Interior wall covering used to be simple: wood, stone or plastered wood. This was because the inside and outside were the same material. Then someone came up with the idea of putting floor carpets on the walls which not only made them look better but added sound-proofing and a bit of warmth.

The invention of paper and its improvement throughout the ages lead to a boom in wall-papering beginning in the Victorian age. Once the preserve of the wealthy the Industrial Revolution made its way into both floors and walls bringing the price of materials down to the level of the working-class people.

There are many types of wall coverings from paper to organic sisal:

Traditional Wallpaper: This type is sometimes called "common wallpaper," and has been around for a few hundred years. However, these days most of the market has been taken over by printed vinyl as it is easier to maintain. In a cool dry environment traditional wallpaper will keep its beautiful design and color and this can be seen in older homes and restored historic residences.

Vinyl Wallpaper: For the most part vinyl-coated wallpaper has taken over as the most popular type in the home and paint stores. Because it has a water impervious surface it can be hung in almost every room, even in bathrooms and kitchens where the moisture content in the air is high. Not only does it wear better there are mold and mildew inhibitors built into it.

Lining Wallpaper: In many instances where a wall has been coated with an oil-based paint or sealing compound that closed all the pores of the wall the glue on the back of self-adhesive wall coverings may let go. To prevent this a lining paper should be used which will act as a primer to hold onto the wall surface and, in turn, the wallpaper itself. It is usually hung perpendicularly to the wall covering for greater adhesion. On newer drywalling this shouldn't be an issue unless you are trying to hang an exotic wallpaper like bamboo or a textile shag.

Flock Wallpaper: This unique wall covering is used for formal rooms like dining rooms and large entranceways which require a decorative edge. To achieve this flock wallpaper uses velvet in patterns, an old technique which began centuries ago when wool lint is glued onto paper. For this type of wallpaper a lining paper should be installed beforehand.

Foil Wallpaper: Another wall covering used for feature and specialty walls, like Christmas and birthday wrapping, it is made from metal foil in various designs. And like flock it takes a skilled pair of hands to hang it as it can wrinkle and lose its pristine brilliance.

Grass and Exotic Weaves: Wall coverings which encompass grass, bamboo and other types of organic, raised matter make up just a few of the quick ways to get an earthy, tropical feel to a room. This is not to say that the products are easy to maintain. They are not, and sometimes the panels do not match up. For these instances every second panel is hung upside-down for consistency.

Textile Wallpaper: This wall covering is made from the remnants of textile manufacturing which is glued onto a backing wallpaper. Like grass, foil and flock is it difficult to maintain and can stain easily. And the problem with hanging this is that, in the hands of an inexperienced installer, it can stretch.

A Wallpaper Guide

Like every other type of renovating, from building a room addition to painting, planning and measuring is very important. These items should be checked over before buying any wallpaper.

1. Center the Wall: Find the horizontal center point of the wall and mark it off on the ceiling. This is because it will be there even when the wallpaper goes on. Put a small nail in the wall just below the mark and hang a plumb bob down to the floor and put a mark there. Using a chalk like snap a line from the two marks. This will not only be the center it will be the starting line for the hanging job.

2. Order Excess: Just like any building you have have to get more in case you run into trouble or some odd angles take up more paper. As well, some patterns do not line up properly on the vertical axis and piece have to be cut off the ends so they will line up. So if you want to do 200 square feet of wallpaper buy 20% more or 240 square feet. The excess can be saved for patching.

3. Placement of the Wallpaper: Start at the chalkline on the wall and decide where the main pattern (if there is one) should go so that the rest of the panels line up. Mark off the paper widths along the wall right to the corner. Here is an important item to remember. When you reach the corner if the space between the corner and the last mark before it is less than 6 inches go back to the center line and use this as the start mark for the wall and cut off the excess paper in the corner. However, if the measurement from the corner to the last mark is more than 6 inches, to make it look better find the center of the paper panel and put this directly over the center line on the wall. In other words the panel will cover the cover the line. This method avoids wasting paper and will make sure that the paper pattern is continuous.

4. Windows Casements: Windows pose a unique problem for paper hanging s here are a couple of rules:

* One Window: If there is one window casement in the middle of the room find the central point above and below the window and center the first panel of wallpaper on this mark above and below.

* Two Windows: If the two windows are equally placed on the wall find the center between the windows and start the first panel there.

For the best results consult a professional wall covering company. The staff there will help you pick the right color and design for your project and then do the proper installation