The Crown Wallpaper Handbook
Index
Contact Crown
1
Crown Wallpaper Categories
2
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is some wallpaper priced as Retail and some at Net cost?
3
Why is wallpaper priced in single rolls but sold in doubles?
4
How do I order wallpaper from Crown?
5
How do I order specialty wallcoverings? (Phillip Jeffries)
6
How do I order commercial vinyl?
7
Is wallpaper difficult to remove?
8
Can I use wallpaper in a bathroom?
9
What is a pattern repeat & how does it affect how much to order?
10
What is a Random match?
11
What is a Straight match?
12
What is a Drop match?
13
What is a Reverse Hang?
14
What is the best way to estimate how much I need?
15
The Square Foot Method
16
Engineering the Room
17-18
Common Wallpaper Symbols
19
List of Wallpaper Suppliers and Websites
20
Notes
21
Contact Us
Toronto Showroom
88 Ronson Drive
Etobicoke, Ontario
M9W 1B9
PH 416.245.2900
FX 416.245.0760
1
Crown Wallpaper Categories
Crown is a distributor of 3 major categories of wallcoverings:
1. Contract (Commercial-use) Wall Vinyl –
available to trade only
2. Designer Wallcoverings –
available to trade and high-end décor shops with
in-house designers only
3. Residential Retail Wallpaper –
for mass-market use and available to paint and
wallpaper stores
2
F r e q u e n t l y As k e d Q u e s t i o n s
Q. Why is some wallpaper priced as retail and some at
net cost?
A. The price structure is solely determined by each individual
manufacturer. Retail pricing is usually set on product that
is considered to be a retail
“Mass-market” product.
Retail pricing is put in place to maintain consistency across
the board for retailers. It is a way to prevent retailers from
participating in unfair business practice - such as gouging
the customer or under-cutting competition.
These products are NOT exclusive to the trade, but trade
does receive preferred pricing through Crown. It is up to the
individual designer to determine whether or not to extend
their discount to the client or to mark it up. It should be
taken into consideration that your clients may see these
wallpapers in wallpaper stores and the standard retail pricing
is listed in the back of the book.
Designer Wallcoverings are always quoted as net price
because it is not available to the retail public. It is solely up
to each designer whether or not to mark-up this product and
by how much.
3
Q. Why is wallpaper priced in single rolls but sold in
doubles?
A. Wallpaper has always been priced as a single roll,
but packaging is the variable.
Years ago, the majority of manufacturers sold several
different sizes of rolls with standard pricing by the
single roll.
Today, most have eliminated the option of ordering a
single roll, as there are so few circumstances where
such a small amount would be useful.
Some manufacturers still offer (although rarely) single,
double and triple rolls, so pricing by the single roll
remains.
4
Q. How do I order wallpaper from Crown?
A. When ordering standard North American wallpaper,
we request that it be ordered by the single roll in
even increments as that is how you will be invoiced.
It is preferable to be specific with your request to avoid
confusion:
8 S/R vs. 8 rolls (as this may be confused with 8 full
Double Rolls)
With many European wallpapers, they are both priced
and sold by the Bolt. A typical European Bolt contains
approximately the same amount of paper as an
American Double Roll.
5
Q. How do I order specialty wallcoverings like
Grasscloths?
A. Alternative wallcoverings like Grasscloth, Foils, Silks
etc. are sold 2 different ways depending on the
manufacturer.
Phillip Jeffries is a high-end/ high quality designer
wallcovering manufacturer.
The majority of their product is priced
net per lineal yard.
There is often a minimum quantity to order – anywhere
from 3 to 24yds, depending on the bolt size.
Some patterns are sold in full bolt increments only, and
some bolts may be cut for a small cutting charge once
the minimum has been met.
There is a note on the back of some Phillip Jeffries
memos which states: “4yds = one American single roll”
This does not mean it is sold in 4-yard rolls, it is just a
guideline to help estimate the coverage of the material.
Some of our other specialty wallcovering manufacturers
sell their product like standard American wallpaper –
priced by the single roll, but sold in doubles only.
