Monticello Professional Wallpapering Services

• Prep with the right primer for a no-regrets finish
• Professional tools ensure accurate, high quality work
• Quality adhesives and primers right for your job.
• Artist-quality materials to blend seams as needed
• Clean work and a committment to safety
  *clean up at the end of the day and end of the job
  *remove trash and sharps
• Installation is warranted for one full year

Wallpapering the Monticello Way

Preparing for Beautiful Walls:
Professional wallpapering starts with wall repair and spackle, necessary prep for a smooth wallpapering surface. Next, a good quality primer is applied. Which one? Water base, oil base, clear, pigmented, or tinted? Each wall surface is different; it’s our job to use the best primer for the job.

Meticulous Installation:
As the primer dries, we set up for paperhanging. The difference between professional paperhanging and novice work will soon become obvious. A four-way check of the paper assures us we have the right paper and enough to do the job. There is a lot of back and forth as we lay drop cloths and set up cutting table and paste machine. An appropriate adhesive is prepared. We lay out the room, determining where seams and pattern will fall for best effect. Dark paper bolt ends are colored; uncut wallpaper is hand-cut on the table.

With a laser level to guide, paper is hung, seams are matched and tightly butted, and paper is washed clean of adhesive. If not removed, adhesive can cause the pattern to discolor and flake or cause “shiners.”

Until the last wall plate is papered, we use every trick in our paperhanger’s bag to ensure a beautiful finish.

Cleanup and a Smile: We’re still not done...until we’ve checked again for bubbles and shiners, applied color where necessary, and cleaned up broom-clean. A client’s smile is the best reward at the end of the day.

Training and Certifications

We are trained, certified installers for Weathered Stone© “…a patent pending faux stone product that can be used to create authentic stone designs on walls, countertops, floors, and much more. You will not know it is not real stone.” Take a look at this unique and beautiful wallcovering at www.weathered-stone.com

We are Maya Romanoff-trained installers. Go to www.mayaromanoff.com to see the full line of Maya’s “extraordinary surfacing materials.”

We have samples of various specialty papers for you to browse, including most of the wallcoverings listed above. Let us know when you call; we’ll bring samples to you.

Information, Please: Just ask us!
By phone: (828) 242-3883 By email: installer@monticellowallpapering.com
By fax: (828) 696-7902
Fascinating information on wallpaper basics can be found at the Parodi Palace homepage. The National Guild of Professional Paperhangers’ public forum is the place for more answers to wallpaper questions. Browse the Safe and Simple website for info on wallpaper removal. This and much more can be found via our Links page.

Wallpaper Removal: The Job Folks Love to Hate

Ever do a removal where the paper came off in dime-sized pieces? We have, too. Usually the paper was hung over bare, soft-faced drywall. Sometimes it was hung over sizing (diluted wallpaper paste) which is a good prep for genuine plaster walls, not drywall. Surprisingly, the number of years paper has been on the walls does not contribute to difficult removal as much as the wrong wall prep does. If you’ve sworn you’ll never do a difficult removal again, we have good news; with the right prep and primer, those dime-sized paper tats are a thing of the past.

There are times when removal is not the best option for an old papered wall. In our experience, you must weigh the amount of inevitable drywall damage and repair work against concerns about how well the new paper or paint will adhere. To eliminate the possibility of old paper loosening when new paper is hung, it is best to remove old wallpaper and adhesive. However, when removal is not possible, we choose one of several innovative primers that seal down old paper and allow us to hang over them. These primers are white or gray and tintable to cover the old wallpaper pattern.

Now you can take the No-Regrets Pledge: never, Never, NEVER hang another strip (or allow anyone to do it for you) without first applying a quality wallpaper primer. Promise? Do that, and we promise you’ll smile your way through the next removal.

Gentle Wallpaper Removal Services

• We use an odorless, non-toxic, biodegradable removal solution
• Room and adjacent areas are protected with drops and plastic sheeting
• Wall covering is removed using best method for your walls
• Walls are washed clean of old adhesive and wallboard repaired
• We prime walls and repair work with a suitable primer
• Walls are ready to paper or paint!

More About Wallpaper Removal:

Wallpaper removal is not an exact science. A knowledgeable professional is your best resource for removal advice. We examine the old paper in your home and assess wall condition (Was it primed? Is there a mildew issue?) but until paper is removed we cannot see the full area. If walls have been primed, removal can be accomplished quickly with little or no wallboard damage. It is also possible to remove paper from unprimed walls.

We give our best estimate of wall condition and estimate cost for removal. Our bid is based on square footage, wall condition, and estimated time and materials for completion. We can also offer alternatives when removal is not the best solution for you.

In removal, we dry-pull as much paper as possible, wet and scrape the remaining paper, and last sand and wash adhesive off the walls. After spackling and applying appropriate primer, the walls are ready for your new paper. You will be able to see our progress and will be informed immediately should we encounter the unexpected.

Wallpaper Touch-Up Service

As Ben Franklin said, a wallpaper repair in time saves nine…or something like that. If you love your fine wallpaper (and we hope you do!) you’ll want to keep it looking beautiful with Touch-Up. For wallcovering that is loose, torn, or damaged, help is as close as the telephone. We can repaste sections of paper, repair and color tears, and patch holes with your remnant. This service is part of the Monticello Wallpapering 1-year warranty. We also repair wallcovering not installed by us. It takes so little to keep quality wallcovering looking its best!

Wallboard and Plaster Repair

Your wallpaper is only as good as its foundation; it goes without saying that damaged wallboard makes a poor foundation. The good news is, there are many effective wallboard and plaster repair techniques; these range from traditional plaster to premixed joint compound to roll plaster. We have experience in many kind of wall repair; let us recommend the repair technique best for your needs.

Quality Interior Painting

We apply the same diligence to your paint as we do in all our work. Professional paint work begins with testing for the type of paint already on the wall and trim. That determines the type of primer and paint best for your job. We use Zinsser primers and paints by Olympic, Benjamin Moore, and Devine.

Prep Work Makes Perfect:
Like lighting the dinner table candles, everything must be prepared before the paint goes on. First comes prep work, involving spackle, wall repair, and caulking. We usually apply a good quality primer. Why primer? A quality primer prepares neutralizes old paint color, seals the wall, and decreases absorption of the new paint. Generally, finish paint (which is more expensive than primer) goes further and covers better over primer. Finally, walls and wood trim glow with a fresh coat of paint, expertly applied. Don’t be dismayed if two coats are sometimes recommended; you’ll be pleased with the finish and durability.

Which Paint?
Modern paints are made with lower VOCs (compounds that help paint dry faster.) What this means in practice is less odor, less respiratory irritation, and slower paint set-up. However, once a good-quality paint has cured it will serve you well for up to 8 years. What level of sheen do you prefer? How much traffic and wear will it get? Is your room formal or casual? What overall effect are you looking for? Such questions help you decide on the paint finish best for you.

In formal rooms we often recommend flat or eggshell paint. Eggshell gives very low sheen and superior wall wear. Semi-gloss is reflective and shows wall flaws so good wall finish is essential; regardless of wall finish, some prefer semi-gloss for its washability. Wood trim is generally painted in eggshell or semi-gloss, unless you are going for a special effect.