10 Sep What is Paste the Wall Wallpaper? Paste the Wall vs Paste the Paper
If you’ve fallen in love with a wallpaper but feel slightly less enthusiastic about actually hanging it, you’re not alone.
Wallpapering has a bit of a reputation for being fiddly. There are pasting tables, long lengths of wet paper and mysterious instructions about soaking times to contend with – or at least, there used to be.
Modern paste the wall wallpaper makes the whole process much simpler.
All Willow & Woods wallpapers are paste the wall, which means exactly what it sounds like: instead of applying wallpaper paste to the back of the paper, you apply it directly to the wall and hang the wallpaper dry.
No soaking. No folding lengths of pasted wallpaper. And no pasting table taking over the middle of the room.
So, if you’re wondering what paste the wall wallpaper is, how it differs from traditional wallpaper and how to hang it, here’s everything you need to know.
What is paste the wall wallpaper?
Paste the wall wallpaper is usually made using a non-woven backing, rather than the traditional paper backing used for many older wallpapers.
The important difference is that non-woven wallpaper is much more dimensionally stable. Traditional wallpaper can absorb moisture from the adhesive and expand slightly, which is why it needs to be pasted and left to soak before being hung.
Paste the wall wallpaper doesn’t need that soaking time.
Instead, you simply apply an even layer of wallpaper adhesive directly to the prepared wall and place the dry wallpaper onto it.
It makes wallpapering considerably less daunting – particularly if you’re decorating for the first time.
some of our paste-the-wall wallpapers
Blush Pink Bow Wallpaper – Matilda Collection
Emsworth Coral Wallpaper
Matilda Floral Stripe Pink
Matilda Woodland Dreams Blue
Paste-the-wall vs paste the paper: what’s the difference?
The main difference is simply where you put the paste.
With traditional paste the paper wallpaper, you cut a length of wallpaper, lay it face-down on a pasting table and apply adhesive to the back. The pasted paper is then usually folded loosely back on itself and left for a specified amount of time so that the paper can absorb the moisture and expand before it goes onto the wall.
With paste the wall wallpaper, none of that is necessary.
You apply the adhesive straight to the wall and hang the wallpaper while it is still dry.
That means:
- no pasting table
- no soaking time
- less handling of wet wallpaper
- considerably less mess
- easier repositioning while you match the pattern
- a much more approachable process if you’ve never wallpapered before
It’s one of the reasons I chose a non-woven paste-the-wall paper for Willow & Woods wallpapers. I want choosing pattern for your home to feel exciting rather than intimidating – and that includes putting it onto the walls.
Is paste the wall wallpaper easier to hang?
Generally, yes.
One of the trickiest parts of traditional wallpapering is handling a long piece of paper once it has been covered in paste. It becomes heavier, softer and more delicate.
With paste the wall wallpaper, the wallpaper stays dry and stable while you’re working with it.
Once you’ve placed it against the pasted wall, you also have a little movement while the adhesive is wet, allowing you to gently slide the paper into position and line up the pattern before smoothing it down.
So don’t panic if your first attempt isn’t perfectly positioned the moment it touches the wall. You have time to adjust it.
Do you need special paste for paste the wall wallpaper?
Not necessarily.
Many good-quality wallpaper adhesives are suitable for non-woven paste-the-wall wallpapers, but you should always check both the wallpaper and adhesive instructions before you begin.
The wall itself matters too.
If you’re decorating an older property with traditional materials such as lime plaster, breathability may be important, so choose an adhesive and wall preparation system that’s appropriate for the construction of your home rather than automatically reaching for a standard modern product.
Can you paste the paper instead?
If your wallpaper is labelled paste the wall, I recommend following the instructions and pasting the wall.
The non-woven backing has been designed specifically to be hung in this way, and there’s no advantage to introducing moisture to the paper unnecessarily.
Keep it dry and let the wall take the paste.
Why I choose paste the wall wallpaper for Willow & Woods
When choosing the paper for Willow & Woods, I wanted the quality of the paper to feel as considered as the patterns printed onto it.
All Willow & Woods wallpapers are printed on a beautiful matt, non-woven paste the wall paper. It has a lovely, uncoated finish that allows the colour and hand-drawn detail of the designs to come through without a shiny surface.
But I also wanted the practical side of decorating with wallpaper to feel as straightforward as possible.
With paste the wall wallpaper, there’s no need to cover long lengths of paper in adhesive or wait for them to soak before hanging. The wallpaper stays dry while you work with it, making it easier to handle, position and pattern match on the wall.
For me, that’s particularly important because I want wallpaper to feel accessible. Pattern can completely change the atmosphere of a room, adding warmth, depth and character, and choosing it shouldn’t come with the feeling that hanging it is going to be an enormous undertaking.
Choosing wallpaper
should feel considered
and confident.
Is paste the wall wallpaper right for your home?
For most rooms, paste the wall wallpaper is a wonderfully practical choice. As with any wallpaper, the condition and preparation of the wall underneath are important, and older or unusual walls may need a little more consideration before decorating.
If you live in an older property with traditional lime plaster, for example, it’s worth making sure that the preparation and adhesive you choose are suitable for the construction of your walls.
And if you’re unsure how a wallpaper will look in your particular room, always start with a sample.
Colour can change enormously depending on the direction your room faces, the time of day and the other colours and materials around it. Pattern scale can also feel very different once you see it against your furniture and architectural details.
That’s why Willow & Woods samples are a generous A3 size – large enough to give you a much better sense of the colour, texture and scale of the design before you commit to full rolls.
Paste the wall: less faff, more pattern
Perhaps the simplest way to think about it is this: paste the wall wallpaper gives you all the character of traditional wallpaper, without quite so much of the traditional faff.
You still get that wonderful transformation that comes from covering a room in pattern, but the process of getting it onto the wall is simpler.
And that can make the decision to use wallpaper feel just a little less daunting.
All Willow & Woods wallpapers are printed to order in the UK on FSC-certified, non-woven paste the wall paper using eco-friendly inks, with a soft matt finish designed to sit beautifully within a room.If you’ve found a pattern you love but aren’t quite ready to commit to a full roll, start with an A3 sample and live with it for a few days. Move it around the room, look at it in morning and evening light, and see how it feels alongside the things you already own.
Sometimes that's all you need to know whether you've found the one.
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