Wallpaper Glossary

At Wallpapers To Go, we believe that understanding wallpaper terms and tools helps you achieve the best results for your project. This wallpaper glossary is designed to explain the common materials, techniques, and tools used in wall preparation and wallpaper installation so you can plan and complete your decorating project with confidence.

Wall Preparation Tools and Materials

  • Broad Knife: A wide putty knife used for scraping old wallpaper, smoothing new seams, or spreading spackle before hanging.
  • Deglossing Solution: A cleaning or deglossing product (such as tri-sodium phosphate) used to remove old paint, grease, or adhesive and dull shiny surfaces so new wallpaper adheres properly.
  • Drop Cloth: A protective sheet placed over floors and furniture during wall preparation and installation to catch adhesive drips or debris.
  • Paper Tiger: A handheld tool that perforates old wallpaper with tiny holes, allowing remover solution to penetrate and loosen the adhesive beneath.
  • Primer/Sealer (alkyd or acrylic): A base coating that seals new drywall or old finishes, creating a non-porous surface that ensures wallpaper adheres evenly and can be removed cleanly later. Many modern formulas combine primer, sealer, and sizing in one step for convenience.
  • Sizing: A preparatory coating brushed or rolled onto walls before wallpapering. It improves adhesion and prevents paste from soaking in too deeply, helping wallpaper hang smoothly and making future removal easier.
  • Spackling Compound: Fills small holes, cracks, or paneling grooves in drywall, plaster, or wood, providing a smooth surface before wallpapering.
  • Wallpaper Remover:A liquid or gel that penetrates old wallpaper and softens adhesive, allowing old paper to be removed more easily.

Wallpaper Installation Terms and Techniques

  • Adhesive: The paste used to attach wallpaper to walls. Available in various types depending on wall surface and paper material.
  • Backing: A paper, fabric, or synthetic layer that provides strength and structure to the wallpaper.
  • Booking: The technique of gently folding pasted wallpaper back onto itself (paste side in) to let it relax and expand evenly before hanging. Typical booking time is a few minutes, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Butted Seam: When two wallpaper strips are applied edge to edge without overlap, creating a seamless finish. This is to "butt" a seam.
  • Deglossing: The process of dulling a shiny painted wall so wallpaper adhesive can grip properly.
  • Grasscloth: A natural-texture wallpaper made from woven grasses and fibers. Beautiful but delicate, it’s best for low-traffic, dry areas.
  • Level: A measuring tool that ensures wallpaper strips hang straight and aligned. This tool is essential for geometric or patterned wallpaper installations.
  • Lining Paper (or wallpaper liner): A blank wallcovering used to smooth rough or uneven walls and provide a stable surface for the final wallpaper layer.
  • Non-Porous: A wall or wallpaper material that does not allow moisture or air to pass through — such as vinyl-coated wallpaper or oil-based paint.
  • Pattern Match: How a wallpaper design aligns from strip to strip. Types include:
    • Straight Match: each strip is identical.
    • Drop Match: every other strip matches.
    • Random Match: no noticeable repetition in the design.
  • Pattern Repeat: The distance before a wallpaper design repeats. Larger repeats require more wallpaper to align correctly. See our wallpaper calculator to calculate roll quantity.
  • Plumb Line: A chalked or weighted line used to draw a perfectly vertical reference on the wall, ensuring each strip hangs straight.
  • Prepasted: Wallpaper with a dry adhesive already applied to the backing by the manufacturer. It activates with water for easier hanging.
  • Seam Roller: A small roller used to press seams flat after hanging, ensuring clean, tight edges.
  • Smoothing Tool: A tool or brush used to remove air bubbles and help wallpaper adhere evenly to the wall.
  • Trim Guide: A straight-edged tool that guides clean cuts along ceilings, baseboards, and corners for a professional finish.
  • Vinyl-Coated Wallpaper: A durable, easy-to-clean wallcovering with a thin vinyl film for added moisture resistance. Vinyl wallpaper is ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
  • Wallcovering: A general term for any material used to cover and decorate interior walls. While wallpaper refers specifically to paper-based products, wallcovering encompasses a wider range of materials, including vinyl, fabric, grasscloth, and specialty finishes.

Ready to put these wallpaper tools to use?

Try our wallpaper calculator to determine how much wallpaper you’ll need.
Visit How to Plan Your Wallpaper Design and Installation for guidance on color, pattern, and room selection.