The abundance of finishing materials is striking in its diversity. For those who prefer the presence of elements of luxury and sophistication in the interior, materials made using Lincrusta technology are offered. First of all, these are elegant linkrusta wallpapers, combining ancient grandeur, environmental friendliness, material of incomparable quality. The Lincrusta brand has been famous for its products for many decades. English handwriting is easily recognizable in all its manifestations. A feature of this elite finish is unique, inimitable embossed patterns, images, executed in a classic style.
Initially, only natural materials were used to make wallpaper such as linkrusta: linseed oil, rosin, wood flour, wax. Over time, life has made its own adjustments. Modern technologies allow the use of synthetic resins and oils, which are completely harmless to human health. Wallpapers are available in milk or ivory color and are painted after sticking to the surface.
How to glue wallpaper
The material is expensive, so when buying wallpaper, you should pay attention to the production time, since linkrusta has an expiration date. It is relatively small, only two years old. It is not difficult to glue the linkrusta with your own hands, but the technology must be followed exactly.
Surface preparation
- Careful surface preparation is necessary: the old finish is removed, all cracks and sinks are sealed and wiped. Putty is made solid and very even. After the final alignment, the wall should be thoroughly sanded and dedusted.
- The dry surface is covered with a deep penetrating primer. To obtain a more even surface, the manufacturer recommends gluing it with sheets of special paper under the wallpaper. If the wall turned out to be completely smooth after grinding, then the stage with gluing the paper is skipped.
Wallpaper preparation
The wallpaper itself also requires preparation. To avoid deformation of the plastic front surface, linkrusta should be stored in an upright position. The boxes should also be unpacked vertically. Both edges are made in a compacted version, they are not afraid of the load. Whereas the main canvas, with careless handling, can warp or stretch.
- A roll of wallpaper must be placed on a long table of sufficient width and cut to the specified dimensions, taking into account the fit of the pattern. On the reverse side of each canvas, a top mark is made and a serial number is put so as not to be confused when gluing.
- The edges are cut with a paint knife and a metal ruler.
- Next, you need to thoroughly wet the wrong side of each sheet with hot water and lay the canvases on a flat plane, connecting in pairs with the wrong side inward. Do not be afraid that the wallpaper can get wet and deformed. The front surface is not afraid of any water.
wallpaper sticker
After 20 - 25 minutes, the paper base of the canvases will get wet enough and they will be ready for further work. For wallpapering, linkrusts use a special glue of the same company. Its consumption is 250 g/m2. Of the tools you will need:
- wide brush or roller for applying glue;
- narrow paint brush for working in hard-to-reach places and in corners;
- rubber roller, it is good for them to smooth the wallpaper;
- a sharp knife to cut the canvases.
Work should begin at some distance from the left corner. A vertical line must be applied to the wall to prevent displacement when sticking. Remaining moisture is removed from the canvas with a dry sponge and glue is applied in an even layer, trying to avoid gaps. Then the sheet is pressed tightly against the wall, placing the left edge along the intended line. The canvas must be pressed evenly with a good effort to the surface with a smooth roller. If air bubbles are noticed, they must be disposed of immediately.
It is convenient to trim excess wallpaper from above and below by slightly moving part of the sheet away from the wall and placing a piece of plywood, board or thick plastic under it.
Special attention requires the design of corners. Wallpapers are thick and it is absolutely impossible to drive them into a corner by bending. Having chosen a sheet soaked with water with the corresponding number, it is cut lengthwise in the place where it should be adjacent to the corner. Further, the process is repeated in the same order as gluing wallpaper to linkrusta on a solid plane. Between themselves, the canvases are connected exactly end-to-end with the most accurate fit of the pattern. If gaps are found in the seams, then they must be rubbed with putty in the color of the wallpaper, dried and sanded with sandpaper.
Coated surface finish
At the end of the installation work, sufficient time must be allowed for the wallpaper to dry. It will take a day or two to wait. At this time, there should be no drafts and temperature changes in the room. The same mode should be maintained for a few more days and only then proceed to the finishing.
Lincrusta wallpaper painting is an unplowed field for the imagination of a finisher. Of the materials, oil or acrylic paints are best suited. Some masters use water-based dyes. Various methods are used:
- artistic painting;
- glazing;
- lessirovaka;
- staining for marble, leather, wood.
Decorators actively use gilding, silvering, patination. The relief surface allows you to apply various combinations of colors and shades for its painting.
The possibilities of using linkrusta wallpaper in any interior are limited only by their high cost. And there are no restrictions regarding the purpose of the premises. Historically, this material has been used for decoration of front rooms, residences of dignitaries, cabins and premium class railway cars. Currently, linkrusta is often found in the decoration of elite cafes, restaurants, as well as expensive apartments and mansions.