They typically come packaged in 36” by 8yd double
rolls, though there are a few exceptions.
This is again for product that is not considered
“designer”. These products may be sold in retail paint
and paper stores, but very few carry them because they
require professional installation.
6
Q. How do I order Commercial Vinyl?
A. Contract (or Commercial-use) vinyl is largely sold and
priced by the lineal yard. Widths will vary anywhere from
36” to the standard 54”.
Vinyls are usually packaged in 30-yard bolts. If you require
less than a full bolt, there is commonly a per-yard cutting
charge and a minimum order of 1 yard.
Some solid vinyls are even available in standard 27” widths
sold by the roll for easy residential use.
There are certain exceptions and restrictions with some
commercial vinyl products, so please get in touch with us if
you have any questions!
7
Q. I am afraid to recommend wallpaper because of how
difficult it is to remove.
What if my client wants to change it?
A. Years ago, manufacturers realized the biggest complaint
from homeowners was the extreme difficulty in removing
wallpaper. That caused a major campaign against
wallpaper that lasted quite a few years.
Today’s wallpapers are manufactured with
stripability in mind.
As long as the surface has been properly prepared, today’s
wallpapers should come off in large panels with just water.
Using an oil-based primer or a latex primer made specifically
for wallcovering will ensure easier positioning of the paper
during installation, and easier removal. (These are less
porous than regular latex primers, which may allow the
adhesive to penetrate it.)
Some specialty papers which require professional
installation and adhesives may not have this advantage, so if
removal is a concern, make sure to check the sample or the
wallpaper book to see that it is “strippable”.
8
Q. Can I use wallpaper in a bathroom?
A. This is one of our most frequently asked questions.
The short answer is “it depends”.
If the bathroom being considered is a high-use, highmoisture bathroom, consider using solid vinyl or vinyl coated
wallpaper. This will ensure no moisture gets behind the
paper into the wall, which may cause mold and mildew to
grow.
Also, ensure that the seams of the wallpaper are properly
glued. Any lifting may allow moisture through.
Look for a symbol on the sample or in the wallpaper book
that states the wallpaper is “scrubbable”. (see Common
Symbols on page 19)
If the bathroom is well ventilated and has not had issues with
moisture collecting on the wall, you may use almost any
paper or even natural materials that have a
“wipeable” surface.
Keep in mind that some of these papers are more porous
and may stain or allow moisture through if applied in a moist
environment.
9
Q. What is a pattern repeat?
A. A pattern repeat is the distance between one point on a
pattern design to the identical point vertically.
Q. How does the repeat size affect how much wallpaper I
should order?
A. A large pattern drop means more waste on each roll. If
there is a large repeat, it is important to add the amount of
the repeat to the height of the ceiling.
For example, if the repeat is 12” and your ceiling height is
8’, calculate the amount needed for a 9’ ceiling.
10
Q. What is a Random match?
A. A Random (or Free) match means the pattern matches
no matter how the adjoining strips are positioned.
It may help the “random” look of the design to
“Reverse Hang” every other strip.
Grasscloths, textures and vertical stripes are
good examples of this.
Random Match
11
Q. What is a Straight match?
A. This means the pattern matches straight horizontally.
Every hung strip is the same at the ceiling line.
Straight Match
12
Q. What is a Drop match?
A. A Drop (or Offset) match means that the pattern drops
down on the paper every time it is repeated.
The pattern runs diagonally across the wall forming a
diamond grid effect.
The type of drop match (1/2 Drop, 1/3 Drop or ¼ Drop)
will be determined by the size of the pattern.
The most common drop, ½ drop, takes 3 strips
to repeat the vertical design;
a multiple drop match takes 4 or more strips
before the vertical design is repeated.
With a ½ drop-match, every other hung strip
will be the same at the ceiling line.
Drop Match
13
Q. What is a Reverse Hang?
A. Reverse hanging wallpaper means that
every other strip of paper is hung in the opposite direction
from how it comes off the roll.
The first strip is hung up the roll; the second strip is then
rotated 180 degrees and hung “upside down”.
