Non-woven wallpaper — a guide to fleece and paste-the-wall hanging
Non-woven — known in Swedish as fiberduk — has gone from novelty to the obvious standard in twenty years. The reason is simple: it is by far the easiest to hang, dimensionally stable on the wall and just as easy to take down the day you want a change. Here is the guide to the material behind most of today's designer wallpapers.
What is non-woven?
Non-woven fabric consists of cellulose fibres reinforced with polyester or textile fibres, pressed together into an even, strong web without weaving. It takes print beautifully — which is why houses such as Cole & Son, Lewis & Wood and many more choose non-woven for their printed patterns. The decisive technical property: the fibre web does not expand when it meets paste. The drop keeps exactly its width, which gives perfect joins and makes the paste the wall technique possible. See all non-woven wallpapers here.
Characteristics — pros and cons
- Easiest to hang: paste on the wall, a dry drop straight from the roll.
- Dimensionally stable: no expanding drops, no gaping joins as it dries.
- Dry-strippable: peels off in whole sheets when redecorating.
- Hides hairline cracks: the fabric bridges fine cracks in the substrate.
- The surface is more delicate than vinyl: most qualities tolerate a light wipe but not scrubbing.
How to hang a non-woven wallpaper — step by step
- Preparation: a clean, dry, smooth and evenly absorbent wall. Fill any damage, sand and ideally prime with a pigmented wallpaper primer — especially under pale wallpapers.
- Plumb line: mark a vertical starting line one drop's width from the corner.
- Paste the wall: roll non-woven paste evenly over a little more than one drop's width. Use a brush to apply paste carefully at the ceiling, corners and mouldings.
- Hang the drop dry: work from the top down, ideally straight from the roll. Align with the plumb line and smooth into place with a wallpaper brush from the centre out towards the edges.
- Next drop edge to edge: match the pattern according to the repeat. No overlapping.
- Trim: press the drop into the angle with a broad spatula and cut with a sharp snap-off blade. Wipe any paste off mouldings straight away with a damp sponge.
With the right preparation, a practised DIY decorator can paper a room in a day — and non-woven is forgiving of second attempts: the drop can be loosened and adjusted while the paste is still wet.
Care and choice of room
Most non-woven wallpapers can be wiped with a lightly dampened cloth — check the product's care symbol. The material suits all dry rooms; for bathrooms and heavily used surfaces, see our guide to vinyl wallpapers.
Frequently asked questions
What does non-woven mean?
Non-woven is a fibre fabric of cellulose and textile fibres bonded together without weaving. The material is dimensionally stable — it does not expand with paste — which is why non-woven wallpapers are hung with the paste applied directly to the wall.
How do you hang a non-woven wallpaper?
Roll non-woven paste onto the wall one drop's width at a time, hang the dry drop straight from the roll, press into place with a wallpaper brush and trim at the ceiling and floor. No soaking and no pasting table needed.
Can non-woven wallpaper be removed?
Yes, that is one of the great advantages of the material: the drops can usually be pulled off dry in whole sheets when it is time to redecorate — without steaming or scraping.
Does non-woven wallpaper need pattern matching?
Yes, like all patterned wallpapers. Check the repeat and match (straight, offset or free) in the product specifications and allow for waste accordingly.
Is non-woven wallpaper environmentally friendly?
The fibre fabric consists largely of cellulose and is free from vinyl. Many qualities, including several from our English houses, are also printed with water-based inks.