpaper made is a photograph or image of your design.

Commercial Wallpapers

Commercial wallpaper is usually printed on thicker, and more resistant paper. Since commercial wallpaper (as the name suggests) is used in retail outlets, hotels, discos etc. The wallpaper has certain health and safety specifications that it must meet like being fire resistant etc. Apart from the health and safety requirements, there are additional requirements like being easy to clean, dust and dirt resistant etc. What has made commercial wallpaper making an entirely different section, is that more often than not commercial wallpaper involves customization like having a company logo printed or having custom designs, this is where having a digitally printed wallpaper comes in handy, as the imagery that is produced using digitally printed wallpaper is far superior when compared to wallpaper printed using traditional methods.

Wallpaper Roll Calculater

2007-06-27T07:45:00.000+01:00

This usefull wallpaper roll calculator will help you calculate how many wallpaper rolls you will need to buy per square metre

Woodchip Wallpaper

2007-06-26T23:52:00.000+01:00

Woodchip wallpaper has been around since mankind first started sticking bits of wallpaper over their plaster in an attempt to brighten up their dim and dismal buildings.

Originally manufactured by employing small children to glue individual pieces of sawdust onto lining paper,

the industry was revolutionised with the introduction of mechanisation and the Mackenzie Rotary Fragmenter Method.

This meant large scale production could ensue and whole trees were passed through the grater-the resulting sawdust subsequently blown through a nozzle onto pre glued wallpaper passing at some 245 feet per second .

At the height of manufacture over 1200 factories the length and breadth of Britain were producing in excess of 51000 miles of woodchip wallpaper a year-the equivalent of nearly half way to the moon and back.

The resultant glut threatened a price crash and a cartel was formed to maintain an artificial minimum price of 11^dper roll.As the warehouses filled armies of women affectionately known as Chipmunks were used to fill redundant merchant ships with the excess.These ships were floated to the North Sea and scuttled (this of course was long before these enlightened times of environmental sensitivity.)

A scheme of land reclamation was also embarked upon and vast tracts of land brought back into agricultural use as trainloads of woodchip paper were tipped off the Norfolk cliffs.

With such an abundance of a simple decorating product, landlords and first time wallpaperers took advantage, covering every wall and ceiling in this versatile medium.

Woodchip became the byword in chic. Wine bars and teashops opened up special woodchip rooms, George V opened an exhibition at The Tate Gallery “woodchip in our time” which ran for four months and attracted over 26000 visitors.

Then all the trees ran out. Factories shut. Mass unemployment.

Many still remember the Birmingham wallpaper riots of the early 60’s as the Japanese moved into the market opening up vast new warehouse factories abroad.

Today techniques have evolved and the use of a plastic substitute for the chip.

More recent developments have led to the use of virtual employees-one Korean plant having fewer than seven operatives running a twelve hectare project.

So next time you’re about to redecorate the box-room, perhaps leave one wall with the humble woodchip cover...A momento of it's great past.

Gravure Wallpaper Printing

2007-06-26T22:40:00.000+01:00

Web Fed Gravure for Wallpaper

There are several types of web presses used in gravure printing, including publication presses, packaging presses, product presses, label presses, and folding carton presses. The printing process is basically the same regardless of which press is used.

Image Preparation

Image preparation begins with camera-ready (mechanical) art/copy or electronically produced art supplied by the customer. Images are captured for printing by camera, scanner, or computer. Components of the image are manually assembled and positioned in a printing flat when a camera is used. This process is called stripping. When art/copy is scanned or digitally captured, the image is assembled by the computer with special software. A proof is prepared to check for position and accuracy. When color is involved, a color proof is submitted to the customer for approval.

Cylinder Preparation

The gravure cylinder is composed of a steel or aluminum base, is copper plated and then polished to a predetermined diameter. Precise diameter of gravure cylinders in a set is critical. Any variances in diameter, as little as 2 thousandths of an inch can significantly affect the print registration. These cylinders are extremely sensitive to scratches and abrasions. Extreme care is taken when handling and storing the cylinders.

