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Glossary
Please
select the first letter of a term to go directly to that section
on the list of terms.
A
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| E | F | G
| H | I | J
| L | M | N
| O | P
| R | S | T
| U | V | W
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| A |
- Accordion
Fold
- The
technique of booking a strip of border several times,
resembling an accordion. This keeps pasted sides together,
allows "relaxing" time and makes long strips easier to
handle during installation.
Activator- A
diluted paste material used by some to activate pre-pasted
wallcovering. Claims to improve slip and adhesion.
Acrylic- A
type of plastic resins used as a pigment binder, or surface
coating.
Adhesive- A
substance that causes two materials to adhere. Most wallcovering
adhesives are cellulose- clay- or starch-based.
Alkali- A
mineral salt sometimes found in plaster that may discolor
wallpaper.
American Roll- A
single roll of wallcovering, typically 27" wide,
containing approximately 36 square feet of material.
Applique- Cutouts
of paper, vinyl or other material to be applied individually
to the wall.
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| B |
- Baseboard
- Decorative
molding found at the bottom of the wall, along the floor.
Blank Stock- (See
Lining Paper)
Blown Vinyl- Wallpaper
with embossed or raised patterns created when printed
plasticols expand under high temperatures. Often used
in paintable wallcoverings.
Bolt- A
unit of fabric or wallcovering, typically consisting of
multiple single rolls.
Booking- The
process of temporarily folding the ends of a sheet of
wallpaper toward the middle of the sheet, paste to paste.
This is done to activate the paste, to enable the material
to relax, and to facilitate handling.
Border- A
narrow band of wallcovering used for decorative purposes,
usually at ceiling height, as a chair-rail detail or around
windows and doors.
Breathable- Coated
wallpaper that permits moisture to escape.
Butt Seam- A
seam at which the edges of the wallcovering meet tightly
and do not overlap.
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| C |
- Ceiling
Paper
- Plain
or simply designed wallpaper created specifically for
use on ceiling.
Cellulose- A
carbohydrate polymer derived from plants and used in the
manufacture of many fibrous products such as paper and
wallpaper paste.
Cellulose Paste- The
adhesive often applied to prepasted wallcoverings. It
is non-staining, odorless, vermin-proof and mildew-retardant,
mixes easily and will not ferment.
Chair Rail- Wood
molding placed on the wall at the height of a chair back.
Wallpaper borders are often used as substitutes for chair
rails, and complementary sidewalls are often installed
above and below the chair rail.
Coated Paper- Paper
that is coated with vinyl so that it retains its wet strength,
enables printing on its surface, and maintains its shape
when it dries.
Collection- A
line of wallpaper patterns sold together in the same sample
book.
Colorfast- Ability
to resist change or loss of color caused by repeated exposure
to light.
Color Run- (See
Dye Lot)
Color Wheel- The
relationship of colors to one another displayed in a circular
arrangement.
Colorway- One
of the colors in which a given design is offered. Each
design is usually printed in multiple colorways within
a collection.
Commercial Wallcovering- Wallcovering
made specifically for use in commercial settings such
as hotels, restaurants, offices and the like. Commercial
Wallcoverings are classified as:
Type
I: (Light Duty) — For use in office areas, hospital
patient rooms, & hotel rooms.
Type
II: (Medium Duty) — For use in foyers, lounges,
corridors, classrooms, and hospital wards.
Type
III: (Heavy Duty) — For use in areas subjected
to very hard use such as hospital corridors.-
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Companion Papers
- (See
Coordinates)
Complementary Colors- Unlike
colors that oppose each other on the color wheel.
Contemporary- Current,
modern decorating style.
Contract Wallcovering- (See
Commercial Wallcovering)
Coordinates- Two
or more papers designed and colored to be used together
in the same or adjoining areas.
Country- Decorating
style popularized in the early '70s and still strong today,
featuring
small prints, quilt looks, rustic motifs and the like.
Cylinder- A
roller, usually metal, engraved with one color of a design.
Most designs utilize 8-10 cylinders.
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| D |
- Damask
- Rich
pattern reminiscent of patterned cotton, linen, silk or wool fabric.
Decorative Layer- The top
printed layer of wallcovering.
Documentary- A replica
of historic wallpaper .
Double Cutting - Process
of overlapping two pieces of wallpaper and cutting through both layers
to make a butt seam. After cutting, the top piece is peeled back and
the bottom piece is removed. This technique is used when creating border
chair rails, at the end of a job and when making repairs.
Double Roll - A bolt
of two single rolls of wallpaper, packaged in a continuous length.
Drop Ceiling- The illusion
of a lower ceiling created by installing ceiling paper several inches
onto the wall and separating it from the sidewall with a border or molding.
