Wallpaper and Wallcoverings - Gaps at seams

i've done a LOT of wallpapering and i've never been able to figure out why sometimes, not every time, but sometimes, after wallpaper dries, it shrinks and leaves hairline gaps at the seams. i've heard it can be due to overworking the paper and thereby stretching it out too much. then when it dries, it shrinks back, leaving the gaps. but i don't think i overwork the paper. i try to handle it as little as possible. i don't slide it around all over the place, or take it up & reposition it a lot. could it just depend on the paper itself? or on the wall prep?

i'm getting ready to do my entire kitchen and have recently discovered this site, so i thought i'd ask in advance to insure a good job this time.

P.S. i've usually used either solid vinyl papers or vinyl coated papers. and usually i just submerge the paper in the bathtub filled with water for the recommended amount of time, then book it like the directions say to.

P.P.S. the wall is now painted with a semi-gloss paint. can i just hang the paper on that, or do i need to use a primer or sealer or sizing or what? in the past, i've just hung on top of a painted wall.

thanks for any tips!

in the past, i've just hung on top of a painted wall.

OUCH:( Hate to strip that paper.

You should always prime before hanging. The gapped seams most likely have to do with the type of paper. Plus the dipping in water is a factor too. When paper is pasted, or dipped, it expands. When hung on the wall, it starts drying. It wants to go back to its original size. So it pulls at the wall. Cant go up, cant go down, so it goes from side to side. Especially if hung over just paint, even more over semi-gloss. The paper's backing has nothing to grab on too. So it slides back to its original size.

Too avoid the split seams, prime with a good quality WALLCOVERING primer. Ben Moores Wallgrip 3, Golden Harvest Bite, Shieldz Clear, r-35, etc. Dont stretch or force the seams together. And most importantly, let each piece FULLY book, and make sure each one has the SAME amount of booking time. The right amount of adhesive on each type of paper is a factor also, because the industry has no standards for their prepasted papers.

Its hard to say exactly why your seams are splitting, without being there and actually watching the hanging, or feeling the paper.

Hope this helped. Fell free to email me with more ??? or post back here.

I strongly recommend using shieldz. Its both a primer and sizing. This can be tinted to match the background of the paper so a gap is less likel;y to be noticed.

Instead of water, use a paste activator. You can find this at paint and wallpaper stores, there are several brands. I've found it to be much better than water. You roll it onto the back of the paper, making sure to cover all the paste. Let it book, per instructions on the can.

so it sounds like you're saying that primer dries kind of tacky (or at least not very slippery), and gives the wallpaper something to grab on to, so it won't be able to shrink/slide back to its original size, right? if so, it sounds like priming is what i need to do, and i will.

but honestly, i won't be using the activator stuff unless i have to. one time i bought "pre-pasted" paper that had NO paste on it (ie defective paper), and i therefore had to paste the backs myself. it was miserable. the paste was everywhere & made the usually simple job into something very not fun.

but thanks for the info. wish me luck!

The primer does make a better surface for many things to bite into - paint, wallpaper, drywall mud to name a few.

The combination of shieldz and a paste activator will allow you to work the paper - position, reposition, and smooth out with little stretch.

Best option for the paste activator is a large flat surface, preferably as long as the strips but can be shorter. Then use a paint roller and roller pan. Roll the activator on the back of the paper as if you were rolling paint onto the table.

R-35 primer dries 'tacky', but your right when you say most don't.

Rolling activator, IMO, is a nightmare. I only use activator in my paste machine. If I was to roll an adhesive on the paper, I'd use some HD Clear and thin it out to a smooth consistency and paste with that.