Web Gravure Printing

The Doctor Blade and Impression Cylinder

The doctor blade is a simple device used to shear the ink from the surface of the plate cylinder. Pressure is applied to the doctor blade to assure uniform contact along the length of the cylinder. The blades must be angled to cut the surface of the ink, but pressure and angle must be carefully adjusted to prevent premature wear on the cylinder. The doctor blade also oscillates back and forth to prevent a flat surface being worn into the cylinder.

The rubber coated impression roll brings the substrate in contact with the engraved cylinder resulting in proper ink transfer. The impression roll also acts to adjust the tension between print units and helps move the substrate through the press.

The impression roll is made of a tubular sleeve coated with a rubber compound. The cover material is determined by the press conditions. Typically the coating is made of natural rubber, neoprene, nitrile or polyurethane. These impression rolls are typically purchased from an outside vendor rather than made on site.

Applications:

Typical gravure printed products include:

Food packaging
Wallpaper
Wrapping paper
Furniture laminates
Paneling
Greeting cards
Magazines

Process Overview

Gravure printing is characteristically used for long run, high quality printing producing a sharp, fine image. The number of gravure printing plants in the U.S. is significantly lower than other printing processes. This is due, in part, to the cost of presses and components. While a lithographic press will cost in the range of $100,000 the cost of gravure press will be in the range of $1 million. Additionally a single gravure cylinder will cost around $5000 versus around $15 for a lithographic plate. Additionally, the gravure cylinder has a long service life and will yield a very large number of impressions without degradation.

Gravure printing is an example of intaglio printing. It uses a depressed or sunken surface for the image. The image areas consist of honey comb shaped cells or wells that are etched or engraved into a copper cylinder. The unetched areas of the cylinder represent the non-image or unprinted areas. The cylinder rotates in a bath of ink called the ink pan.

As the cylinder turns, the excess ink is wiped off the cylinder by a flexible steel doctor blade. The ink remaining in the recessed cells forms the image by direct transfer to the substrate (paper or other material) as it passes between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder.

The major unit operations in a gravure printing operation are:

Image preparation
Cylinder preparation
Printing
Finishing

Gravure Inks - Solvent Based, Water Based

Gravure inks are fluid inks with a very low viscosity that allows them to be drawn into the engraved cells in the cylinder then transferred onto the substrate. In order to dry the ink and drive off the solvents or water, which essentially replaces most of the solvent, the paper is run through Gas fired or electric fired driers. The ink will dry before the paper reaches the next printing station on the press. This is necessary because wet inks cannot be overprinted without smearing and smudging. Therefore, high volume air dryers are placed after each printing station.

The solvent-laden air from the dryers is passed through either a solvent recovery system or solvent vapor incinerator. A typical recovery system uses beds of activated carbon to absorb the solvent. Saturated beds are regenerated by steam. The solvent laden steam is then condensed and the water and solvent separate by gravity. Greater than 95 percent of the ink solvents can be recovered using this process (Buonicore). The solvents can either be reused or destroyed by incineration.

Water based inks, especially used for packaging and product gravure, require a higher temperature and longer drier exposure time in order to drive off the water and lower vapor pressure constituents. As mentioned subsequent sections, Flexo and Gravure inks are very similar and the constituents are essentially the same. Again, a pollution control device may be needed.

Gravure Press Design and Equipment

Web-fed gravure presses account for almost all publication, packaging, and product gravure printing. These presses are generally custom manufactured machines designed for a specific range of products. The typical press is highly automated and consists of multiple print units. The printing mechanism in a rotogravure press consists of a gravure cylinder and a smaller, rubber clad impression cylinder.

Other types of gravure presses in commercial use today are sheet-fed, intaglio plate, and offset gravure. These types of presses are used primarily for special printing applications.

Flexographic Printing

2007-06-26T22:29:00.000+01:00

Flexographic Printing
Applications

Flexography is the major process used to print packaging and wallpaper materials. Flexography is used to print corrugated containers, folding cartons, multiwall sacks, paper sacks, plastic bags, milk and beverage cartons, disposable cups and containers, labels, adhesive tapes, envelopes, newspapers, and wrappers (candy and food).

Process Overview

In the typical flexo printing sequence, the substrate is fed into the press from a roll. The image is printed as substrate is pulled through a series of stations, or print units. Each print unit is printing a single color. As with Gravure and Lithographic printing, the various tones and shading are achieved by overlaying the 4 basic shades of ink. These are magenta, cyan, yellow and black. Magenta being the red tones and cyan being the blue.

