Wallpaper water-based ink is coming off

[czvalk]

We recently hung in a bathroom wallpaper that was represented to us as vinyl coated. Then, weeks later, when we went to clean an area of the wallpaper, the ink lifted off with the cleaning cloth. After sending a photo to the supplier, the supplier claimed the ink came up because we had not removed all the wallpaper paste when we were hanging the paper. The instructions that came with the paper says the paper is acrylic-coated, not vinyl-coated, and is washable. It is, according to the manufacturer, "printed using environmentally friendly water based inks." I have never heard of paper--acrylic-coated or vinyl-coated--that becomes seriously damaged if it is washed lightly with clean water and a cloth. What's going on? Why would any paste residue left on the paper remove the ink of the wallpaper when the wall is lightly washed?

[cgreene]

Many years ago I hung a Handprint/screenprint on a ceiling. couple of months later customer called and said print was flaking off. When the paste, left on paper, dried it flaked lifted the print and when we wiped , off came the print. That was a very early on exspensive lesson learned to always wash all the paste off the paper and dry with dry towel. There is something in the paste that breaks down the inks on the papers.

[LaRusso]

Are you sure it was wallpaper adhesive? Or did the client splash something on it and said it was your doing? Just another point of view.

What adhesive did you use? So many avenues too choose from, need more information.

As for the packing instructions, some (not all) put in instructions that cover all types and the basics of their products, somrtimes this does not apply too the product you were handling.

Thanks for coming to our web site and sharing this information, which is very helpful to all of our members as well as you, our guests.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Vincent J. LaRusso
Second National Vice - President

[Bill Archibald]

Cynthia,

First, can I assume that you are the homeowner and installed this yourself ? Not that it matters, but just to get the perspective right.

Yes, as cgreene says dried paste on the surface of a paper can lift the ink. And washing that paste, even gently, can remove some ink . BUT, the new "environmentally friendly water based inks" are simply not as resilient as the old inks. Some can lift for many different reasons including what seems as a gentle washing. I have had issues with some newer inks. Not all of them are stable.

Did you rinse the paper thoroughly when you installed it? Is there any possibility you missed some spots where some paste could have gotten? If (and I say IF) there were paste residue on the paper, you would see "shiners" on the paper where the paste residue was. BTW, why did you clean a section of paper a mere weeks after installation?

I would not stake my reputation (which is now zero :devil:) on calling it one way or the other.

There is no way we can do an accurate pathological report on this simply based on your writing. There are too many possible reasons for your problem.

OH, and BTW, too many manufacturers for years have refused responsibility for their mistakes, only a few own their actions. Try to investigate your hanging procedures with an open mind and see if you could be responsible for leaving any paste residue on the face. If you are 100% positive if was not your fault, I do wish you luck fighting the powers that be.

[czvalk]

Thank you for your reply to my post. My husband and I are the clients. We ordered this paper from a retailer. The paper came pre-pasted, but we bought some ready-made commercial wallpaper paste and used that to hang the paper. One day, the light caught a section of paper that appeared sort of scaley, so my husband took a wet rag and some plain water and went over the paper without using any real force. Off came the color, leaving behind the blank paper. Yes, we can hang another sheet because we have enough left over, but as I look around the bathroom, I see small white places where the color has been lifted without any washing on our part. The insert in the package does say to wash the paste off the paper, which we did, but the instructions do not say what will happen if you don't. What I really want to know is this: what properties in a wallpaper paste can remove an acrylic or vinyl coating??? After all, isn't the vinyl or acrylic coating supposed to protect the print?

[czvalk]

Thank you for your quick reply. I have a feeling that my experience is similar to yours. I would really like to know exactly how it is possible for an acrylic or vinyl coating to fail in its job: protecting the inks of the wallpaper. It is for sure I will never, ever buy a paper like this again. Why are products sold that are clearly so non-functional but are passed off to the customer as top quality (retail is $70 a roll).

[czvalk]

Yes, I am the client. I could not say for sure that there was absolutely no paste left on the wallpaper after we hung it. My husband believes the coating is not absorbed into the substrate and the printing of the inks can be compared to pixels. Under magnification, one can see tiny specular. It is like newsprint on paper, rather than like paint on a wall. If any paste is left on the paper, when the paste dries, it shrinks, lifting the ink because it penetrates the "pixels." To say it another way, the inks do not impregnate the substrate of the wallpaper to form a good bond, and the vinyl or acrylic coating is a micro finish that is porous to the adhesive. If any residual paste is left on the paper, when the paste dries, it can bond to the ink and lift it off because of the poor adhesion of the ink. The paste penetrates under the ink because the coating has no depth.

[Bill Archibald]

Cynthia,

It certainly does sound, by what you described, that the paste left on the surface lifted the ink. This is common and NOT something peculiar or substandard with the paper. I do not know the science behind it, I just prevent it from happening by both preventing paste from getting on the surface and by a thorough rinsing after installation.

Some paste can even lift paint off woodwork when it dries.

Please reconsider your condemnation of the product. If it was the residual paste, as it does sound like, this would be absolutely installer error. Most wallpaper instructions warn of this.

I am sorry this happened. I wish I could say it was the fault of the paper, but I have to be honest and inform you I truly believe this was your error. And the only remedy I can offer is to hang all future wallpaper in a manner that an experienced hanger would.

-Bill

[Chris Murphy]

You described the problem well, but as was noted about paste lifting paint, the adhesive doesn't have to "penetrate" the coating to lift it: The wet/dry seasonal or daily cycle had enough moisture to make the residue expand and contract, which lifted the print. To me, it's just one more reason to stay away from prepasted goods when possible: that junk gets everywhere, including leaving a powdery residue on the face from when the material was rolled up. And you're right, in my opinion, that a decent coating should have precluded this type of damage. To me, it's just one more (of a seemingly infinite number) example of the industry shooting itself in the foot.
The only thing to do now is to wash the material as gently as possible, using the least amount of moisture possible. Try using a microfiber towel, well rung out.
Sorry to hear of your experience.

[Boston Hangman]

Thank you for your reply to my post. My husband and I are the clients. We ordered this paper from a retailer. The paper came pre-pasted, but we bought some ready-made commercial wallpaper paste and used that to hang the paper. One day, the light caught a section of paper that appeared sort of scaley, so my husband took a wet rag and some plain water and went over the paper without using any real force. Off came the color, leaving behind the blank paper. Yes, we can hang another sheet because we have enough left over, but as I look around the bathroom, I see small white places where the color has been lifted without any washing on our part. The insert in the package does say to wash the paste off the paper, which we did, but the instructions do not say what will happen if you don't. What I really want to know is this: what properties in a wallpaper paste can remove an acrylic or vinyl coating??? After all, isn't the vinyl or acrylic coating supposed to protect the print?

HI Cynthia

Sorry to jump in late , but I do have to agree with the others and say it was adhesive left on the face....and yes it has happened to the best of us. The "scaly" description you use indicates a clear ready mixed adhesive and as Chris describes, even when not washed it can eventually take off the ink. Sorry to hear of your bad experience, but please try not to let this one mistake turn you off to wallcoverings completely. When done properly there is nothing that compares to a beautiful wallpaper to complete a room.

[devinehelles]

Several years ago I hung a Handprint / Silkscreen on a ceiling. A few months later customer called and said printing was peeling. When the dough, turn left on paper, it flaked dried up printing and when we wiped, came off the printer. It was a lesson learned early Exspensive always wash all the glue the paper and dry with a dry towel. There is something in the dough that breaks the ink on paper.