What kind of finishing material is linkrust and how to glue it. Rules for mounting linkrust on walls and its further painting, as well as preliminary preparation of the wall before gluing patterns.
Linkrust(Lincrusta-Walton) is a finishing material that has a relief pattern. It is used for gluing walls. Such an unusual material consists of a plastic mass, which is applied during manufacture to a paper base. The front side of the linkrust is completely discolored. It is painted only after gluing the walls and completely drying the material with oil or enamel paints.
Linkrust installation has its own features that absolutely do not complicate the work. So, before starting the installation, it is necessary to prepare the wall. Pre-remove the remnants of old wallpaper, clean the surface. Sockets, switches and baseboards are also best removed for the duration of work. If necessary, repair the plaster. The holes and potholes present on the wall are puttied. Allow the putty to dry completely. Then, with a fine sandpaper, the entire surface of the wall is sanded, dust is removed and primed. Allow the primer to dry completely within 2-3 days. After that, the primed surface is again puttyed with a finishing semi-oil putty. Let dry and sand again. After complete sanding, the surface of the wall is once again coated with a primer. Dry for several days. After all the procedures, the wall is ready for the installation of the linkrust.
Now to prepare finishing material. Linkrust sheets are cut into sheets of the desired size. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the relief pattern matches. The finished cut sheets are twisted into rolls and placed for 10 minutes in hot water, the temperature of which should be between 50 and 60 degrees. After that, the rolls are unwound and the linkrust is stacked face up in stacks. Leave for 8 - 10 hours so that the material is well softened. This must be done so that after pasting and complete drying of the linkrust, cracks do not form between the seams. In cases where the linkrust has a fabric base, it is not pre-soaked.
For gluing linkrust you can use ordinary wallpaper paste or starch-based glue with the addition of stationery glue. The prepared canvas is well smeared with glue, folded in half and left for 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, the linkrust is completely saturated with adhesive. In the meantime, you should anoint the wall with glue. This will provide a more secure fastening of the material. The impregnated canvas is glued to the wall, making sure that there is no air left between the wall and the material, and no wrinkles form on the surface. All other canvases are glued so that there are no gaps between them. To do this, the edges of the canvases should be pressed as tightly as possible to each other. After the walls are completely pasted over, they must be left in this form for 5 to 7 days so that the linkrust is completely dry. Then you can start painting in the desired colors.
Sometimes, with insufficient quality work, cracks form between the dried canvases. They can be masked with semi-oil putty, gently applying it to problem areas. After 2 days, the dried putty material is sanded and painted with paint.
It should be remembered that the skirting boards must be installed in place before painting the linkrust. And sockets and switches return to their places after the painted wall dries.
Installation of the linkrust takes some time, but it is worth it to admire the results of the repair after the work is completed.
Sticking linkrusta does not cause any serious problems, so it can be carried out by any person who at least once had to deal with wallpaper. Surface preparation is carried out in advance. By the time of applying the material, the casing, switches and sockets must be removed.
After removing the old coating, it is necessary to putty cracks and irregularities. The surface is then sanded and primed. After it dries, a finishing putty and primer are applied. Next, the linkrust is cut into pieces of the required size.
After this, the canvas must be rolled into small rolls and immersed for 10 minutes. into water at a temperature of around +50°C. Soaked sheets get rid of excess moisture and leave for 8-10 hours until completely softened. During this time, the linkrust should shrink. Next, you need to trim the edges with a very sharp knife.
Linkrusta wallpaper how to choose glue
When gluing linkrusta, starch paste is usually used, to which carpentry glue is added. Perchlorovinyl glue, for example, Bustilat, is also suitable. The air temperature in the room must be above +15°C. Linkrusta sheets are covered with glue, after which they are folded in half. In 10 minutes. you can move on to applying them to the wall. Before fixing the first canvas, it is necessary to mark a strictly vertical line. In the corners, the sheets must be joined. The fabrics should be smoothed very tightly so that there are no wrinkles, bubbles or folds.
Each next sheet must be glued end-to-end, pressing the edges strongly. Additionally, you can fix the upper part of the material on wooden glazing beads. If the work is done correctly, the joints should not be noticeable. It takes about 7 days for the walls covered with linkrust to dry completely. After that, you can proceed to their coloring. It is done with oil or enamel paint. If cracks appear, you need to cover them with a semi-oil-based putty.
It needs to be sanded and painted over. The trims should be nailed back into place before staining is carried out. And switches and sockets are mounted only after the applied paint is completely dry. In order for the glue to dry evenly, constant conditions must be maintained in the room where the repair is being carried out. Also, drafts should not be allowed. Then the result of the work will be at the highest level.
In a previous article, I talked about the unique final coating of walls and ceilings, about. If the choice of the method of finishing the room fell on this version of the wallpaper, you can be sure of the high-quality and sophisticated appearance of the interior upon completion of the repair. Since the cost of linkrust is high, there is a way to save the family budget by gluing and painting linkrust with your own hands. This process will be discussed in this article.