The major unit operations in a flexographic printing operation are:

Image preparation
Platemaking
Printing
Finishing

Below is a process flow diagram for flexographic printing:

Image Preparation

Image preparation begins with camera-ready (mechanical) art/copy or electronically produced art supplied by the customer. Images are captured for printing by camera, scanner or computer. Components of the image are manually assembled and positioned in a printing flat when a camera is used. This process is called stripping. When art/copy is scanned or digitally captured the image is assembled by the computer with special software. A simple proof (brown print) is prepared to check for position and accuracy. When color is involved, a color proof is submitted to the customer for approval.

Flexographic Plate Making

Flexographic and letterpress plates are made using the same basic technologies utilizing a relief type plate. Both technologies employ plates with raised images (relief) and only the raised images come in contact with the substrate during printing. Flexographic plates are made of a flexible material, such as plastic, rubber or UV sensitive polymer (photopolymer), so that it can be attached to a roller or cylinder for ink application. There are three primary methods of making flexographic plates; photomechanical, photochemical and laser engraved plates.

Flexographic Printing Presses

The five types of printing presses used for flexographic printing are the stack type, central impression cylinder (CIC), in-line, newspaper unit, and dedicated 4-, 5-, or 6-color unit commercial publication flexographic presses. All five types employ a plate cylinder, a metering cylinder known as the anilox roll that applies ink to the plate, and an ink pan. Some presses use a third roller as a fountain roller and, in some cases, a doctor blade for improved ink distribution.

Flexographic Inks

Flexographic inks are very similar to packaging gravure printing inks in that they are fast drying and have a low viscosity. The inks are formulated to lie on the surface of nonabsorbent substrates and solidify when solvents are removed. Solvents are removed with heat, unless U.V. curable inks are used.

Finishing

After printing, the substrate may run through a number of operations to be "finished" and ready for shipment to the customer. Finishing may include operations such as coating, cutting, folding and binding.

information supplied by http://www.pneac.org

5 Centuries of Wallpaper.

2007-06-26T22:17:00.000+01:00

Five Centuries of Wallpaper:
From Hand Painting to High Tech

Where did wallpaper first originate? People often credit the Chinese who invented paper well over 4,000 years ago. While the Chinese have made great contributions to the development of wallpaper as an art form, no hard evidence exists that they were the first to use papers as for walls.

We do know that wallpapers appeared in Europe following the introduction of papermaking in the 15^th Century. The French, the Germans and the English have each claimed to be first to hand-paint or stencil those papers and use them for interiors. These early European papers offered wall decorations for those who could not afford costly tapestries or silk hangings.

By the 17^th Century new decorative techniques such as block printing were becoming popular. The process is much the same today as it was nearly 400 years ago. Blocks of wood or metal are carved with designs—a different design for each color in the pattern. The blocks are inked and then impressed on the paper.

Flock Wallpaper, which were first developed by the English, were also popular in the 17^th Century. Using a design to which a slow-drying adhesive was added, powdered fibers were applied to the paper creating a tapestry effect.

Recognizing the market for wallpapers, the Chinese began exporting papers developed specifically for the European market. Unlike the European wallpapers which offered repeat designs, the Chinese produced wallpapers panels that were first printed with etched plates, then hand-painted. These costly Chinese imports were generally sold in sets of 25 rolls each measuring four feet by twelve feet.

The first wallpaper factory was established in 1752 by the French craftsman Reveillon, who pioneered panoramas of landscapes and battlefields that became popular throughout Europe, England and the United States. The French can also be credited with developing the first faux papers designed to imitate architectural motifs such as columns, cornices and moldings in the Neoclassic style.

During the 18^th and early 19^th Centuries only the wealthy could afford wallpapers. The first machine capable of printing long, continuous rolls of paper was perfected in the early 1800’s. However, machine-produced wallpapers did not become readily available until the middle of the 1840’s.

