How to Spec Wallcovering & Wallpaper for Commercial Construction Projects
Find centralized info on commercial wallpaper, wall protection and wallcoverings, ranging from wallcovering types, to custom wallpaper options.
Image courtesy of Abnormals Anonymous
Wallcovering is a versatile product that provides durability, cleanability, visual interest, and even acoustical properties to a space. It’s a great affordable alternative to custom artwork. Whether you need added wall protection and subtle texture, or a beautiful feature wall in a high traffic area, consider wallcovering your friend.
Types of Wallcovering
First, let’s distinguish contract wallcovering from residential wallpaper or wallcovering. The main difference is the material and its qualities, which vary in weight, durability, sound absorption, and cleanability. While residential wallpaper has good wipeability, the durable construction of commercial wallcoverings create a good amount of scrubbability. While you can specify a residential-grade wallcovering in a commercial setting, you must consider the level of durability needed for the application and confirm that it is Class A fire rated. This is a safety requirement in the United States that groups wall and ceiling finishes according to their flame spread and smoke density in accordance with ASTM E84, the standard test method. Products with a Class A fire rating have the least amount of flame spread. Beware of purchasing wallcovering that is manufactured outside the US, as it may not be Class A fire rated – meaning it may not pass building inspection with the fire marshal!
Next: selecting your wallcovering. The first thing you should consider when selecting a wallcovering for your project is the amount of traffic that will occur in the space. There are three main types of commercial grade wallcovering: Type I, Type II, and Type III. Each type must meet minimum performance characteristics from the Federal Specification CCC-W-408D, a series of standard performance tests established by the General Services Admiration (GSA) to determine the physical properties of vinyl-coated wallcoverings.
Image courtesy of Wolf Gordon
Type I is designed for light traffic areas, typically between 12 to 19 ounces per linear yard. These are specified in hotel guest rooms, apartment buildings, and workplaces – just make sure they don’t go on any high traffic area walls that may be damaged easily and quickly. Papers and natural materials such as grass cloth are generally in the Type I category.
Type II is for use in high traffic areas, with an ounce weight between 20 to 28 ounces per linear yard. These are often vinyls and other synthetic textiles, which offer high durability (they can take 100 pounds of impact in both directions of the material!), tear and scratch resistance, and better cleanability than Type I. You will often see Type II specified in corridors, public spaces, workplaces, education and many other project types. For K-12 education projects, Type II is recommended to be specified above 6’ height with a more durable wall protection below.
Type III is specified when a high level of wall protection is required, with a weight of 33 to 36 ounces per linear yard. These wallcoverings have a thicker backing, such as jute, for added durability. Type III also has surface coatings for high impact resistance, easier cleaning, and maintenance. Type III bridges the gap between wallcovering and heavy duty wall protection such as rigid paneling. Type III is great for schools, because it is more affordable than wall protection and it’s easy to install. It is also used in conference rooms to protect the walls from chair damage, corridors, headboard walls, healthcare, and senior living. These products are flexible, so they won’t crack like rigid products can.
When in doubt, get in touch with your local rep to ensure you select the right product for the application to guarantee a long life.
Image courtesy of Astek
Market Sector Applications
Once you decide which level of durability you need in a wallcovering, the next consideration is the design and pattern appropriate for your project type.
In corporate workplace or multi-family housing projects, wallcovering mainly provides durability and visual interest. It’s a great way to add major personality to a space without breaking the budget.
Hospitality project materials have a shorter life cycle (5 to 7 years) than other project types, so you can step out of the design “safe zone” and get more creative with wallcovering patterns and custom wall graphics. Don’t forget about the fifth wall – the ceiling! [image] (courtesy of Kelly Wearstler)
You will want to mix and match wall protection products for healthcare spaces, as these walls experience a lot of damage from carts, gurneys, and other traffic. Wallcovering is appropriate for 6’ above finish floor with wall protection down below, and corner guards to protect from damage. For hospital headboard walls, you can specify a heavier duty wallcovering (Type III) or wall protection. Additional finishes can enhance cleanability.
The wallcovering type you select for education varies by age group. As noted above, mix and match a Type II and a wall protection for K-12; for higher education, Type II is appropriate throughout, as the walls will experience much less damage.
When specifying for senior housing, make sure you don’t have too much contrast in a pattern, as this can cause disorientation. Look for solid or monochromatic colors in either subtle textures or larger simple designs.
Custom & Handmade Designs
There are endless design options in the wallcovering world. Many manufacturers offer dozens or hundreds of stocked patterns, but if you have an idea that just doesn’t seem to exist (yet!), companies like Astek and Koroseal offer custom digitally-printed wallcovering. You can also request an adjustment to an existing design in the running lines. Wish these monkeys were holding Jägermeister instead of vodka? Just ask your rep for a quote from their in-house designers to swap the bottles! [image] They can also create beautiful designs from your napkin sketches. Digitally-printed wallcovering comes in unlimited color options, is fully customizable, and never gets discontinued (because it’s a custom digital file). You can also print photographic murals, or create designs with more of a graphic feel. While Type II vinyl is a very common material, images can also be printed on metallic mylars, PVC-free Type II material, graphic films for windows, and more. Digital printing is more expensive than standard wallcovering because they are all made to order, involve lots of setup with the printer, and the high cost of ink. But if you have a unique feature in mind, try comparing the cost of wallcovering to the cost of custom artwork (and be mindful of whether the cost is by square foot or linear yard! Here is a helpful document for conversions).
