How to Hang Grasscloth Wallpaper

I’ve been doing a refresh in my son’s playroom and thought that some grasscloth wallpaper on the angled ceiling would be a great way to add texture in the space. This is a high end look, but I’ve never used grasscloth before! So I thought I’d share everything I learned and show. you how to hang grasscloth wallpaper.

WHAT IS GRASSCLOTH WALLPAPER?

Grasscloth is a type of wallpaper that is made from natural plant fibers (or types of grasses) like sisal, hemp, seagrass, jute, bamboo, and raffia. These are usually hand-woven onto a paper backing. Because of the natural materials, the result is a wallpaper with gorgeous texture and lots of natural variation.

Where did grasscloth wallpaper originate? It’s from China about 2000 years ago (archaeologists have found natural grasses on walls dating back to 1st century China). The grass fibers were woven to rice paper and used as insulation and decoration.

Then in the 60’s and 70’s grasscloth wallpaper because popular in Europe and America because the wall covering is eco friendly. The designs were simple in natural colors.

Now, grasscloth wallpaper is a designer look. It’s on-trend as the texture adds depth to a space. It can be used as an accent wall, behind bookcases, or on all the walls in a room.

how is grasscloth different from other types of wallpaper?

First off, because grasscloth wallpaper is made of natural fibers, it is very absorbent. This means it shouldn’t be installed in rooms with high humidity or moisture. The water from a bathroom or kitchen could leave marks on the wallpaper. It shouldn’t be installed in high traffic areas either because the fibers can be fragile and it isn’t cleanable.

Second, make sure to be really careful when installing because the wallpaper is delicate. Here’s the two things to avoid- wiping too much on the front can fray edges. And don’t get wallpaper paste on the wallpaper as it can stain it.

Third, grasscloth is trickier than other wallpaper to hang. Most grasscloth manufacturers suggest hiring a professional wallpaper installer. What makes it tricky to hang is the fibers are thicker so it’s harder to trim. The wallpaper is heavier so it is doesn’t easily adhere to the wall. The wallpaper also needs to be double cut. This is a more advanced trimming method.

So, if you’ve installed wallpaper before, grasscloth is a bit more advanced and can be figured out (though I wouldn’t hang it if you’ve never wallpapered before). I’m going to show what worked for me with hanging grasscloth.

before

I wanted to show some before pictures of the playroom after I painted it. I love the look, but have been craving more pattern and texture. The tiger wallpaper I designed should be perfect for adding that!

how to hang grasscloth wallpaper

Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:

If the video doesn’t work here, you can watch it on YouTube here. It’d mean so much if you’d watch the video! I’m trying to get better at my video skills so I can grow my YouTube channel. If you have a few minutes to watch this and/or subscribe, I’d so appreciate it.

SUPPLIES

step 1- cut the wallpaper

Start by measuring the height of the wall where the wallpaper will go. Then add 2-3 inches to that measurement and trim the wallpaper to the correct length. Measure twice because getting it wrong means messing up a large piece of wallpaper! My wall is 52″ tall so I cut a strip of 54″ long wallpaper.

If working with a pattern repeat, make sure to trim the end of the wallpaper before cutting the height so it’ll line up with the pattern when put on the wall. To do this, look at where the last piece of wallpaper ends.

Trim the wallpaper so the next piece can match up to the pattern and add some extra for trimming off the bottom.

Next, trim the side of the wallpaper (if working with patterned or frayed grasscloth). Mine needed 1/2″ cut off so that the wallpaper would match up. Grasscloth is a delicate wallpaper so the edges might get frayed during shipping. To combat this, the manufacturer creates the wallpaper longer so it’s trimmed to get a clean edge.

To trim the wallpaper sides, the proper way is to do a “double cut.” Which means hanging the first piece, hanging the piece next to it and overlapping them. Then, taking a straight edge and cutting the edge off both pieces. Then you pull off the cut edges and everything magically lines perfectly.

My mind couldn’t figure out how to get that perfectly lined up and cut correctly, so instead, I like to trim the wallpaper by 1/2″ before hanging. To do that, I measure 1/2″ over and then use my straight edge and a pencil to draw on a line. After that, I use scissors to trim the edge off. I make sure to be very careful and precise because having a crooked line will show on the wall.

step 2- paste the wallpaper

Once one piece of wallpaper is all trimmed, it’s time to apply Wallpaper Adhesive to the back of the wallpaper. To do this, cover a roller tray with a garbage bag. Then put the wallpaper paste in the roller tray or directly onto the back of the wallpaper. Use a paint roller to cover all of the wallpaper with the paste. Make sure to not get any paste on the sides of front of the wallpaper.