The Victorians adored wallpaper. For the next 50 years, Victorians of every class demanded wallpaper—the more pattern and color the better. In reaction to the mass-produced designs of the era, William Morris, the pioneer of the Arts and Crafts Movement, created an interior design firm dedicated to the principles of Medieval craftsmanship. Morris abhorred Victorian excess and believed wallpaper should create a quiet background, unobtrusive background.

The World Wars and the Depression constrained the production of wallpapers and hampered innovation, but in the 1950’s wallpaper made a big comeback. Rotogravure processes, high speed printing techniques and improvements in durability and ease of maintenance opened new markets such as hotels, offices, health care facilities and restaurants.

On the home front, fabric-backed vinyls and other washable wallcoverings became popular choices for the kitchen and bath. The color and design explosion of the 1960’s revolutionized interior decorating. Fun, colorful wallpapers became available for every room in the house from living room to the nursery.

Today technology is again driving the wallpaper business with the introduction of self-adhesive and laser technology. New printing and engraving methods bring an added dimension with innovations such as in-register light-reflective wallcoverings, photo-realistic patterns and new faux design with the look of fabrics, tapestries, wood grains and other surfaces.

Hanging Wallpaper and some wallpaer tips

2007-06-24T16:47:00.000+01:00

Wall covering can be used on walls, ceilings, around windows, doors and baseboards. The wall-covering family includes burlap, cork, embossed paper, fabric, foamed vinyl, foils, grasses, hand or screen prints, and washable prints. It is sold in rolls, and comes pre-pasted, which must be soaked in a tray of water to activate the paste, or glue-ready. Pre-pasted vinyl wall covering is by far the easiest to handle. The others, especially those made of fibrous materials, are more difficult to hang and maintain.

Here are some things to consider:

Selecting Wallpaper

Think Long-term

It's not unusual for homeowners to keep the same wallpaper for 15 or 20 years, so think long-term when picking out a pattern or material. Babies grow up, little girls turn to sports, psychedelics are replaced by pastels, and decorating trends change, so beware the bold patterns and themes.

Wall covering is priced by the single roll, but packaged in double rolls called a double-roll bolt. Residential wall covering is made in 20 to one half, 27-inch and 36-inch widths; the wider the roll, the more area you'll cover with each strip. Remember, however, that patterns repeat. This means that what you see in the wallpaper book will multiply and repeat over and over again.

How much of any pattern you will see depends on the pattern repeat
measurement. In general, any pattern with a repeat of 6 inches or less
will appear quite busy. Larger patterns with a repeat of 12 inches or
more will appear more random and be easier on the eye, Whatever
your pattern choice, keep durability, washability and strippability in
mind. Some papers are easier to maintain than others.

Dye Lot Numbers

As outlined above wall coverings come in many different styles, yet
one thing remains constant. Every roll of wallpaper is identified by a
dye lot number, which may also be referred to as the run, batch or
shade number.

This number is important because it ensures that all of your paper will
carry the same shade and ink qualities. Though the printing process
and the pattern may be the same, ink doesn't always take to the paper
the same way. Differences in shade and pattern can be dramatic, so
don't mix and match dye lot numbers. If the store doesn't have enough
rolls from the same batch, ask them to order it specially. If you do
have to reorder, ask for the same dye lot number.

Wall Imperfections

Hanging wallpaper can expose or mask the imperfections in your
home. It can hide a corner that isn't really square or a window frame
that runs slightly uphill. In general, stripes make a room seem taller
and draw the eye up vertically. With stripes, however, crooked walls
or windows become very visible. Florals and random repeats hide
imperfect lines, which is why flowers abound in classic Victorians.
Colors also affect the feel of a room. Light color seems to open up a
room, making it larger. Dark colors do just the opposite.

How To Measure A Room

When wallpapering, you don't want to get caught short. First,
measure the height and width of each wall; then multiply them to get
your square footage. Subtract 10 square feet for every door or
full-sized window. Add together the square footages of each wall for
a total wall area.

You must know the pattern repeat for this method, so let a sales
professional calculate how much paper you'll need. He or she may
suggest you use the strip method, which determines your wallpaper
needs based on the perimeter measurement of the room, the height of
the ceilings, the pattern repeat, and the matching required.

