Textile wallcovering — a guide to woven walls and hanging
Textile on the wall has dressed castles, libraries and salons for centuries — and the principle has not changed, only the technique. Today's textile wallpapers are weaves of cotton, viscose or mixed fibres on a hangable backing: easier to hang than their historical predecessors, but with the same ability to give a room weight, warmth and quiet. Here is the guide.
What is textile wallpaper?
A textile wallpaper consists of a woven face laminated onto a non-woven or paper backing. The fibres vary — cotton gives a matt softness, viscose gives lustre and depth, wool warmth, and mixed weaves combine the qualities. Houses such as Zoffany use textile qualities for their most atmospheric collections. Woven linen has its own guide here — and you will find all our textile wallpapers here.
Properties — pros and cons
- Depth and lustre: the weave catches light three-dimensionally — the wall changes with the day.
- Acoustic comfort: textile dampens reverberation and makes the room calmer.
- A cosy character: few materials make a room feel "finished" in quite the same way.
- A delicate surface: stains, moisture and abrasion are the enemies of textile — place it wisely.
- Requires careful hanging: smudges and carelessness show immediately and can rarely be rescued.
How to hang textile wallpaper
- Preparation: a smooth, dry, primed wall in a colour close to the wallpaper's ground.
- Check the lengths: the same batch, the same weave direction; lay out the order before cutting.
- Paste the wall: roll adhesive for heavy/textile wallpapers evenly onto the wall — never onto the length.
- Hang edge to edge: no overlaps. Press in place with a soft wallpaper brush or a clean rubber roller; hard tools can polish the weave.
- Zero tolerance for smudges: paste on the face is dabbed off immediately with a lightly dampened clean sponge — without rubbing. Keep your hands clean throughout.
- Trim with fresh blades: textile needs a razor-sharp edge; change the blade for every cut at the ceiling and skirting.
Textile wallpaper is one of the materials where an experienced paperhanger pays for themselves — the lengths are wide, heavy and unforgiving.
Care and choice of room
Vacuum gently with an upholstery nozzle; blot stains straight away. The textile wall belongs in bedrooms, living rooms, libraries, dining rooms and studies — rooms where its acoustic and visual warmth does the most good, far from splashes and wet outdoor clothes.
Frequently asked questions
What is textile wallpaper?
Textile wallpaper is a woven cloth — of cotton, viscose, polyester, wool or mixed fibres — laminated onto a non-woven or paper backing so that it can be hung like wallpaper. The surface is genuine textile, with the depth and lustre of the weave.
How do you hang textile wallpaper?
By pasting the wall, hanging the lengths edge to edge and using a soft brush or a clean rubber roller. Paste must never get onto the textile surface, and your hands must be clean — a weave does not forgive smudges.
What is the difference between textile wallpaper and linen wallpaper?
Linen wallpaper is a textile wallpaper whose weave is made specifically of linen. Textile wallpaper is the broader term and also includes cotton, viscose, silk, wool and mixed weaves — each with its own drape and its own lustre.
Does textile wallpaper dampen sound?
Yes, noticeably. The fibres of the weave break up sound reflections and make the room more pleasant to be in — one of the reasons textile walls are classics in libraries and bedrooms.
How do you care for textile wallpaper?
Vacuum with an upholstery nozzle or dust with a soft brush. Blot stains dry immediately; never rub, and do not use large amounts of water.