The benefits of lining paper are reasonably self explanatory; it masks imperfections and creates a smooth canvas on which to decorate. However, these are far from its only uses. Thanks to its blended construction and textured surface, modern lining paper has exceptional adhesive properties.
While home decorating beginners often overlook the importance of lining paper, it can be the difference between an uneven appearance and a smooth, professional finish. Using lining paper before wallpapering will boost the appearance of any DIY project as well as increase its longevity within your home.
Lining paper can also be used to hide damage on your ceiling. From hairline cracks to crumbling plaster, it will hide any wear and tear and make it much easier to paint or paper. However, make sure the damage is just surface level – you don't want to ignore structural damage that could get worse over time!
Additionally, lining paper is designed to create a smooth and even surface on your walls. It is not only made from a thick, fibrous material but it can be applied directly to the wall before painting or wallpapering.
When applied correctly, lining paper can be painted over many times during its lifespan.
Allow at least 24 hours (or longer if the room is cold or damp) for the paste to dry before you paint over or hang wallpaper over the top. If you paint or wallpaper before the paste has dried, the lining paper may come off the wall or blister.
Forget your origami skills, folding an A4 piece of paper more than seven times is theoretically impossible. Challenge accepted! Trying to fold an ordinary sheet of A4 paper suggests that even eight times is impossible: the number of layers doubles each time, and the paper rapidly gets too thick and too small to fold.
A draft, temperatures that are too high or too low, or high humidity, can lead to blisters. Ideally, the room temperature should be between 10 and 16 degrees Celsius (50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit). Even if you don't have a humidity meter/hygrometer, high air humidity can be indicated by a damp, cool room climate.
Traditionally, lining paper is hung horizontally, especially if you're following up with decorative wallpaper. This prevents the seams from aligning with the wallpaper joints, reducing the risk of gaps. However, if you're painting, vertical hanging works just fine.
I've always left a 1mm ish gap and filled it with easyfil (see toolstation). Once dry I gently sand it with a fine sandpaper taking care not to rough up the paper.
2000 Grade Lining
Protects and prepares older and/or damaged plaster for paint or wallpaper. An extra thick traditional lining paper that will help to smooth out severely damaged and crumbling surfaces as well as disguising other damages such as cracked, holed and blistered plasterwork.
Be sure to leave a gap of about 1mm between each row of lining paper. This is to prevent the paper overlapping, which will form a ridge on the wall that would be visible under your wallpaper or paint.
If there's a lot of damage, you'll need to remove the existing lining paper and hang fresh sheets before wallpapering. However, you might be able to reuse the existing lining paper if there's only superficial wear and tear.
Choose 1200 or 1400 grade lining paper if your walls are moderately damaged. This lining paper is heavier than 800 – 1000, so it's also a great way to increase the durability of your wallpaper or paint.
I have found that “paste the wall” papers are much stronger and more durable than paste the paper and do not expand when the paste is applied. And its also a simple difference. You have to paste the paper if it specifies this.
Decorating with an insulating lining paper is a practical and low cost way of insulating your interior walls and ceilings, and ensuring that your home stays cosy and warm.
Our Anaglypta Supercover 2500 Grade Lining Paper is the thickest in the range and is the lining paper of choice when decorating walls and ceilings that are suffering from minor defects such as cracks, roughness or lumps and bumps.
If it's not dry, the wallpaper can bubble as it gradually moves around, affecting your final finish. There should be details on the roll of lining paper that explain when you can paint it. The general advice is to wait 36 to 48 hours after hanging before you can paint it.
Top Tip: Concertina fold the pasted lining paper back on itself so it's easier to handle. The paper will expand as the paste soaks in, so wait about six minutes for it to finish before putting it up.
If you then paint over the lining paper with 2 or 3 coats of emulsion you will have a flush surface that looks like smooth plaster and will not crack again.
A common cause of fresh paint bubbling on wall is failing to clean the surface first. Dirt and greasy marks (e.g. fingerprints) can form a barrier between the emulsion and the wall, preventing it from adhering. As the paint dries, it will pull away from any dirty patches, forming a visible bubble around them.
No you can't. You're relying on the old paper being able to hold up itself and the new paper. It's asking for problems, especially when you introduce moisture in the form of the new paste.
More than seven folds, though, would seem to be impossible, thus giving rise to the popular myth that seven folds is all that's possible. The folding limitation of paper is caused by a couple of factors. First, there's the problem of exponential growth: the number of layers of paper doubles with each fold.
Theoretically, folding a standard sheet of paper 42 times could, reach the moon (at around 384,400 km or 238,900 miles), while 103-folds of paper will get you beyond the observable universe, extending across 93 billion light years.