Height x Width for each wall
Subtract 10 square feet for every door or full-sized window
Add remaining square footage for each wall for total wall area

Where To Begin

Pick a corner, and, using a tape measure, make a mark on the wall
about 1/2-inch less than the width of the wallpaper you are using
away from the corner. Using a level or a plumb, mark a line on the
wall. Align the edge the paper with this line, and fold the paper around
the corner. This will ensure that the first piece of paper is hung
perfectly straight on the wall, and each adjoining piece of paper will
be straight as well.

How To Cut Wallpaper

Wallpaper can be cut with scissors for general lengths. To fit
wallpaper to length at ceilings and floors, use a straight edge and a
utility knife with a sharp blade.

Application/How To Match Patterns

Remember that the excess paper trimmed to match patterns and fit
corners counts as waste. When hanging paper with a pattern repeat,
you'll need the pattern to line up, again creating waste.

Vertical patterns repeat anywhere from 1 to 25 inches. The greater
the distance between repeats, the more paper you will need for
matching, the more rolls you will need to buy, and the more waste you
will create. For all of these reasons, professionals recommend buying
an extra roll or two, in the same dye lot.

To hang a sheet of wallpaper, measure the height of the wall and
allow at least a 2-inch overlap at the ceiling and the floor. Using a
plumb make sure the sheet is vertical. Smooth the strip using a brush
or sponge, working from the center to the edges to remove wrinkles
and air bubbles.

Next, move the adjacent strip into position, making sure the pattern or
repeat matches the adjoining piece of paper. The edges should butt
against each other, not overlap. Slide the paper into position; do not
pull it. Wipe off any excess paste with a sponge. Use a seam roller to
flatten the joints between strips.

Here are the tools and materials you will need:

Tape Measure
Plumb- To determine plumb lines and for use as straight-edge
in cutting paper to width
Scissors
Paint Roller and Tray - For applying paste to unpasted
wallcoverings
Seam Roller - Small roller designed to roll out wallpaper seams
Smoothing Brush - For smoothing out paper during installation
Broad knife - For creasing paper at top and bottom of walls
(4-6 inches wide)
Sponge
Bucket and Water
Paperhanging Table - Long table specifically designed for
wallpapering (a convenience item only - not a necessity, but
which may be available for rental whenever you get your
wallpaper)

Wallpaper Hanging Instructions

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Apart from working overhead, the technique is very similar to wallpapering a wall. The secret is to make a platform to walk along whilst papering each strip and to concertina fold the wallpaper on the pasting table to make it easier to manage.

Ensure that any working platform is strong and stable enough before starting work.

Work away from the main window wall.

Mark the ceiling at one end at a point a little less than the width of the wallpaper away from this first wall. Mark a point at the other end of the ceiling the same distance from the wall. Join these two marks with a straight line to denote the edge of the first length.

Use a builder’s chalk line to strike a line between the two marks. They are very useful. Fix the end against the first point and unwind the chalk covered string. Hold the string against the second mark and pull it taut. Now, maintaining the tension, lift the middle of the string away from the surface and allow it to snap back. You will now have a straight chalk line printed on the surface for the first length of paper to follow.

This will ensure that your wallpaper runs straight. If the wallpaper is allowed to curve, successive pieces will need to curve more and more until you reach a point at which you cannot line up the joins.

Measure, cut and paste the wallpaper as usual in a concertina fashion.

Either hold the folded paper in one hand while hanging with the other, or enlist a helper to hold the folded part of the paper for you. But, ensure that your platform can support your combined weight safely.

Starting at one end, unfold the first concertina and line up the edge of the wallpaper with the line on the ceiling.

Smooth the wallpaper eliminating air as you go, in the same fashion as for papering walls. Tap the end of the paper into the wall angle using the tips of the brush.

Now work along the platform, unfolding and smoothing into place one fold at a time.

Once the whole length is in place, trim the ends so that they lap down the wall by 1/4 - 1/2" (except in the case of lining paper which will be papered over – this should be trimmed to the angle). The first piece will also need to be trimmed in the same way along its edge to the window wall

Continue working across the ceiling in this way.

The final length will also need to be trimmed along its longest edge to suit the wall angle.

If the final piece is much less than a whole width of paper, trim it roughly before hanging.

Always switch off the power before working around ceiling roses or other electrical items.

Pendants and ceiling roses.

