Fromental Shop: How to Install Grasscloth Wallpaper

This guide is for Fromental Shop wallpapers made using natural grasscloth (see other guides for Linen or Non-woven papers).. Grasscloth requires careful preparation and installation, and we recommend using a professional installer experienced in hanging natural wallcoverings.

These instructions are not suitable for our Bespoke wallcovering range. For guidance on installing Bespoke wallcoverings, please contact us.

1. Inspect Your Wallpaper

Before cutting or installing your wallpaper, make sure you have received the correct product and sufficient quantity to complete the installation.

Carefully inspect all wallpaper before installation to ensure there are no visible defects or damage.

Natural Variation

Grasscloth is woven using natural fibres, meaning variations in colour, texture and weave are an inherent characteristic of the material rather than a defect.

Variation between drops should be expected and seams will remain visible once installed. Careful planning before installation will help achieve the most balanced overall appearance.

If you notice a fault beyond the natural characteristics of the material, stop and contact Fromental before cutting or installing the wallpaper.

2. Prepare the Walls

Correct wall preparation is essential to ensure the wallpaper adheres properly.

Remove any existing wallcovering.
Repair any damage, filling holes and sanding where necessary.
Make sure the wall surface is clean, smooth and completely dry.
Walls should be free from dust, dirt, grease and other contaminants.
Check that the walls are structurally sound and free from damp, moisture ingress or condensation.
We recommend cross-lining the walls with lining paper before installing grasscloth.
Use a good-quality pre-mixed wallcovering adhesive.

3. Plan Your Drops

Before cutting or hanging your wallpaper, check whether your design is a repeating design or a panoramic design, as this will determine how the drops should be arranged.

Repeating Designs

For repeating designs, take time to plan the arrangement of your drops before installation.

Measure carefully before cutting each drop.
Lay out and inspect the drops to understand the natural variation in colour and texture.
Drops can be arranged to achieve the most balanced overall appearance. You may choose to arrange them from lighter to darker tones for a more gradual transition, or mix them to distribute natural variations throughout the room.
Consider where seams will fall before beginning installation. For key architectural features, such as a fireplace, you may wish to position the design centrally so that the seams appear balanced on either side.
Where possible, begin and finish the installation in a less prominent corner.

Panoramic Designs

For panoramic designs, drops must be installed in the supplied panel sequence to ensure the artwork flows correctly across the wall.

Check the panel sequence and overall width of the design before beginning installation.
Plan where the panoramic design will begin and end within the room, taking into account doors, windows, corners and other architectural features.
Consider which areas of the design you would like to position on key walls or focal points before determining your starting position.
Do not rearrange drops according to tonal variation, as this will interrupt the continuity of the design.
Follow any panel numbers or layout information supplied with your wallpaper throughout installation.

Natural variations in colour, texture and weave are inherent characteristics of grasscloth and should be expected in both repeating and panoramic designs.

4. Prepare the Wallpaper

Work with one drop at a time.

Lightly dampen the back of the wallpaper with clean water using a clean sponge or water sprayer.
Fold the ends of the wallpaper towards the centre.
Allow the wallpaper to rest for approximately four minutes, giving it time to become supple before hanging.
Do not over-soak the wallpaper.

Take particular care throughout preparation and installation to ensure that water or adhesive does not mark the face of the grasscloth.

5. Pasting & Hanging

Fromental Shop grasscloth wallpapers are supplied pre-trimmed for butt-fit installation.

Paste the Wall

Use a plumb line to establish the position of your first drop.
Apply a good-quality pre-mixed wallcovering adhesive evenly and directly to the wall, working with enough area for one drop at a time.
Position the wallpaper carefully on the wall, bringing adjoining drops together to create a butt-fit seam.
Smooth the wallpaper into position using a clean paperhanger's brush, working from the centre towards the edges to expel air bubbles.
Do not allow adhesive onto the face of the wallpaper.
Trim excess wallpaper at the top and bottom using a metal straight edge and a sharp blade. Change the blade regularly to maintain a clean cut.

6. Inspect After Three Drops

After hanging the first three drops, stop and stand back to inspect the overall appearance.

Check the alignment, seams and distribution of natural colour and texture variation before continuing with the installation.

If you notice a fault or have any concerns, stop hanging immediately and contact Fromental before proceeding further. Do not continue to cut or install additional material.

7. Corners & Finishing

Natural variation between grasscloth drops can become more noticeable where wallpaper wraps around corners.

Where adjoining drops have a noticeable difference in tone, avoid wrapping a single drop around the corner. Instead, trim neatly into the corner and begin the next wall with a new drop.

Continue to consider the positioning of seams and tonal variation as you work around the room to achieve the most balanced overall appearance.

8. Caring for Your Grasscloth Wallpaper

Grasscloth is made from natural fibres and should be treated carefully.

For routine cleaning, gently dust the wallpaper using a clean, dry, soft brush or the brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner.

Avoid using water, cleaning products or wet cloths on the finished surface.

This information has been supplied in good faith but without guarantee. It is understood that the installer will have the necessary decorating knowledge and experience to work with specialist wallpapers and varying site and atmospheric conditions. Fromental does not take responsibility for the installation of our wallpapers; however, if you have any concerns during the installation process, please contact our team.