Next, book the wallpaper for 2-5 minutes. What that means is to fold the wallpaper over so the wallpaper is touching itself. I fold the top into the middle and the bottom into the middle. This helps the adhesive to really soak into the wallpaper without the paste drying out. At the same time, the wallpaper relaxes making it easier to hang.

While the wallpaper is booking, I like to go to the wall and use a paint brush to apply paste to where the edges of the wallpaper will hit the wall (so the sides, top, and bottom). This is where the wallpaper is most likely to roll up so I like giving it extra adhesion. Plus, getting the paste onto the sides of the of the wallpaper without getting paste on it is tricky so this helps there.

step 3- hang the wallpaper

Next, bring the wallpaper to the wall where the wallpaper will hang. Set up a Laser Level for the first piece so it can be hung straight. The rest of the wallpaper will butt against the first piece so getting that one level is pertinent.

When hanging the wallpaper, make sure to have some extra on the top and the bottom of each strip in case the wall gets taller or shorter.

Put the wallpaper strip on the wall and line it up with the laser level or the last piece of wallpaper. Start on one side of the wall and work to the other side.

Do the seams show on grasscloth wallpaper? Yes, one of the cons of grasscloth is that the seams are more obvious than any other type of wallpaper. If this bugs you, grasscloth isn’t for your home. Because the wallpaper is handmade from natural fibers, there’s variation from roll to roll with how the fibers sit and the color. This makes the seams stand out and more visible.

Note, remember to be careful while installing the wallpaper to not get paste on the front of it to avoid staining. Keeping a damp rag to quickly wipe off any adhesive works nicely. Also, I like using this Wallpaper Smoothing Tool because it has felt on it and is more gentle on the wallpaper.

step 4- trim the wallpaper

For trimming the wallpaper, it can be done as each strip is hung or after all of the wallpaper is up. I personally decided that trimming it as I go worked best. It makes the wallpaper look great right away. And that way, the excess wallpaper doesn’t start to set on the trim which can mess up the paint on it.

For some wallpapers, if it’s cut when it’s still wet, it’ll rip so it’s best to wait until it’s dry. I didn’t find that with grasscloth so I prefer to trim it as I apply each strip.

To trim, I like to use a Utility Knife with a fresh blade to cut the wallpaper and a Spackle Knife as a guide so I cut the wallpaper in a straight line. Note, because grasscloth wallpaper is thicker, I found it takes more force and more passes with the knife to cut all the way through the wallpaper.

Note, I ended up being short one piece of wallpaper. I’m so sad about it! I really wanted to finish! But I got some good views of the rest of the room so I’ll show those.

after

The wallpaper is up and I love how much texture, pattern and personality it adds to the room!

I personally really enjoy a layered room and so I designed the tiger grasscloth wallpaper as a compliment to the tiger mural on the wall that I’ve had and loved for years. They look great together!

I keep walking in the room and just enjoying it. I thought it was done a month or so ago, but it’s nice to work on a few details to really get it right. The texture from the wallpaper really help it feel more cozy.

WHERE DO YOU BUY GRASSCLOTH WALLPAPER?

Grasscloth wallpaper is available from most shops that carry wallpaper. I thought I’d link my favorites.

1 Chinoiserie / 2 Taupe / 3 Blue Stripes / 4 Green / 5 Dragon Flies / 6 Pink / 7 Fans / 8 Metallic / 9 Palm Stripes /

how much did this project cost?

For this project, I got two rolls of grasscloth wallpaper. These were a splurge! I got the rolls on sale at $459 each for a total of $918. To be transparent, I sell my wallpaper designs on Spoonflower so I used credit I have from those sales to buy the wallpaper.

why is grasscloth wallpaper so expensive?

Grasscloth wallpaper is made of natural materials and it is hand woven which creates a higher cost. It takes longer to be created and thus is more expensive. This makes grasscloth cost at least double or triple that of traditional wallpaper.

There are vinyl options that look like grasscloth, but are more affordable because they aren’t made by hand. The vinyl is more durable, but doesn’t have as nice of texture or as much variation.

In conclusion, I’m thrilled with how the wallpaper turned out! I hope this post on how to hang grasscloth wallpaper is helpful to you. How do you think the wallpaper looks? Would you try this type of wallpaper?