Drop Cloth - A cloth
used to protect floors and furniture when wallpapering. Usually made
of plastic, canvas, or old bed sheets.
 Drop
Match- Patterns
that do not repeat at the same distance from the ceiling line across
the various strips on the wall. Rather, the matching point drops lower
on each succeeding strip. Professional paperhangers use the technique
of measuring and cutting adjacent strips from different rolls of wallcovering
and alternating them to minimize waste. Drop matches are of two types:
- HALF-DROP
MATCH— patterns appear to run diagonally across the wall in
such a way that every other strip is identical at the ceiling line.
It takes two strips of wallcovering to complete the pattern horizontally.
- MULTIPLE-DROP
MATCH— patterns require three, four or five strips of wallcovering
for the pattern to complete itself. A one-third-drop pattern requires
three strips to complete the pattern and four to repeat. A one-quarter-drop
pattern requires four strips to complete the pattern and five to repeat,
and so on.
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- Dry-Strip
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- Dye
Lot
- A set
of numbers and/or letters given to a particular batch of wallcovering
rolls printed at the same time. Each time a new ink or different batch
is printed, the dye-lot number will change.
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| E |
- Eclectic
- A
mixture of diverse decorating styles.
Embossing- A
raised effect created when heat or pressure is used to
impress a design into wallcovering.
European Roll- (See
Metric Roll)
Expanded Vinyl- Wallpaper
with a raised, three-dimensional surface created when
an expansion agent is added to the vinyl and heated. Good
for covering imperfect walls, it is usually sold as white
"paintables" that can be painted with latex
paint.
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| F |
- Fabric-Backed
Vinyl
- A durable
vinyl wallcovering with a synthetic, non-woven backing often used in
commercial installations.
Flock- Wallcoverings
made with shredded fibers to replicate the fuzzy texture of velvet.
Focal Point- The main
point in a room to which the eye is initially drawn.
Foil- A very
delicate, non-breathable wallpaper made by applying a thin sheet of
printable metal to a paper or fabric back.
Free Match- Patterns
with seams trimmed in open areas between design elements rather than
through design elements. Free-match patterns may have straight-across
matches or drop matches, but the design elements still need to be aligned.
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| G |
 Good
Lightfastness - Retains
original color well, even when exposed to direct sunlight for extended
periods.
Grasscloth- A hand-made
product made by applying woven grasses to a paper backing. Usually
imported from Asia.
Gravure - A printing
process which provides good quality at high speed and relatively low
cost. The design image is etched into a series of cylinders that transfer
ink to paper.
Ground- Can refer
to the raw paper stock (ground sheet) or the background color (ground
coat or ground layer) applied to the paper stock. The top colors creating
the design are then applied to the ground.
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- Half-Drop
Match
- Patterns
appear to run diagonally across the wall in such a way that every other
strip is identical at the ceiling line. It takes two strips of wallcovering
to complete the pattern horizontally.
Hand
Prints- Wallcoverings
that are printed by hand by forcing inks through a screen.
Header- The short
strip of wallcovering hung above a door or window.
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- In-Register
- Wallcoverings
with a heat-embossed texture that perfectly matches the pattern. Often
shiny or light-reflective in appearance.
Inside Corner- A corner
that does not protrude into a room.
International Symbols
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| J |
- Jacobean
- Design
style related to the crewel work popular during the reign
of King James I of England.
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| L |
- Level
- A
carpenter's tool used for determining the vertical and
horizontal straightness of lines.
Light Reflective- (See
In-Register)
Lineal Yard- A
lengthwise measure equal to one yard.
Lining Paper- Blank
wallcovering stock, which can be used under wallpaper
to absorb moisture and provide a smooth wall surface upon
which to hang. It maximizes adhesion, provides a smooth
surface and minimizes the possibility of mildew and staining.
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- Match
- The alignment
of designs in successive strips of paper. There are several types of
matches:
Drop
Match
- Patterns
that do not repeat at the same distance from the ceiling line across
the various strips on the wall. Rather, the matching point drops lower
on each succeeding strip. Professional paper hangers use the technique
of measuring and cutting adjacent strips from different rolls of wallcovering
and alternating them to minimize waste. Drop matches are of two types:
- HALF-DROP
MATCH— patterns appear to run diagonally across
the wall in such a way that every other strip is identical
at the ceiling line. It takes two strips of wallcovering
to complete the pattern horizontally.
- MULTIPLE-DROP
MATCH— patterns require three, four or five strips
of wallcovering for the pattern to complete itself. A
one-third-drop pattern requires three strips to complete
the pattern and four to repeat. A one-quarter-drop pattern
requires four strips to complete the pattern and five
to repeat, and so on.
- Free
Match—Patterns with seams trimmed in open areas between design
elements rather than through design elements. Free-match patterns may
have straight-across matches or drop matches, but the design elements
still need to be aligned.