Another beautiful option is handmade wallcovering designs. Juju Papers is a boutique wallpaper company offering wallpapers and Type II wallcoverings featuring prints that begin with handcrafted pieces of art – including paintings, collages, and sculptures. The design is either screen-printed onto a material, or digitally scanned and printed onto Type II wallcovering. These types of wallcovering designs are perfect if you are looking for something that is unique, abstract, has a handcrafted aesthetic, or evokes personal memories from each individual who admires it. Juju’s La Strada pattern brings me back to my childhood, when I would sit for hours drawing systems of factory conveyor belts turning a block into a silly object as it passes through each processing station. [image] (courtesy of Juju Papers). I instantly developed a nostalgic connection to the design, a feeling that can make a space feel special.
Image courtesy of Juju Papers
New Technology & Sustainability
Digital technology has significantly improved in recent years, both in quality and in the adoption of more sustainable processes and materials (Astek uses these eco-friendly printers). The availability and high quality of printing has allowed manufacturers, especially companies with small collections, to reproduce designs for commercial-size applications in small quantities at affordable prices. Astek has recently taken on haptic, or 3D printing, which produces a buildup of ink layers to create paintable sculptural wallcovering that mimics embossed patterns.
Koroseal has created a feature of their wallcovering called Early Warning Effect Formulation, which detects electrical fires within the walls by releasing a vapor that is detectable by smoke detectors. This is especially helpful for spaces where it is difficult to get everyone out of a building quickly, such as senior living or childcare settings.
The design industry has been pushing to change the standard for more transparency in products and materials. However, while manufacturers are creating new, more sustainable materials such as Teralon (a PVC-free wallcovering), or TPOs (free of environmental pollutants, plasticizers, and ozone-depleting chemicals), designers seem to continue to specify mostly vinyl-based wallcovering according to the reps I spoke with. It’s possible that there is a lack of awareness of more environmentally-friendly products, or vinyl has a long-held reputation as the most durable wallcovering material, and the potential for inadequate durability in new products is reason enough not to specify. Bookmark these options for consideration in future projects.
Vinyl wallcoverings will last a very long time (some say up to 60 years!). This diverts the product from the landfill as long as it’s not ripped out once the design is tired. You can look for other options, such as Koroseal’s reclamation program: they will take any Type II vinyl wallcovering in an existing space if you replace it with Koroseal product and redirect for a third-party use, such as repurposing into floor mats for buses.
Installation & Maintenance
While a Level 5 wall finish is the smoothest level of substrate for wallcovering installation, it’s not always necessary and adds a lot of extra cost to the project. A Level 4 wall finish is ideal for all wallcovering applications, which is smooth enough to hide most wall imperfections. Any wallcovering that has a lot of shimmer will telegraph imperfections, so it’s especially important to get a smooth substrate before installation. If your project has existing walls with significant cracks, or a Level 3 wall finish and you’re working with a tight budget, specifying a wallcovering with a lot of visual and/or tactile texture will help hide these imperfections. Keep in mind: the less physical texture the wallcovering material has, the easier it is to clean!
Speaking of cleanability – most Type II wallcoverings can be cleaned with a mild detergent and wiped down easily. Just be mindful not to use abrasives or hard bleach, which can remove the printed image. If you have questions or concerns about cleanability specific to your project, contact your reps to find out what product would be most appropriate.
Tips & Tricks
Always order samples to test color, texture, and durability, especially if you are deciding between materials. A rougher-textured material may mute the colors you see on screen. I also suggest scratching the surface with a house key to test durability and determine what scratches will look like.
Check on lead times to make sure it will work with your project schedule, and plan in extra time for mishaps if possible.
Know your budget! It is good to have an alternate budget wallcovering pattern ready in case your original design choice is VE’d (value engineered to a less expensive product with similar quality attributes). Reps are great resources for pulling alternates for you.
When designing a custom wallcovering, start with your reps, be as thorough as possible and coordinate as much as you can early in the process. If you list the custom graphic as “TBD” in your finish schedule, this can leave open the possibility of inaccurate pricing, lead times that are not considered, or disrupt the coordination of other design elements, such as lighting, in the end result. Engage vendors early before you write your specs, so the vendor can price it properly. You can sign off on the design with the vendor early, so when it comes time for the general contractor to send submittals, they can just contact the vendor for an instant strike-off.
Author
Maddy Gorman, NCIDQ | Interior Designer
Disclaimer
While we hope you find an incredible amount of value in this article, we surely haven’t been able to cover the broad swath of applications and particular circumstances that will come up on every project. We encourage and suggest that you should connect directly with your manufacturer’s rep regarding the specific specification needs of your project.
You can find your local manufacturer’s rep in the world’s largest commercial construction rep directory here. Grab their contact information, or send a message right on Source. Happy specifying!
