DIY

DIY

tn_IMG_4956This information is given without legal liability and assumes a knowledge of decorating principles, basic competence and the use of correct tools and equipment for the work.

The information is not intended to cover every situation and should be used as a general guide only.

BEFORE YOU START:

  1. Store the wallpapering in a clean, dry and protected environment.
  2. Ensure the wallpaper are as order, specified and labeled and have not been damaged in transport.
  3. Check that you have sufficient material to complete the job in the same batch before  cutting.
  4. Check batch numbers and ensure that batches are never mixed on the same wall.  Never fill-in with off-cuts.
  5. Check that rolls are of the same shade by unrolling approximately 1 meter and putting the rolls side by side (overlapping) and checking visually for difference in color.
  6. Ensure that you have the correct WallFix adhesive for the specific material to be hung as well as site circumstances.
  7. Check the product specific requirements regarding adhesive pasting, on the wall or on the back of the material as well as specific requirements regarding pattern matching, reverse/straight/horizontal hanging, as well as butt/overlap & trimming of joints.
  8. Ensure adequate site conditions with good permanent lighting and ventilation, a clean work area, ambient temperature of between 10°C and 28°C and relative humidity of 50% and less.  Excessive ambient temperatures and relative humidity should be avoided before, during and after hanging until adhesive is fully dried.
  9. Check general condition of building as well signs of damp.  Wallpapers don not cause mold to grow, mold growth is a consequence of excessive moisture.  The four factors that influence mold growth in a building are a buildings tightness, liquid water infiltration from outside, moisture condensation on cold surfaces and moisture generated within the building by the building’s occupants.

SURFACE PREPARATION:

  1. Wallpapers can be installed over almost any surface providing the surface has been properly prepared.
  2. Correct identification of surfaces and the appropriate preparation is therefore critical to successful hanging.
  3. It is your responsibility to check individual site circumstances and to correctly identify the surface onto which you are hanging as well as to determine the correct surface preparation for your site circumstances.
  4. Newly plastered surfaces must not have excessive quantities of lime or alkali and surfaces should not contain in excess of 5% to 7% residual moisture when measured with a good moisture meter.
  5. Two-coat plastered or skimmed walls must be carefully inspected to ensure that Rinolite has been applied in accordance with manufacturers instructions especially with regard to “polishing” the product as it directly effects absorption and substrate suitability.
  6. Surface to be covered should have a uniform color to prevent ” show through” or ghosting especially on light colored or lightweight wallpaper material.

      GENERAL GUIDELINE:

  1.  All surfaces must be smooth, clean, dry and structurally sound.
  2. Remove all surface contamination, e.g. dirt, grease and pigmented marks such as felt pen markings, etc,  Wash off using a detergent solution, rinse and allow to thoroughly dry.  Use Polycell Sugar Soap, in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction, to remove stubborn dirt and grime.
  3. Remove any loose or flaking paint.
  4. Strip and remove  any existing wallpapering completely (including backing).  DO NOT DOUBLE HANG! Remove remaining adhesive with hot water, sand surface with a medium grid sandpaper to a smooth and even finish.
  5. Check the soundness of an existing surface with these simple tests:
  • Cut a shallow “X” in the surface with a Stanley knife.  Wrap a strip of masking tape around your finger (sticky side out), and press    it to the “X”, checking to see whether the paint film separates, from the wall surface.  If the paint film separates, the wall is not sound.
  • Wipe the surface with your bare hand, checking for any pigment or color transfer  from the surface to your hand,  If the pigment or color transfers, then the wall is not sound.  Take a wet sponge, hold it against the painted surface for 15 to 20 seconds, checking for any pigments or color transfer from the surface to the sponge.  If the pigment or color transfers, then the wall is not sound.
  • If a painted surface is found to be “unsound” by any of the above tests, then the paint must be removed.    

Treat existing mold and mildew with a commercial Anti fungicidal Wash in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction.  It  is                   recommended that a mildew inhibitor be used in the adhesive.  Fill cracks and hole with Polyfilla Mendall 90 ready mixed filler in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction and sand to blend in.

        TYPICAL ABSORBENT SURFACES:

  1. Uncoated plaster, Gypsumboard and wood.  Similar surfaces can have differing absorption rates e.g. the mix and application of plaster can affect the absorption rate.
  2. Apply one coat Plascon Plaster Primer or , on powdery or alkali surfaces, one coat Plascon Alkali Resistant Plaster Primer in accordance with the manufacturers instructions.
  3. Typically, excising PVA or Acrylic painted walls, providing that good quality paint was used and that the surface is sound, does not require a primer.

