Wallpaper Glossary: Terms Every Buyer Should Know

Wallpaper has its own vocabulary, and understanding it makes shopping, ordering, and installing significantly easier. This glossary covers the terms you are most likely to encounter when buying wallpaper online or discussing a project with a professional installer.

A

Accent Wall

A single wall in a room that is treated differently from the other three — typically with a bolder color, pattern, or material. Accent walls are the most popular wallpaper application because they deliver high impact with minimal material cost.

Adhesive (Paste)

The glue used to bond wallpaper to the wall surface. Comes in several forms: pre-mixed (ready to use), dry mix (powder you add water to), and pre-applied (already on the wallpaper backing — just add water). Different wallpaper types require specific adhesive formulations.

B

Batch Number (Dye Lot)

A production identifier printed on every wallpaper roll. Rolls from the same batch have identical color because they were printed in the same run. Always order enough rolls from the same batch for your entire project — color can vary noticeably between batches.

Bolt

A double-length roll of wallpaper. A standard single roll covers approximately 28 square feet; a bolt (double roll) covers approximately 56 square feet. Most wallpaper today is sold in bolts (double rolls), though the price is sometimes quoted per single roll.

Booking

The process of folding a pasted wallpaper strip onto itself (paste to paste) and letting it rest for a few minutes before hanging. Booking allows the paste to activate and the paper to expand evenly, which prevents bubbles and ensures consistent adhesion.

Butt Joint (Butt Seam)

A seam where two wallpaper strips meet edge-to-edge without overlapping. This is the standard seaming technique for modern wallpaper installation. Properly executed butt joints are nearly invisible.

C

Colorway

A specific color version of a wallpaper design. Many patterns are available in multiple colorways — the same design printed in different color combinations. For example, a floral pattern might be available in a blue/white colorway and a green/cream colorway.

Cross-Lining

Hanging lining paper horizontally (perpendicular to the direction the decorative wallpaper will be hung). Cross-lining ensures that the seams of the liner do not align with the seams of the finish wallpaper, creating a smoother final surface.

D

Drop Match

A pattern alignment where the design on adjacent strips lines up at a point halfway down the pattern repeat. This means every other strip starts at the same point, and the strips between them are offset by half the repeat height. Drop-match patterns require more wallpaper than straight-match patterns because of the offset waste. Also called "half-drop match."

Dry-Strippable

Wallpaper that can be removed from the wall by pulling it off dry, without steaming or soaking. The entire strip — face and backing — comes off in one piece, leaving the wall surface clean. This is the easiest type of wallpaper to remove.

E

Embossed

Wallpaper with a raised, three-dimensional texture pressed into the surface during manufacturing. Embossed wallpapers add tactile interest and can hide minor wall imperfections. Common embossed patterns include linen weave, damask, and brick.

Expanded Vinyl

A type of vinyl wallpaper where the vinyl layer is heated during production, causing it to expand and create a raised, spongy texture. Expanded vinyl is thick, durable, and effective at hiding wall imperfections.

F

Free Match (Random Match)

A wallpaper pattern that does not require alignment between adjacent strips. Textures, small random motifs, and solid colors are typically free-match. This is the easiest pattern type to install and produces the least waste because there is no offset.

G

Grasscloth

A wallcovering made from natural fibers — such as jute, sisal, hemp, or sea grass — woven onto a paper or fabric backing. Grasscloth has a distinctive organic texture and natural color variation. Each roll is slightly unique because of the natural materials. Grasscloth is not washable and should be kept away from moisture.

H

Half-Drop

See Drop Match. The pattern repeats every other strip rather than on every strip, with the design dropping by half the repeat height on adjacent strips.

Hanging (Papering)

The process of applying wallpaper to a wall. Despite the terminology, modern wallpaper is applied by smoothing it onto a pasted surface rather than literally hanging it.

L

Lining Paper (Liner)

A plain, unpatterned paper applied to walls before the decorative wallpaper to create a smooth, even surface. Lining paper is essential when wallpapering over rough or uneven walls, previously painted surfaces, or walls with minor imperfections. It is typically hung horizontally (cross-lined).

M

Mural Wallpaper

A wallpaper designed as a single large image rather than a repeating pattern. Murals are typically sold as a set of numbered panels that are hung in sequence to create the full image. Popular subjects include landscapes, cityscapes, botanicals, and abstract art.

N

Non-Woven

A wallpaper backing material made from a blend of natural and synthetic fibers. Non-woven wallpaper is dimensionally stable (it does not expand or contract when wet), tear-resistant, and breathable. It is installed using the paste-the-wall method, which is faster and cleaner than paste-the-paper. Non-woven is the most popular backing type in modern wallpaper.

P

Paste-the-Paper

An installation method where adhesive is applied to the back of the wallpaper strip, which is then booked (folded) and allowed to soak before being hung on the wall. This is the traditional method, used with paper-backed wallpapers.

Paste-the-Wall

An installation method where adhesive is applied directly to the wall rather than to the wallpaper. The dry wallpaper strip is then pressed onto the pasted wall. This method is faster, cleaner, and easier than paste-the-paper. Used with non-woven wallpapers.