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Random
Match
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Straight
Match
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- Random
Match—Patterns with no apparent match no matter how the adjoining
strips are positioned. Grasscloth, textures and vertical stripes are
common random matches, and the strips are frequently reversed when hung
to minimize visual effects such as edge-to-edge shading.
- Straight
Match—Patterns in which the same elements of the design are
horizontally aligned an equal distance from the ceiling line.
- Matte
Finish
- A dull
finish.
Metallic- (See
Foil)
Metric Roll- A single
roll, usually 20.5 inches wide and approximately 16 feet long containing
28 to 30 square feet of wallpaper.
Mildew- A discoloring
of organic materials such as paint, paper and cloth caused by fungi,
especially under damp conditions.
Mission- A decorating
style reminiscent of early Spanish missions in California.
Miter- A joint
made by butting two pieces of material, each of which has been cut at
a 45-degree angle, in order to form a 90-degree corner.
Moiré- Patterns
with a wavy, water-like appearance.
Molding- An ornamental
strip of wood or plaster embellishing a ceiling or wall.
Monochromatic- Having
only one color.
- Multiple-Drop
Match
- Patterns
require three, four or five strips of wallcovering for the pattern to
complete itself. A one-third-drop pattern requires three strips to complete
the pattern and four to repeat. A one-quarter-drop pattern requires
four strips to complete the pattern and five to repeat, and so on.
Mosaic
- A decorative
design made by setting colored glass or stone in mortar to form a pattern.
Mural - A wall
decoration with a continuous scenic design intended to cover most of
a wall. Formed by joining sequential strips of wallpaper, each containing
different portions of the scene.
Mylar- A polyester
film occasionally used to make wallpaper with a foil-like appearance.
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| N |
- Neoclassic
- A
revival of classic forms and aesthetics.
Neutral Colors - Colors
that lack hue, such as black, white, gray and brown.
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- Open
Time
- The
time period available between the activation and application
of adhesives until they dry.
Outside Corner- A
corner that protrudes into a room.
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- Paintable
- (See Expanded
Vinyl)
Paisley- Colorful,
swirled pattern of abstract, curved shapes named after Paisley, Scotland.
Paper-Backed Vinyl - Wallpaper
with a solid vinyl decorative layer laminated to a paper backing. Also
called solid vinyl. Very durable, scrubbable and peelable.
Paste- A term
for the adhesive used in wallcovering.
Pattern- A design
printed on wallcovering that is repeated. Also refers to the number
assigned to the design in a sample book.
Pattern Match - (See
Match)
 Peelable
- Wallcovering
with a solid vinyl surface layer that can be peeled away to reveal a
paper backing that can be easily removed by soaking.
Plumb - Perfectly
vertical.
Plumb Line- A weighted
chalk-covered string line used to mark a true vertical line on a wall.
Prepasted- Wallpaper
that has adhesive applied to the back at the time of manufacture. The
paste is activated when the wallpaper is dipped in water.
Pre-Trimmed - Wallpaper
from which selvage edge has been trimmed off at the factory. Most wallpaper
is pre-trimmed.
Pressure Sensitive- (See
Self Adhesive)
Primary Colors- The three
colors, red, blue and yellow, from which all other colors may be derived.
Prime- The act
of applying a primer to the wall prior to installing wallcovering.
Primer- Acrylic
paint-like product applied to the wall prior to the installation of
wallcovering, specially designed to promote slip, adhesion and stripability.
Used in place of size.
Production Run - (See
Dye Lot)
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| R |
- Railroading
- Applying
wallpaper horizontally.
 Random
Match - Patterns
with no apparent match no matter how the adjoining strips are positioned.
Grasscloth, textures and vertical stripes are common random matches,
and the strips are frequently reversed when hung to minimize visual
effects such as edge-to-edge shading.
Registration- The correct
alignment of colors on a printed sheet.
Relief Cut- A temporary
cut made in a corner, at a window casing or at a molding to relieve pressure
on a large sheet of paper, enabling it to lay flat against the wall.
Removal Solution- A solution
used to soften existing wallpaper and paste for easy removal.
Repeat- The distance
from the center of a design element to the center of the same element
the next time it appears.
Reversing- The technique
of hanging every other strip of random-match wallpaper upside down to
minimize side-to-side shading.
Roll- The basic
unit of measure for a sidewall, usually expressed as a single roll.
Rotary Screen- A method
of machine-printing wallpaper in which ink is forced through printed
screens attached to cylinders.
Run- (See
Dye Lot)
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| S |
 Scrubbable- Wallpaper
that can be washed frequently with warm water and mild soap.
Scenic- (See
Mural)
Seams- Edges
where two wallcoverings are joined.