When you reach a circular obstruction on the ceiling, lay the paper over it lightly and mark its centre on the paper.

Make radial cuts spanning out from this mark, long enough to accommodate the obstruction. Push the paper back to the surface and tap the paper down around the object with the end of the bristles.

The remaining triangular pieces should be trimmed once the rest of the length has been hung. They are best cut with a sharp knife to avoid having to lift and re-fix the paper.

Wallpaper and Vinyl Wallpapers

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VINYL WALLCOVERINGS – THE RIGHT CHOICE
facts & information!facts & information
Vinyl wallcoverings have long been recognized by design
professionals as the right choice for commercial interior finishes
by combining versatile aesthetics, low maintenance and durability.
Some of the technical and environmental information below
might be helpful when selecting vinyl wallcoverings for the
contract marketplace.
DURABILITY
Vinyl wallcoverings offer virtually unlimited aesthetics and durability.
Studies have shown that vinyl wallcoverings are very cleanable
and that typically, they outlast other surface treatments (like
paint) by a factor of three to five times longer. Over the life of
a building, this results in a significant savings in the labor that
would be required to repair or replace the other surface treatments,
not to mention the fact that it minimizes the “disturbance
factor” that is associated with each decorating effort.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
Unlike other plastic materials that are derived solely from a
petroleum base, PVC is primarily derived from salt, a commonly
available chemical with near unlimited worldwide resources.
Using PVC results in much less demand on the world’s limited
fossil fuel resources than other plastics derived solely from
petroleum bases. Even when compared to “renewable”
resources such as wallpaper, vinyl can be produced using half
the amount of energy as would be required for an equivalent
amount of paper. It has been estimated that to have similar
durability, paper wallcovering would need to be approximately
three times as thick as vinyl wallcovering, therefore, the energy
costs to produce a paper wallcovering product with similar
durability properties would be six times as great as it costs to
produce an equivalent vinyl wallcovering product.
BIODEGRADABILITY
Today, biodegradability of products is frequently a topic of
interest. For a product to be biodegradable, it must break down
when subjected to attack by microorganisms. While it is possible
to develop technology for development of some single use
consumer products, it is virtually impossible to develop a
durable microorganism-resistant vinyl wallcovering that
biodegrades once it is discarded.
DISPOSAL /LANDFILL
Under Federal landfill regulations, vinyl wallcovering is not
considered a hazardous waste and can be safely landfilled. Like
all plastics, vinyl is an extremely stable landfill material. It resists
chemical attack and degradation and is so resistant to the
conditions present in landfills, it is often used to make landfill
liners. In addition to the ability for vinyl wallcovering to be safely
landfilled, it has an extremely long life cycle relative to other
plastic consumer products and contributes less than 0.01% to
the total composition of a landfill.
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
As with most manufactured and packaged consumer products
such as carpeting, fabrics, automobiles, housewares, and furniture,
newly installed wallcovering will have an initial characteristic
odor. However, testing indicates that the odor quickly dissipates
in buildings with normal ventilation systems. The slight odor
which may occur when wallcovering is first applied is due to a
combination of residual organic solvents related to printing and
finishing and stabilizers and plasticizers which are integral parts
of the vinyl formulation. In an effort to further reduce odors
associated with vinyl wallcovering, much of the industry is
converting to water-based printing and finishing. Wallcovering
adhesives, which are 100% water-based and mixtures of natural
and synthetic polymers, do not contribute to any off-gassing.
Thus, use of vinyl wallcoverings does not raise the types of
questions that have been raised with respect to formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde typically is used in other building products,
such as particleboard; however, wallcovering does not include
measurable amounts of formaldehyde and, therefore, would
not be a source of such emissions. While a great deal of public
attention has been focused on indoor air quality and the “Sick
Building Syndrome,” no reported problems have ever been
traced to the use of vinyl wallcoverings.