This is typically used on 54” vinyl and random hang paper.
Reverse Hang
14
Q. What is the best way to estimate how much wallpaper
I need?
A. There are several ways to calculate how much wallpaper
you will need, and many variables come into play, such as
vaulted ceilings, paper width, length, pattern repeat, and
number and size of doors and windows.
No single method of calculation will work perfectly
every time.
It is always a good idea to do your measurements a couple
of ways and then compare them.
As a carpenter says, “ measure twice, cut once”.
**It is also a good idea to order a little more
than you need in case there is a mistake with installation
or need to make a repair later on. **
The first step is to determine how much square footage of
wall-space you have to cover.
To figure out your square footage, simply multiply the width
of the wall(s) by the height of the ceiling in feet.
For example, if your wall is 10’ wide by 8’ high,
you have 108sq.ft.
(Remember to add height to the ceiling
if the repeat is over 12”!)
15
The Square Foot Method
Divide the total square footage of the wall by
the amount of square footage covered by a single roll.
(This amount is stated on the back of the page in the
wallpaper book)
For example, if your wall is 109sq.ft.
and your desired paper covers 28sq.ft per single roll,
divide 109 by 28. (109/28=3.89)
This gives you just under 4 single rolls.
It is a good idea to add 15-20% to this estimate to allow for
necessary wastage.
3.89+15%=4.47
(As it is sold by the double roll only, you must round up to
the nearest even number.
Your order will be for 6 single rolls).
16
Engineering the Room
Engineering the room involves planning where your seams
will fall before you start the job.
This is a more exact way to calculate how much wallpaper
you will need, therefore this is something that should
be done on site.
1. For smaller patterns or textures, choose an inconspicuous
spot (preferably behind a door or next to a window)
where you intend to hang your first strip, and make a
mark with a pencil.
When working with large or bold patterns, it’s best to
start papering from the room’s focal point.
This will ensure the pattern looks balanced on the wall.
2. Measure the width of your wallcovering and add 1/8” to
accommodate the natural expansion of the paper.
3. Make pencil marks that width around the room in the
direction you will be hanging (usually clock-wise).
At inside corners, subtract ¼” and at outside corners,
subtract ½”.
4. Check to make sure you will not be left with any
very narrow (2-3”) strips to hang in corners or next to
window or doors.
If there are, move your starting point to eliminate them
as much as possible.
17
Engineering the Room
5. Keeping in mind the repeat of the paper, determine the
length of each strip you will hang, including the wastage to
match the pattern.
6. Adding the lengths in feet for each strip will determine the
total amount of paper needed.
For example: Each strip will be 8.5 ft. and you need 7 strips
to cover your area. 8.5x7=59.5 ft.
Divide your total measurement by the amount of paper in
each bolt (or double roll) to determine the number of bolts to
order.
Example: Each bolt is made up of 33 ft.
59.5/33=1.8
(round up to make 2 double rolls).
Add one full bolt for later use or mistakes if desired.
18
Common Wallpaper Symbols
19
Crown Wallpaper Suppliers List
Anderson Prints www.andersonprints.com
Astek Wallcoverings www.astekwallcovering.com
DeNovo www.denovowall.com
Highland Court Fabrics www.highlandcourt.com
Graham & Brown www.grahamandbrown.com
J.Josephson
www.jjosephson.com
KAI www.kaidistribution.co.uk
Koessel/Artisan Handprints
Marburg (Ulf Moritz)
www.marburg.com
Motif Designs
www.motif-designs.com
Phillip Jeffries
www.phillipjeffries.com
Duralee Fabrics www.duralee.com
Panaz Contract Fabrics
www.panaz.com
Floor 2 Ceiling (Sincol) www.sincol.biz
Silk Dynasty
www.silkdynasty.com
Sterling Décor www.sterlingdecor.com
Thibaut
www.thibautdesign.com
Twenty2
Versa
www.twenty2.net
www.versawallcovering.com
Wallquest www.wallquest.com
Winfield
York
www.winfielddesign.com
www.yorkwall.com
20
Notes
21
Notes
22