Non-woven wallpaper in the kitchen: help for the buyer and step-by-step instructions for gluing

Non-woven is a synthetic material made from compressed cellulose fibers.

Non-woven wallpaper is called:

• non-woven wallpaper for painting – consist only of non-woven and, as a rule, have a relief embossing or pattern;
• vinyl wallpaper on a non-woven base – in this case, the vinyl layer plays a decorative and protective role, and the non-woven layer plays the role of a substrate.

Any of these types of coatings are suitable for finishing the kitchen, because non-woven is a material that has much more pluses than minuses..

If in doubt – buyer’s guide

Advantages of non-woven wallpaper (hereinafter FO) and comparison with other types of wallpaper:

1. The main plus: unlike all types of vinyl wallpaper on a paper basis, FOs “breathe”, which means that fungus and mold cannot form under them.

• however, there is one caveat – standard vinyl wallpaper on a non-woven backing also does not “breathe” because of the upper vinyl layer, but you can buy so-called “hard” vinyl wallpaper, which is both “breathable” and washable, and looks beautiful.

1. Vinyl wallpaper on a non-woven base can last up to 15 years in excellent condition, without tarnishing from ultraviolet radiation.

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1. All FOs are moisture resistant and can be wiped with a moderately damp cloth without the use of aggressive household chemicals, but washable types of FOs are moisture-repellent, which means that they are not afraid of washing with a damp cloth with slightly alkaline solutions.
2. Non-woven fabric, unlike vinyl, does not smell.
3. And unlike the paper base, it does not stretch from the glue during the pasting process, so it will be easy for you to join the drawing.

1. Before gluing non-woven wallpaper, the wall does not need to be brought to an ideal state – due to its density and relief, the DOs hide small defects such as bumps or cracks up to 2 mm.
2. Pasting with non-woven wallpaper does not require the application of glue both to the canvases and to the wall – it is enough to apply it only to the wall, which means that there will be less dirt and glue consumption.
3. FD perfectly tolerate temperature drops and high humidity.
4. Wallpaper for painting can withstand 8-10 painting cycles, that is, if you wish, you can easily update the walls of your kitchen.
5. Non-woven, unlike paper, is fire resistant.
6. And also FOs have sound insulation properties..

So, we counted 11 advantages, but the FO still has disadvantages:

• non-woven wallpaper for painting, due to its relief, accumulates dust, so periodically they need to be wiped or vacuumed;
• in addition, the upper embossed layer is susceptible to mechanical damage, that is, scratches and dents may remain on the coating;
• cheap POs can emit formaldehyde, so it is better not to save money in this matter.

General recommendations:

• Embossed FOs better hide the unevenness of the walls; in addition, they are denser and stronger than smooth ones;
• High-quality POs should not smell like acetone and have an oily surface;
• Be sure to buy FO from only one batch (the number is indicated on the package). Even if in the store it seems to you that the “multi-party” wallpapers are exactly the same, believe me, on the wall, a semitone difference will be noticeable. The difference in shades of the same wallpaper from different batches is not a marriage, but a production feature;
• Adhesive for non-woven wallpaper should be moisture resistant and of high quality (not contain starch and PVA) and better with a color indicator.
• A consultant will help you calculate the consumption of rolls, you only need to measure in advance the height of the ceilings and the perimeter of the kitchen, taking into account the protrusions and niches, while the sizes of windows, doors and a standing kitchen set do not need to be subtracted – all the excess will be useful as a reserve.

And now let’s move on to practice, that is, to gluing non-woven wallpaper with our own hands.

How to glue non-woven wallpaper – step by step instructions

Before gluing non-woven wallpaper, you need to find a partner and prepare the following tools and materials:

• glue for non-woven wallpaper and containers for its cultivation;
• measuring instruments: plumb line and level, tape measure, marker for marking;
• wallpaper spatula;
• a clean smooth roller to smooth the canvas (preferably a rubber one);
• wide paintbrush for glue;
• sponges and clean cleaning rags, scissors, cutter, stepladder.

Important! Some DOs may be translucent. Attach one canvas to the wall and make sure that the base does not show through from under it. If the wall is visible through the wallpaper, then the wall needs to be painted over. Only after the paint has dried, wallpaper on a non-woven base is glued.

Step 1. Preparing the wall

In the process of carrying out preparatory work, the old coating must be dismantled – non-woven wallpaper cannot be glued over the existing material. After removing the previous layer of wallpaper, the surface of the wall is sanded. It is not necessary to completely plaster the wall – the exception is found deep cracks or potholes. After sanding, all that remains is to wipe the dust on the wall with a damp cloth and wait until it dries.

Step 2. Apply the markup

The markup must be drawn using a building level or a plumb line. Where is it better to start drawing markings and how to properly glue non-woven wallpaper? Most often, gluing is carried out from the window. But many professionals recommend the opposite – to start from the wall farthest from the window, moving, in fact, to the window opening.

Step 3. Cutting the roll onto canvases

There are 3 options for cutting canvases, you can:

1. cut strips directly along the wall, applying a roll and marking the cutting line (taking into account a 10 cm allowance);
2. cut on the table or on the floor at the rate of: ceiling height + 10 cm;
3. if the wallpaper has a pattern, then the cutting should take into account the rapport, that is, the step of the repeating pattern. As a rule, this value is indicated on the packaging, but you can check the correctness of the data by finding duplicate elements.

• the number of strips to be cut is determined along the perimeter of the room, taking into account protrusions, niches and pattern joining.

Step 4. Prepare the glue

Before gluing non-woven wallpaper, it is important to properly prepare the adhesive mixture. The main thing here is to do everything exactly according to the manufacturer’s instructions..

• Good glue should dissolve in no more than 5 minutes to a gel-like consistency without lumping.
• The composition is prepared by dilution exclusively in cold water. If you add warm water, lumps will form in the glue, which will remain bulges under the canvases..

Step 5. Let’s start gluing

We apply the glue with a brush to the wall, slightly going beyond the boundaries of the marking (in principle, this can be done with a roller). Now we begin to glue the strips. How to glue non-woven wallpaper exactly?

• The main thing is to overlay the strip, aligning it exactly with the markings, but so as to cover the markings themselves. The allowance for the ceiling plinth should be approximately 5 cm as shown in the photo below.

First you need to glue and easily smooth the entire canvas at once – you need to do this together with your partner. Next, you should finally fix the wallpaper, distribute the glue evenly and release the air. To do this, we roll a rubber roller from above under the ceiling with a left-right movement. Then, with them, we begin to smooth the entire strip according to the “herringbone” principle: we roll the roller vertically in the center, then from the center to the edges, “drawing” the branches of the Christmas tree. Any excess glue protruding should be wiped off immediately with a cloth..

Finally, cut off the top and bottom allowances and proceed to the next strip..

• The canvases must be aligned end-to-end, leaving no seams or overlaps.

• In the corners, the canvases are glued with a slight overlap, but also taking into account the pattern.

• When pasting the walls behind the radiators, the strips are glued with an approach of 10 cm.

Read more about how to glue non-woven wallpaper in difficult places: niches, ledges, doorways, read here.

Step 6. Paint the walls

For non-woven wallpaper, water-based paints – acrylic or water-based paints are suitable for painting. The question of the painting itself is a topic for a separate article, so we invite you to familiarize yourself with a step-by-step master class on painting walls.

In addition to the material – a visual video on how to properly glue non-woven wallpaper with your own hands.