THE “CHLORINE ISSUE”
A movement started in Europe and spreading to the United
States seeks to ban products that contain chlorine. Most of the
concerns center around the discharge of organic compounds
into the world’s oceans and waterways. Banning all products
that contain chlorine is not based on sound scientific thinking.
Scientists who are familiar with the hundreds of chemical
compounds within the chlorine family know that their impact
on the environment can range from problematic to benign.
Polyvinyl Chlorine is a chlorine-based product that falls into the
benign category. PVC is one of the most stable end uses of
chlorine; it leaves the chlorine in a form more inert than the salt
from which it was made. It has the additional benefits of making
vinyl wallcovering inherently flame retardant.
HEAVY METALS ELIMINATION
The wallcovering industry has been proactive in the reduction
and elimination of cadmium and mercury-based pigments,
stabilizers and biocides.
NO VCM EXPOSURE
Vinyl wallcovering does not result in exposure to VCM. VCM
(Vinyl Chloride Monomer) is the chemical from which PVC resin
is manufactured, but only trace amounts (less than one part per
million) remain in the resin and virtually all of this is removed
during processing into the final product. There is no known
means by which PVC can revert back to VCM and, therefore,
use of vinyl wallcoverings do not entail risk of VCM exposure.
FIRE SAFETY
In the interest of fire safety, vinyl wallcoverings produced by
members of CFFA meet the following requirements:
Flame Spread & Smoke Development: Vinyl wallcoverings
produced by members of CFFA meet Class A requirements,
the best fire rating that can be obtained.
Combustion Toxicity: New York City requires that wallcoverings
at point of combustion must be no more toxic than wood
when tested according to the criteria established by the MEA
(Material and Equipment Acceptance) Division of the New
York City Department of Buildings. The CFFA member com
panies have had their products individually tested and have
received MEA approval.

Wallpaper Atricle

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Wallpaper has been around for hundreds of years, and yet people claim that there has been very little advancement in wallpaper. At the surface it might seem like a remark that seems true, but the truth is far from it, wallpaper has evolved from the really old looking red and white stripe paper, to a work of art that can adorn your home, or your work place. There are more or less no limits to the colours, variations and styles you can choose from, the best part is, contrary to popular belief wallpaper has evolved and changed as time has gone by, and they are no longer just another thing you put on your walls.

Just like art and fashion has evolved, so have the various styles of wallpaper, earlier wallpaper was made to resemble the various tapestry styles, as fashion style and taste of people evolved, the wall papers became more and more diverse. Just like clothing, technology and so many other things today, wallpaper has now come to reflect the taste and moods of a home owner. With the numerous advances in technology, the method of printing wallpaper too has advanced, earlier massive offset printers, or block printers were used to manufacture wallpaper, where as today more and more people are turning to digitally printed wallpaper for their homes.

Today wallpaper is classified based on the commercial application, and is divided into two categories commercial and home use wallpaper

Commercial Wallpaper

Commercial wallpaper is usually printed on thicker, and more resistant paper. Since commercial wallpaper (as the name suggests) is used in retail outlets, hotels, discos etc. The wallpaper has certain health and safety specifications that it must meet like being fire resistant etc. Apart from the health and safety requirements, there are additional requirements like being easy to clean, dust and dirt resistant etc. What has made commercial wallpaper making an entirely different section, is that more often than not commercial wallpaper involves customization like having a company logo printed or having custom designs, this is where having a digitally printed wallpaper comes in handy, as the imagery that is produced using digitally printed wallpaper is far superior when compared to wallpaper printed using traditional methods.

Wallpaper for home use

The earliest and oldest application of wallpaper is for home use, wallpaper for home use is by no way inferior to commercial wallpaper, as it too has to meet strict quality control guidelines, however the added advantage that wallpaper for home use has is that, it is easier to apply when compared to commercial wallpaper, and in addition you can have multiple wallpaper in the same home (compare this to commercial establishments where the wallpaper is uniform throughout). Just like commercial wallpaper, digitally printed wallpaper is available for home users also, the biggest benefactors of digitally printed wall paper have been home owners, who can now either get custom wallpaper with a particular design built, or can choose to adorn their home walls with some of the greatest works of art ever made. The choices that wallpaper today has bought to home owners is just mind boggling, and all it takes to get customized wallpaper made is a photograph or image of your design.

Things to remember before ordering wall paper online

Before you go out and order wall paper online, you should remember a few things. The first thing to remember is that monitors of different make usually display certain colours differently, this means that if you are a stickler for detail, then you should expect colour variations, the best thing to do in this case is to request a small sample of the wallpaper by post. The second and equally important thing to remember is that there are different print media for wallpaper, this means that you should have an idea of the density and the quality of the paper you are looking for. If you have any questions you should get in touch with the website's customer care and speak to them regarding the quality and type of paper being used.