Pattern Repeat

The vertical distance between one point in a pattern and the next identical point below it. A wallpaper with a 24-inch repeat means the pattern repeats every 24 inches vertically. Larger repeats generally produce more waste during installation because strips must be aligned at the repeat interval. The repeat measurement is critical for calculating how much wallpaper to order — use our wallpaper calculator to account for it automatically.

Peelable

Wallpaper where the decorative face layer can be peeled away from the wall, but the paper backing layer remains adhered. The backing must then be removed separately using water, steam, or solvent. Peelable is easier to remove than non-peelable but harder than strippable.

Peel-and-Stick

Self-adhesive wallpaper with a protective backing that is peeled away during application. No paste is needed. Peel-and-stick wallpaper is repositionable during installation and removable without wall damage, making it popular for rentals and temporary applications. Browse our peel-and-stick collection.

Pre-Pasted

Wallpaper with dried adhesive factory-applied to the backing. To activate, the strip is submerged in water (using a water tray) for the specified time, then hung. Pre-pasted wallpaper eliminates the need to mix and apply paste, but the pre-applied adhesive is sometimes weaker than separately applied paste.

Primer (Wallpaper Primer)

A coating applied to the wall before wallpaper installation. Wallpaper primer seals the wall surface, provides a consistent base for adhesion, and makes future wallpaper removal easier. It is different from paint primer — always use a product specifically designed for wallpaper.

S

Scrubbable

A durability rating indicating that the wallpaper surface can withstand scrubbing with a brush and mild detergent without damage. Scrubbable wallpapers are the most durable option for kitchens, bathrooms, children's rooms, and high-traffic areas. This is a higher durability rating than "washable."

Seam Roller

A small, narrow roller used to press wallpaper seams flat against the wall after hanging. Seam rolling ensures a tight bond at the edges where two strips meet, preventing seam lifting over time.

Selvage (Selvedge)

The unprinted edge of a wallpaper roll. In modern wallpaper, selvage is typically pre-trimmed at the factory, so the roll is ready to hang edge-to-edge. Some specialty and hand-printed wallpapers still have untrimmed selvage that must be cut off before installation.

Single Roll / Double Roll

Wallpaper is priced by the single roll but almost always sold in double rolls (bolts). A standard American single roll is approximately 27 inches wide and 15 feet long (about 28 square feet of coverage). A double roll is the same width but 30 feet long (about 56 square feet). European rolls use metric dimensions and may differ.

Straight Match

A pattern alignment where the design matches at the same height on every adjacent strip. Each strip starts at the same point in the pattern. Straight-match patterns are easier to install than drop-match patterns and produce less waste.

Strippable

Wallpaper that can be completely removed — face and backing — by pulling it off the wall dry, in full strips, without steaming, soaking, or scraping. Strippable wallpaper is the easiest to remove and is ideal for renters or anyone who anticipates changing wallpaper in the future.

T

Toile (Toile de Jouy)

A wallpaper pattern featuring detailed scenic designs — pastoral landscapes, historical vignettes, botanical illustrations — printed in a single color on a light background. Originally from Jouy-en-Josas, France, toile is a classic pattern with enduring popularity.

Trompe-l'oeil

French for "deceive the eye." Wallpaper designed to create the illusion of three-dimensional objects or architectural elements — faux bookshelves, windows, paneling, brick, or stone. When well-executed, trompe-l'oeil wallpaper can be surprisingly convincing.

V

Vinyl Wallpaper

Wallpaper with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coating or layer. Vinyl wallpaper is durable, moisture-resistant, and easy to clean. It comes in several types: vinyl-coated paper (paper backing with a thin vinyl coating), solid vinyl (vinyl face on a fabric or paper backing), and fabric-backed vinyl (vinyl face on a woven backing — the most durable type, typically used in commercial applications).

W

Wallcovering

A general term that encompasses all materials applied to walls for decorative purposes, including wallpaper, vinyl, fabric, grasscloth, and specialty materials. "Wallcovering" is the technically correct industry term, though "wallpaper" is more commonly used.

Washable

A durability rating indicating that the wallpaper surface can be cleaned with a damp sponge and mild soap. Washable wallpapers can handle light cleaning but not aggressive scrubbing. This is a lower durability rating than "scrubbable."

Wet-Strippable

Wallpaper that can be removed by wetting the surface with water or a wallpaper removal solution, allowing the water to soften the adhesive, and then stripping the paper from the wall. This is easier than non-strippable but requires more effort than dry-strippable.

Width

The horizontal measurement of a wallpaper roll. Standard American wallpaper is approximately 20.5 or 27 inches wide. European wallpaper is typically 53 centimeters (about 21 inches) wide. Wide-width wallpapers (up to 54 inches) are also available and cover walls with fewer seams but are more difficult to handle during installation.

Using This Glossary

Understanding these terms will help you read product descriptions more confidently, communicate clearly with installers, and make informed purchasing decisions. If you have questions about a specific term or need help choosing the right wallpaper for your project, visit the project support for personalized recommendations.