       TYPICAL NON-ABSORBENT SERVICES:

  1. Metal, Formica, Fiberglass, most oil base paints.
  2. Metal should be primed as appropriate for the type of metal in accordance with Plascon’s recommendations.
  3. Existing Enamel/Oil base painted walls must , after proper sanding, be painted with a coat of Plascon Universal Undercoat in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

HANGING:

  1. Do not allow adhesive to get onto the face of any wallpapering as complete removal may be impossible.
  2. Check the product specific requirements regarding adhesive pasting, on the wall or on the back of the material as well as specific requirements regarding pattern matching, reverse/straight/horizontal hanging as well as butt/overlap and trimming of joints.
  3. Seams on non-matching patterns may be table trimmed, or overlapped  and double-cut during installation,  Geometric and matching designs may require table trimming for match perfection.
  4. Start in a corner nearest the main light source and plumb the first drop.
  5. To prevent possible shading when hung, arrange products in roll or box sequence, if numbered, and start using from the highest number first.
  6. When pasting several drops in advance, “booking” is recommended to insure proper wetting out of the fibers and to prevent drying out of adhesive on the edges.
  7. Never fill-in with of-cuts over doors or windows etc, only use full width product (in number sequence).  Fill-in’s can cause unsatisfactory shading especially if hung out of sequence.
  8. Always number the top of each drop you cut, IN PENCIL AND ON THE BACK, to ensure a controlled system of reversal or straight hanging of the drops.
  9. If hanging part drop width, e.g, into a corner, make sure joint is made using the correct edge, reversing or not as appropriate,  Never join the middle to a edge of a drop.
  10. Always allow the material to settle for at least 15 minutes before trimming top and bottom of each drop.
  11. Use spatula spreader, or rubber/plastic roller for Glassfibre/Textiles, in an up and down direction only, not across as it may stretch the wallpapering.
  12. Overworking or using a hard roller, may damage the material edges.  On textiles, use clean off-cuts face to face over the joint and lightly roll with a soft roller.
  13. When overlapping and trimming, always use a proper straight edge and take care to cut straight / plumb joints. Special care
    should be taken when trimming not to cut through into the substrate, e.g. partition Gypsum board.
    Only use the recommended WallFix adhesive when hanging wallpapering. It is preferable to spread the adhesive with a roller as this ensures an even distribution.

    GENERAL GUIDELINE:

  1. Before cutting drops, ensure the pattern and color are satisfactory as specified and that color and repeat in design
  2. is uniform.
  3.  Measure drop height and cut drops adding 50 mm to the length to compensate for possible height variances. Remember to number drops on the back with a soft pencil.
  4.  Apply an even coat of adhesive to the fabric side (back) of the wallpapering using a roller or pasting machine and “book” for a minimum of 12 minutes to ensure proper wetting-out of the fibers. When pasting several drops “booking” prevents drying out of paste on the edges.
  5.  The wallpapering should be applied to the surface in sequence as they were cut from the roll and smoothed-out using a spatula spreader or rubber / plastic roller, working out any air bubbles. Vertical joints should not occur less than 150 mm from outside or inside corners.
  6.  A heat gun may be used to allow the vinyl to conform to irregular corners.
  7.  Cut and trim material as required by wall covering.
  8.  As each drop is installed, immediately remove excess adhesive from wall covering surface and seams using a natural sponge (do not use a man-made sponge) and a soft bristle brush (frequently rinsing in clean warm water). Dry with clean cotton toweling.
  9.  The Duraglass range of fiberglass wall coverings should, after drying for a minimum period of 3 days post hanging, be painted with two coats of a good Acrylic paint such as Plascon Polvin. The first coat may be reduced with 4 liters of clean water per 20 liters of pure undulated paint. (Drying time may differ due to ventilation and ambient humidity.)

MAINTENANCE:

  1. Wall-coverings can easily be cleaned and we note below, in the order of preference, the cleaning solutions.
  2.  The normal cleaning of wall-coverings should be done with clear warm water and a natural sponge (do not use a man made sponge as a natural sponge’s construction does the best cleaning job). With difficult to remove deposits, the use of a soft bristled brush is recommended. The sponge should be rinsed regularly and the water changed often to insure it remains clean and clear. After cleaning an area, dry with an absorbent cloth.
  3.  Stubborn dirt should be cleaned with a mild soapy warm water solution and washed down as noted above.
  4.  In extreme cases marks should be cleaned by the sparing use of Isopropyl Alcohol (aka rubbing alcohol) and washed down as noted above.
  5. Never use solvent based cleaning agents such as lacquer thinners, nail polish remover, turpentine or cleaning agents that contain sodium hydro chloride (bleach). Repeated use of strong cleaners will extract plasticiser from vinyl wall-coverings causing the loss of suppleness. Whatever cleaning method is used, always do a test panel in an inconspicuous area first. Metallic finishes especially, can be
  6. discolored during the cleaning process.