Wallpaper Information

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Buying Wallpaper.
If you have already purchased sufficient wall covering then scroll down to the next section.

First a few notes about buying wallpaper.

When you buy a wall covering ensure that each roll is exactly the same as the rest including batch number and shade number. Also it is better to buy one roll too many (for spare) than end up with not enough to finish the project.

Wall coverings come in a variety of types including self-pasting, washable, peelable and so on, most manufacturers use symbols to indicate wallpaper type, you can find a list of common symbols in our guide to wallpaper product labels.

Roll Calculation

To calculate how many rolls of wall covering are needed use a simple calculation:
1. Measure the perimeter of the room and then divide this figure by the width of the roll (X).
2. Divide the length of the roll by the drop + 10cm (Y).
3. Divide X by Y to give the number of rolls needed.
An example, say the perimeter of the room (including windows/doors) is 14m and the width of the roll is 0.6m then X = 24 (rounded up).

and let’s say the roll length is 11m and the drop (+10cm) is 2.5 so Y = 4.4

Dividing X by Y gives us 24 ÷ 4.4 = 5.45, so we need 6 rolls to complete the project.
Preparing the Walls
If you have already prepared the walls then skip to the next section.

If the walls have an old covering then remove it (see our guide to stripping wallpaper) for some tips.

Inspect the wall surfaces for cracks, holes, loose plaster and any other imperfections.

For small cracks use a suitable fine filler, for larger cracks and holes use a stronger more suitable filler (see manufacturer’s instructions).

To check for any loose plaster, tap the wall around any suspect areas, remove any loose plaster and repair with a suitable plaster repair product (filler if the damaged area is not too big).

When filling try and leave a nice smooth finish, it is better to leave the filled area slightly proud of the surrounding area and then sand down with a fine sandpaper until flush.
Order of hanging
First we need to decide the best place to start hanging the wallpaper, patterned wallpaper is best hung starting at a window and working your way around the room away from the window (see fig 1.1).

To get your starting point measure the window recess and add 2cm, deduct this measurement from the roll width, and then measure out from the window the remainder, this will be your starting point (see fig 1.2).
An example
Let’s say the window recess is 15cm (add 2cm for trimming) and the roll width is 60cm, that means we need to measure out from the window 43cm (60-17=43).
Use a pencil to mark your starting point, and then use either a spirit level or a chalk line to mark a vertical line to use as a guide.

Fig 1.1

Fig 1.2

Prepare the lengths
Once you have your starting point you can work out how many drops it will take to reach the nearest corner, this is how many pieces of wallpaper we need to prepare ready for hanging.

When you know how many drops you need to reach the corner, the next step is to work out how long to cut the lengths. Free match wallpaper is just a case of measuring the drop and adding 10cm for trimming, other wallpapers may need a larger surplus in order to match the pattern correctly (see manufacturer’s instructions).

After working out how long to cut the lengths take your decorating scissors and cut as many lengths as you need (always check that the pattern matches and you have 5cm at both top and bottom for trimming).

note: Usually wallpaper paste takes about 15-20 minutes (see paste packet) until it is ready to use, if you mix it just before you start cutting the lengths it should be ready when you need it.

Beautiful Bespoke wallpapers

2007-06-21T23:02:00.000+01:00

Here is the Best site on the internet selling Bespoke Wallpaper

Wallpaper in the home is trendy even Wallpaper Borders

2007-06-21T22:45:00.000+01:00

Wallpaper sets the mood with the color and design. A bright, cheerful wallpaper lightens up the room, while a dark and dramatic wallpaper immediately sets a formal, more elegant feeling to the room. Wallpaper can also change the look and feel of a room’s size / dimension, making it feel bigger, smaller, taller, or more cozy. With wallpaper, you can create anything you want, the only limitation being your imaginataion. Because wall papers are available in so many colors, textures, patterns and styles and are so easy to install, they have a place in every room in the house. Go ahead, buy a new wallpaper today and change the feel of your home.