Preparing for wallpapering linkrust
Before starting work on wallpapering, it is necessary to purchase and prepare consumables. The right choice of wallpaper linkrusta will save you from problems in the process of working with the material. Even in the store, after selecting the relief and type of wallpaper, view each roll. The batch number and production date on all rolls must match, this will help to avoid the smallest differences in batches, even with the same relief. Next, inspect the rolls for molding damage, chips, defects, and torn edges. If the rolls meet all the indicators - make a purchase. In addition to the wallpaper itself, you will need a special glue for linkrust, perchlorovinyl or flour paste based glue.
Paint for coloring linkrust will also come in handy, although not immediately, you will have time to select and purchase the desired type and color. In addition to consumables, prepare tools for working with wallpaper:
- A plumb line and a simple pencil for evenly positioning the canvases;
- Cloth to remove excess glue;
- Rollers and brushes of various sizes for applying glue and paint to the canvas;
- A spatula for leveling the canvas and a roller for processing joints;
- Wooden slats and thin carnations for fixing the canvas on the wall;
- Ladder.
Lincrusta wallpaper pasting
Consider step-by-step instructions for pasting walls with linkrust.
- Preparatory work is required not only for the base, but also for the wallpaper. Clean the walls of the old coating, eliminate cracks with putty. Remove baseboards and sockets, level, prime and sand the surface. After covering the wall with a deep penetration primer, stop work for 2-3 days until completely dry. Cut the wallpaper to the desired length, do not forget about the allowances of 5-15 cm, depending on the pattern, which will be needed to connect the patterns. Roll the strips into rolls and place in hot water for 10 minutes. Roll out the canvases on a polyethylene-covered floor, leave overnight. Such preparation will help to avoid shrinkage and make the joints invisible.
- Apply glue to the wall and to the canvas. Fold the fabric in half and let it soak for 10 minutes. At this time, using a plumb line and a pencil, mark a straight vertical line on the wall.
- Further work is standard for wallpapering. Glue the first sheet, smooth the surface. Glue the second sheet side by side, carefully joining the patterns. Cover the entire room this way.
- The peculiarity of working with linkrusta wallpaper is the severity of the wet canvas. To prevent the wallpaper from moving out of its place under its own weight, nail a wooden lath on top around the perimeter of the room. Install the same rail in the corners so that the canvas does not move away during drying.
- After the wallpaper has dried, cut off the excess fabric, dismantle the rail, carefully putty and sand the remaining holes from the nails. If necessary, do the same with the seams between the canvases.
Lincrusta wallpaper painting
Complete drying of the linkrust will take from several days to a week. Take your time with the start of staining, the paint will lie unevenly on a wet base, and will not last long. The choice of paint for linkrust consists of two of the most popular positions. Acrylic paint is environmentally friendly, it has a wide range of shades, it is easy to apply and easy to use (it is not afraid of moisture). But over time, acrylic reacts with the materials that make up the linkrust, becomes brittle and crumbling. Oil paint is devoid of such shortcomings, it will firmly cover the linkrust and it is possible to remove it only with a change in color design. Staining linkrust with rollers. You will achieve a unique design by manually painting the relief in a shade that contrasts with the base.
The use of linkrust in the interior is a way to make repairs practical and durable, and the design expensive and sophisticated.
Linkrust is not a newfangled invention at all. This material has a history of more than 150 years, and it was invented by the same Englishman who invented linoleum. Lincrust wallpaper is used to decorate interiors that are completely different in purpose and style - from royal chambers to ship cabins and railway cars. Why is this material interesting for us?
(or linkrusta) is a long-known finishing material, thanks to which you can create unusually beautiful and noble coatings.
It harmoniously intertwined such important qualities as environmental safety, durability and classic design. Unlike all known wall coverings, linkrust has a fairly deep embossing and has a majestic appearance.
Characteristic features of the linkrust
This type of wallpaper appeared in Britain in the middle of the 19th century. This material was used with great success for the decoration of palaces, castles and estates. It is noteworthy that over time, this coating only becomes stronger. This is confirmed by the surviving samples of linkrust, made 100 years ago.
They produce linkrust in rolls, like regular wallpapers. It has high strength and at the same time plasticity, perfectly preserving the relief. It is these properties of wallpaper that make it possible to use them to cover uneven surfaces.
The production of linkrust is still carried out according to ancient technologies using natural ingredients.
Linkrust production technology
First, the wood is processed into flour and sifted through several sieves, each time reducing the holes. This is necessary to obtain a homogeneous composition. The resulting flour is mixed with linseed oil, finely sifted chalk, rosin, wax and other natural ingredients.
