Why do you need a paper base under the wallpaper

Many people of the older and middle generation remember how they glued wallpaper 40-50 years ago. Then the process of preliminary pasting the walls with newspapers was almost mandatory. This was done not in vain: newspapers took on the function of additional plaster, played the role of a layer between an uneven wall and wallpaper. In addition, the glue was not of very good quality, thin paper wallpapers didn’t hold well on any wall. The newspaper layer smoothed the roughness of the wall and made the adhesion of materials stronger.

Types of basics for wallpaper

Now the walls are much smoother and the wallpaper is denser, and the glue is very reliable. But some out of habit continue to glue under the wallpaper of the newspaper. Sometimes this is justified by the presence of flaws in the wall, which there is no time and desire to eliminate for a long time. On sale there are special bases for wallpaper: paper, non-woven and cork. They help bring the walls to a perfect look and prepare for finishing pasting. The simplest and most inexpensive basis is paper. It can be considered an analogue of those same newspapers.

Any foundation is designed to:

1. Align the color tone.
2. Eliminate minor defects on the wall plane.
3. Help evenly distribute glue over the entire surface.
4. Tighten the wallpaper evenly when dry.
5. Simplify joining joints.

How to glue the base

Thin paper can be bought in rolls. It is glued to the prepared wall, and after complete drying, the wallpaper is glued. Its minus is that it is easily torn, and in a wet state it also creases. The paper backing is more suitable for the same paper or lightweight vinyl wallpaper. If desired, it can be replaced by newspapers.

But there are more dense substrates, for example, non-woven. In terms of properties, it is similar to paper, but much stronger. Another plus is that the glue on it dries faster than on thin paper.

The cork-based substrate also has good soundproofing properties, retains heat in the room without creating a greenhouse effect. Cork defects, due to its thickness, hide even better.

But for the base wall sticker, you also need to be well prepared: clean from dirt, paint, old wallpaper, plaster and primer. Glue any base must be the same glue as the wallpaper. Strips of paper should not be placed on a slope. Even if they still will not be visible, the vertical should be maintained evenly. A properly glued paper or other base will increase the durability of the wallpaper and extend its service life.