Activities
14.2 Wallpaper quantities, adhesives
and papering equipment
Tutor guidance notes
Aims and objectives
At the end of these activity sheets, learners should be able to:
 describe how to calculate the amount of wallpaper needed for a job
 know the uses, advantages and disadvantages of common and specialist
adhesives
 know how to use the main pieces of wallpapering equipment.
These questions and activities are not intended as formal assessment. However,
the answers should be discussed with the learners as a group to ensure they
have full comprehension of the subject.
Individual teachers will use these questions and activities in different ways. They
could be used at the end of a session to recap; used individually during the
session as a ‘to-the-point’ learning tool; or used as homework. Whichever
teaching method is chosen, make sure that you set and agree upon a completion
date for each activity.
The answers given are not exhaustive and are to be used as a guide only.
Alternative, appropriate answers may be considered.
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Activities
Candidate name:
Date:
14.2 Wallpaper quantities, adhesives
and papering equipment
Chapter 14: Applying surface coverings
Aims and objectives
At the end of these activity sheets, you should be able to:
 describe how to calculate the amount of wallpaper needed for a job
 know the uses, advantages and disadvantages of common and specialist
adhesives
 know how to use the main pieces of wallpapering equipment.
1
This text gives details of one method of calculating how much wallpaper
you would require for a room. Complete the text by writing the missing
words.
Use a roll of wallpaper as a ________ guide to measure the number of full
lengths required. Mark where the _________ will appear along the wall or
ceiling. Then measure the _________ of the wall to discover how many full
lengths can be cut from one ______.
2
This text gives details of an alternative method of calculating how much
wallpaper you would require for a room. Complete the text by writing the
missing words.
Measure up a room or take dimensions from a ___________. Calculate the
________ surface area of the room, including windows and doors. Then
work out the area of the ____________ and ____________ this amount
from the total surface area. This will give you the surface area that requires
papering. Next, find out the surface ______ of a roll of wallpaper and
_________ it into the surface area to gain an idea of how many rolls you
will need.
3
When calculating wallpaper quantities, what per cent wastage should you
allow?
___________________________________________________________
4
Which of these statements about ready-mixed adhesive are true, and which
are false? Write ‘true’ or ‘false’ after each one.
 They have a very high moisture content. ________
 They contain PVA, which improves the adhesive property of the paste.
________
 Some are very thick and must be diluted before use. ________
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Activities
5
This is a list of advantages of ready-mixed adhesive. One of the advantages
does not belong on this list. Cross it out.




very good adhesive properties
can be used to size surfaces
inexpensive
can be applied directly to wall surfaces to hang certain types of wall
covering
 contains a fungicide to prevent mould growth
 does not rot, and remains useable for a long time
6
Three words are incorrect in this text about starch adhesive. Cross out the
incorrect words, and write the correct ones above them.
Starch adhesive is also known as flour adhesive, as wheat flour is its main
ingredient. It has a low moisture content, and comes in gel form which needs
to be mixed with water to produce a paste that is suitable for lightweight to
heavyweight vinyl wallpapers.
7
Three words are incorrect in this text about cellulose adhesive. Cross out
the incorrect words, and write the correct ones above them.
Cellulose adhesive has the lowest water content of any paste and comes in
powder form which needs to be mixed with warm water before use. It is used
with heavyweight wallpapers such as lining papers and vinyls.
8
Which of the following are advantages of starch adhesive, and which are
advantages of cellulose adhesive? Write ‘starch’, ‘cellulose’ or ‘both’ after
each one.








