What is Lining Paper?
Why Use Lining Paper ?
Lining paper simply put is wallpaper without any decoration. It’s designed to be applied directly to your walls and then overlaid with wallpaper.
Benefits of Lining Paper
The main purpose of lining paper is to help even out the surface of your walls and hide any small imperfections, such as hairline cracks, or discolouration that may be present on your walls.
When wetted with paste wallpaper expands, it contracts/shrinks as it dries and can sometimes leave small gaps between the lengths of wallpaper. Lining paper can help prevent your wallpaper from shrinking as it holds the wallpaper in place, thereby reducing the possibility of any gaps forming.
Lining paper is also a better surface to stick wallpaper to than is plaster or drywall, resulting in a reduced likelihood of your wallpaper peeling at the edges.
Finally, this extra layer of paper helps trap air in between the wall and the lining paper as well as between the lining paper and wallpaper. These two layers result in added insulation to your home.
Should I Use Lining Paper?
So despite all these benefits should I use lining paper? If your walls are in good condition, simply applying a layer of size or primer for the paste to stick to, is a simpler process and cheaper than hanging lining paper. Sometimes, due to the wallpaper type, the manufacturer may recommend using lining paper first. In these instances it is advisable to follow the recommendation.
Lining Paper Grades
If your walls are not in perfect condition and you decide to use lining paper, there are different thicknesses (grades) to choose from. The grades range from 800 (thinnest) to 2000 (thickest). The condition of your walls should determine what grade to use? For hairline cracks in plaster, a thin lining paper will suffice, but for poor wall surfaces a thicker grade will be necessary.
As a rule of thumb, 1400 grade is thick enough to cover most imperfections and block discoloration on the walls from showing through.
Can You Paint Lining Paper ?
Yes, you can. Using lining paper is a practical way of creating a very smooth wall surface without having to replaster the walls. It is recommended to use at least grade (1200) lining paper if you are going to paint over it. The thickness of the paper will provide good durability and a longer lifespan to the painted surface.
We hope you found this article helpful, and we would appreciate it very much if you shared it with someone else you feel might benefit from it.
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