Seam Roller- Small
wood or steel hand roller used to adhere wallpaper to the wall
at the seams.
Segment- A single
unit or roll of border.
Self Adhesive - Borders
that do not need to be soaked to activate the paste. Should only be
installed on clean, smooth, non-porous surfaces. Not recommended for
use over vinyl wallcovering.
Selvage- The untrimmed,
unprinted edge of wallpaper that has not been pre-trimmed at the factory.
Shading- Heavier
ink coverage on one side of the strip than the other which can increase
the visibility of seams of textured wallcovering. Reversing each strip
can reduce the impact of shading. Dark edges will thus butt to dark
edges and light to light, minimizing the shading.
Sidewall- What
most people refer to as wallpaper, as opposed to borders.
Single Roll- Standard
unit of measure for wallpaper. Wallpaper is usually packaged in double
or triple roll bolts but priced by the single roll.
Size (Sizing)- A sealer
once used to prepare the wall before paper was applied. For the most
part, acrylic wallpaper primers have replaced size.
Slip- The ability
of wallpaper to slide on the wall in order to align seams and reposition
the paper. The adhesive and the primer influence slip.
Smoothing Brush - A wide
brush used to smooth wallpaper and work out air bubbles while hanging.
Soffit- The area
in kitchens or laundry rooms extending from the top of the cabinets to
the ceiling that is often covered with a border.
Solid Vinyl- Wallpaper
with a solid vinyl decorated layer laminated to a paper or fabric backing.
Very durable, and often used in kitchens and baths due to its ability
to withstand repeated cleanings.
Spackling Compound- Soft,
pliant compound used to fix holes and gouges in drywall.
Stain Resistant- Ability
to resist most types of stains.
Straight Edge- A long
steel ruler used as a guide to trim the selvage off of untrimmed wallcovering
or to cut lengths of wallpaper at inside corners.
 Straight
Match- Patterns
in which the same elements of the design are horizontally aligned an
equal distance from the ceiling line.
String- Wallcovering
featuring string, silk or yarn bonded to a paper backing.
Strip- A single
piece of sidewall, as long as the height of the wall.
Strippable- Wallcovering
that is designed to resist tearing and to release from dry adhesive
without damage to the wall. Some strippable papers must be soaked with
a removal solution. Others may be "dry strippable".
Substrate- The backing
of a wallcovering that goes against the wall and that is laminated to
the design layer. Can be made of fabric or paper.
Surface Printing- A printing
method utilizing a raised printing surface. Patterns have a raised look
on the paper and the finished product resembles an oil painting.
Swag- A hanging
decoration usually consisting of garlands, leaves, ribbons or drapery
fabric.
Swatch- A sample
cutting of wallcovering or fabric.
Symbols- (See
International Symbols)
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| T |
- Toile
De Jouy
- Landscape
and figure motifs printed in monotone colorations. First
developed as a style in Jouy, France.
Traditional- A
style of decorating handed down from the past.
Transitional- A
style of designing containing elements of two or more
other styles.
Triple Roll- A
bolt of three single rolls of wallpaper, packaged in a
continuous length.
Trompe L'oeil- A
design in which objects are rendered in extremely fine
detail emphasizing the illusion of tactile and spatial
qualities. The result is visual deception.
Type I
Type
II
Type
III
(See Commercial Wallcovering)
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- Unpasted
- Wallpaper
requiring paste to be applied to the back of the paper
prior to installation.
Useable Yield- Square
footage of useable wallcovering after allowing for waste
to match the pattern.
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- Vertical
repeat
- (See
Repeat)
Victorian- Decoration
reflecting the style during the reign of Queen Victoria
characterized by massive, elaborate, sometimes ostentatious
workmanship.
Vinyl- A
manmade material which is often coated or laminated onto
wallpaper backing to give the product improved washability.
Vinyl-to-vinyl
adhesive (vinyl over vinyl; VOV)- A
special paste designed to adhere border to vinyl wallpaper
and to adhere vinyl wallcovering to itself, such as at
inside corners.
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- Wainscot
(Wainscoting)
- Wood
paneling installed from the floor to approximates one-third
of the wall height. Wallcovering is often used below a
chairrail as a substitute for wainscot.
- Wallcovering
- Any coverings
applied to walls for decoration and to hide imperfections.
Wall Liner- (See
Lining Paper)
Wallpaper- A wallcovering
made of paper.
Warm Colors- Red,
yellow or orange, or any color to which yellow has been added.
 Washable- Wallpaper
that can be washed infrequently with warm water, soap, and a soft sponge.
- Water
Tray
- An open
tray used to hold water to soak prepasted wallpaper.
 Wipable- Able
to use a soft, dry cloth to clean the paper surface.
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