easy to apply _____________
inexpensive _____________
contains a fungicide _____________
suitable for hanging heavy, textured preparatory papers _____________
little risk of staining _____________
can remain useable for a long time _____________
easy to mix _____________
very good adhesive properties _____________
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Activities
9
Which types of job are these special adhesives useful for?
border adhesive: _____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Lincrusta glue: ______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
overlap adhesive: ____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
10
This table gives information on four pieces of wallpapering equipment.
Complete the table by writing the missing words and numbers.
Equipment
Description
Dos and don’ts
Paste brush
a _____ mm flat
brush makes a good
paste brush
Choose a brush with
_____________ bristles as these
are not affected by _________
and can be left in paste for long
periods of time.
Pasteboard
used for pasting
wallpaper,
_____________
paper and for
_____________
lengths of paper
Keep clean and free from
________ at all times, as a dirty
pasteboard will lead to a poorquality papering job.
Paste bucket
used for _________
paste
Clean out after use and before
_________ paste. If the sides of
the bucket are thick with old
paste, when mixing fresh paste
the new paste may become
________.
Plumb bob
used to mark a
____________ line
on to walls before
hanging paper
You must be ____________ when
using a plumb bob because the
measurements it provides act as a
____________ point for papering
and the first line marked will
affect every following length of
paper.
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Activities
11
This is a list of advice for marking a plumb line. Which piece of advice is
missing? Write it at the end of the list.
 Mark your plumb line only once the bob stops swinging.
 Make sure that the string is hanging freely – check it isn’t snagged on
anything.
 When marking your pencil line against the string, do not overstretch, but
move your head to the pencil and keep your aiming eye level to the
mark that you are about to make.
 If you need to move your hand down the string, make sure that it does
not move by using alternate hands to position the string.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Activities
14.2 Wallpaper quantities, adhesives
and papering equipment
Chapter 14: Applying surface coverings
Answers
1
This text gives details of one method of calculating how much wallpaper
you would require for a room. Complete the text by writing the missing
words.
Use a roll of wallpaper as a width guide to measure the number of full
lengths required. Mark where the joints will appear along the wall or
ceiling. Then measure the height of the wall to discover how many full
lengths can be cut from one roll.
2
This text gives details of an alternative method of calculating how much
wallpaper you would require for a room. Complete the text by writing the
missing words.
Measure up a room or take dimensions from a drawing. Calculate the total
surface area of the room, including windows and doors. Then work out the
area of the offtakes and subtract this amount from the total surface area.
This will give you the surface area that requires papering. Next, find out the
surface area of a roll of wallpaper and divide it into the surface area to
gain an idea of how many rolls you will need.
3
When calculating wallpaper quantities, what per cent wastage should you
allow?
15–20% (20% to be on the safe side)
4
Which of these statements about ready-mixed adhesive are true, and which
are false? Write ‘true’ or ‘false’ after each one.
 They have a very high moisture content. false
 They contain PVA, which improves the adhesive property of the paste.
true
 Some are very thick and must be diluted before use. true
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Activities
5
This is a list of advantages of ready-mixed adhesive. One of the advantages
does not belong on this list. Cross it out.




very good adhesive properties
can be used to size surfaces
inexpensive
can be applied directly to wall surfaces to hang certain types of wall
covering
 contains a fungicide to prevent mould growth
 does not rot, and remains useable for a long time
6
Three words are incorrect in this text about starch adhesive. Cross out the
incorrect words, and write the correct ones above them.
Starch adhesive is also known as flour adhesive, as wheat flour is its main
medium
powder
ingredient. It has a low moisture content, and comes in gel form which needs
to be mixed with water to produce a paste that is suitable for lightweight to
wood pulp
heavyweight vinyl wallpapers.
7
Three words are incorrect in this text about cellulose adhesive. Cross out
the incorrect words, and write the correct ones above them.
highest
Cellulose adhesive has the lowest water content of any paste and comes in
cold
powder form which needs to be mixed with warm water before use. It is used
lightweight
with heavyweight wallpapers such as lining papers and vinyls.
8
Which of the following are advantages of starch adhesive, and which are
advantages of cellulose adhesive? Write ‘starch’, ‘cellulose’ or ‘both’ after
each one.








easy to apply cellulose
inexpensive cellulose
contains a fungicide both
suitable for hanging heavy, textured preparatory papers starch
little risk of staining cellulose
can remain useable for a long time cellulose
easy to mix cellulose
very good adhesive properties starch
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Activities
9
Which types of job are these special adhesives useful for?
border adhesive: ideal for applying vinyl on vinyl, and when strong
adhesion is needed
Lincrusta glue: useful when strong adhesion and good bonding
properties are needed
overlap adhesive: designed for bonding vinyl to vinyl; can be used on
vinyl to bond overlaps; can be used to apply border paper over vinyl
10
This table gives information on four pieces of wallpapering equipment.
Complete the table by writing the missing words and numbers.
Equipment
Description
Dos and don’ts
Paste brush
a 175 mm flat brush
makes a good paste
brush
Choose a brush with synthetic
bristles as these are not affected
by mildew and can be left in
paste for long periods of time.
Pasteboard
used for pasting
wallpaper,
arranging paper
and for splitting
lengths of paper
Keep clean and free from paste
at all times, as a dirty pasteboard
will lead to a poor-quality
papering job.
Paste bucket
used for mixing
paste
Clean out after use and before
mixing paste. If the sides of the
bucket are thick with old paste,
when mixing fresh paste the new
paste may become lumpy.
Plumb bob
used to mark a
vertical line on to
walls before hanging
paper
You must be accurate when
using a plumb bob because the
measurements it provides act as a
starting point for papering and
the first line marked will affect
every following length of paper.
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Activities
11
This is a list of advice for marking a plumb line. Which piece of advice is
missing? Write it at the end of the list.
 Mark your plumb line only once the bob stops swinging.
 Make sure that the string is hanging freely – check it isn’t snagged on
anything.
 When marking your pencil line against the string, do not overstretch, but
move your head to the pencil and keep your aiming eye level to the
mark that you are about to make.
 If you need to move your hand down the string, make sure that it does
not move by using alternate hands to position the string.
Use only one eye to sight the plumb line and continue to use the
same eye for every mark you make.
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