Wallpaper Terms and FAQ

Regardless of the design repeat, all rolls of wallpapers of the same design and length will print identically. Because the vertical design repeat is different for every design we sell, the vertical offset will vary from one half-drop design to the next. Using our wallpaper calculator will help you know the proper roll length to order for your space and design.

If a design is a half-drop, when you open the wallpaper calculator - How much wallpaper do I need - it will say Special Note and share the vertical design repeat.

Review this visual example to see how Half-Drop installation works:

The vertical repeat for this unique design is 24" (60.96cm). For a vertical repeat of this size, you must vertically shift every other panel upwards by 12" to account for the half-drop design. Since this wall is 8 feet tall, the wallpaper calculator will determine that ordering 9' rolls are enough to account for the required 12" shift from the bottom of the panel to the top to account for the half-drop. And don't worry! The wallpaper calculator will automatically adjust its recommendations for roll lengths based upon the specific vertical design repeat of your preferred designs if they half-drop. This will be clearly labeled within the calculator.

We understand this might be confusing, so if you think the design you are ordering is half-drop please contact us with any questions. Include a design link in your initial inquiry so we can help you easily! Simply copy and paste the url address at the top of the screen. It should start with "http://www.spoonflower.com/en/wallpaper."

All of our wallpaper rolls will print with an approximate 0.5" (1+ cm) overlap along the right side. It is not possible to remove this overlap in our printing process. This addition is not displayed in the design preview window, but is automatically generated when the file is processed. Use the pattern as a guide while installing, being certain that it runs seamlessly from one panel to the next.

While we believe it is not necessary to remove the overlap, the extra ~0.5" (1+ cm) can be removed by a professional installer using the double-cutting method. This process involves trimming the overlap so that each wallpaper roll will be “butted” together and can appear more seamless. The double-cutting method is not recommended for Prepasted Removable Smooth wallpaper as the paper will slightly shrink after the adhesive dries.

Our wallpaper overlap will have a seam once installed properly. It can be more apparent for designs with white backgrounds and design elements that have larger amounts of spacing. Generally, the overlap is not noticeable for busier designs. If you would rather not have an overlap seam, you can always reach out to a professional installer to remove this with the Double-Cutting method.

We always encourage getting a swatch first to make sure the wallpaper type, color and scale meet your expectations in all types of light, but also so you can do a test installation on your unique surface.

To order a wallpaper swatch of any type, just select the wallpaper type first in the drop down menu for WALLPAPER. Then, in the ROLL SIZE drop-down menu select Test Swatch (2' x 1'). For more information on ordering a swatch, please go here.

Since the proper tool is always preferable, you can visit your local hardware store or search online for a squeegee or smoothing tool. You can also use a credit card, or other similar artifact. Just be sure not to scratch the printed design!

Since every Spoonflower product is custom-printed, each individual order is like its very own dye lot. While large color shifts between orders should not be an issue, there can be slight changes between orders placed (and therefore printed) at different times. Just like when buying commercial fabric, yarn or wallpapers with dye lots, it's best to order as much digitally printed wallpaper as you need for your project the first time. If you ever need to order additional paper for another wall or room, reordering is easy. As long as the design is still public in our marketplace, you can sign into your account and find the design through your Order History. If you don't have an account, create a free one using the email address from your first order, or search in our system using the Design ID.

Customers often reach out asking if a certain wallpaper will arrive as a double roll. While Spoonflower does not use this language, a quick explanation may be helpful. Traditionally, wallpaper rolls were defined by the area of wall they covered. Our Non-Pasted Traditional Pebble Wallpaper, Grasscloth, and Metallic wallpaper rolls, each 2' x 27', cover an equivalent amount of square feet as a standard double roll would cover. We simply don't use that labelling to describe these products.

Major wall imperfections may become noticeable once installing your wallpaper. It's best to prep your walls and make sure you have a smooth surface prior to installing. Keep in mind, we recommend at least 4+ weeks for your paint to fully cure before starting any install.

If you would prefer to wallpaper under an outlet or switch cover, it's best to remove them first. Make sure any dust is removed around the edges, as this could prevent the adhesive from applying properly.

Best results vary depending upon the paper. First, apply the wallpaper as normal around the window or door frame. With our Smooth wallpaper, because it takes about 3 hours to dry, and therefore fully shrink back to normal size, you will want to wait to trim it flush. If the paper is a bit clumsy or heavy around the edges, you can do a rough cut leaving about two inches overlap to the frame, and then come back later for the final cut. With our Peel and Stick Wallpaper, you can trim the panel down once the wallpaper is flush with the moulding.

It's best to avoid using almost a full roll width of paper when crossing over the corner of a room during installation. It takes a bit of planning, but you might want to start your installation on the wall in a place that makes sure you aren't crossing over the corners with large amounts of paper. Having to wrap only a few inches around a corner isn't that hard, but squaring over 12" of paper across the same space can be challenging. Some people think trimming to the corner is a good idea, but we do not recommend cutting the wallpaper for this practice. It is tricky to create a seamless repeat this way.

It's best to install with a normal room temperature you are comfortable with daily. We do not recommend installing during severe humidity or cold temperatures. Sudden changes in temperature can occasionally cause bubbles if applied too quickly. These bubbles can expand or shrink in other temperature extremes and can cause issues with installation integrity.