As a result, a plastic mass is formed that has the ability to hold the created relief. The mass is applied to the prepared paper tape and a relief pattern is made using special rollers.
At the end of the process, the tape is cut to size and dried. The drying process takes two months. This is necessary so that excess moisture evaporates from the material and excess odors disappear.
The natural color of linkrust is ivory. After wallpapering, they can be covered with paint, decorated with decorative effects: gilding, metallic sheen, patina, craquelure.
Linkrust Benefits
- The use of natural ingredients in the manufacture of coatings. Linkrust is made mainly from natural ingredients. However, in order to keep the formed relief well, special additives are added to the top layer, which do not affect the environmental safety of linkrust.
- The material has excellent heat resistance and air permeability.. It perfectly provides natural ventilation of the room, while vinyl wallpaper prevents the walls from breathing.
- The coating is not subject to delamination, compared to many modern multilayer materials. This quality is due to the fact that the surface layer, penetrating into the structure of the paper base, is fused into one whole.
- Durability. Proof of this are the well-preserved Victorian interiors that can be seen in old English houses. In addition, in the last century, linkrust was actively used to decorate carriages, aircraft cabins, cabins, etc. The equipment has long been decommissioned, but the finish has been preserved as new. Over time, this coating is not erased, but, on the contrary, becomes stronger and more resistant.
- Linkrust does not require special care. Just a simple dusting is enough.
- The material is not subject to deformation, shrinkage, quite elastic, resistant to minor household damage.
Flaws
- Complicated installation process.
- Linkrust does not like the cold. It becomes brittle at low temperatures.
- Coverage is very expensive. The price of one roll is 8 - 25 thousand rubles. A high expense item is glue, painting, and decorating linkrusta. If curbs, friezes, panels are required, this will also require considerable investments.
Linkrust installation
Anyone who knows how to handle wallpaper can handle gluing this coating. The sequence of work is practically no different from the usual wall decoration.
Step one
First you need to remove all switches, sockets, baseboards, platbands. After that, the walls are cleaned from the previous finishing materials, all cracks and potholes are puttied, rubbed with sandpaper and primed.
Advice. Use a deep penetration primer to ensure that the bonding is effortless. An important condition - the walls must be smooth, clean and dry.
step two
The material is cut into canvases of the required size, making an allowance of a few centimeters and watching the pattern match. The prepared sheets must be rolled up again and held in hot water (up to 60 degrees) for ten minutes.
After that, they are laid out in a stack face up on a flat surface. Excess water is removed with a clean cloth. Cloths must be kept in a pile for 8-10 hours until softened and shrinkage. Usually, linkrust is prepared for gluing in the evening - during the night it will become soft, shrink and will be ready for work in the morning. After such preparation, the joints between the canvases will not be visible at all.
Linkrust, made on a fabric basis, does not need to be soaked. It is usually glued dry.
Step Three
What kind of glue do you need. For gluing linkrust canvases, they mainly use perchlorovinyl glue, Bustilat, or an adhesive based on flour (can be starch) paste with the necessary content of carpentry glue in it.
Step Four
Sticking linkrust. In order for the wallpaper to stick evenly, clear vertical lines are beaten off on the walls with a chalked cord.
The prepared canvas is smeared with adhesive and folded in half for uniform impregnation, keeping them for about ten minutes. Apply glue to the wallpaper and always on the surface of the wall.
The panels are applied to the wall strictly along a vertical line, carefully leveled and smoothed to remove all bubbles, wrinkles and folds. Each subsequent canvas is glued end-to-end, combining the pattern and paying attention to the tight laying of the strip to the strip, be sure to press the edges.
If necessary, the upper part of the panel is temporarily fixed with wooden glazing beads on nails, since the wallpaper can slide down due to gravity. After drying, the holes from the nails should be puttied and sanded. When you paint these places, they will be invisible.
In the corners of the coating are joined. In cases where it is necessary to close the corner, a rail is attached to the panel and tightly fixed until it dries completely.
The walls will dry for several days. If you are not satisfied with the original color of the linkrust, the coating can be painted.
Skirting boards and platbands are installed in their places before painting the wallpaper, and when the paint dries, switches and sockets are fixed.
Step five
This is best done with oil paints. Today, acrylic painting has become very popular. However, experienced craftsmen do not recommend acrylic, since the water base of the paint begins to interact negatively with linseed oil, which is part of the linkrust.
As a result, the acrylic coating is easily damaged. At the same time, acrylic fans claim that this particular option is safer for health. In addition, acrylic paints have a rich range of colors. With proper care, the coating can last for many years. So the final choice is up to you.
When the paint dries, you can decorate the convex elements. The embossed edges are covered with golden or silver shades of wax paste, and then gently blurred with your hands. This method is most often resorted to when creating an interior of a classic style.
Aftercare
Dirt and dust formed on the surface during operation can be removed with a damp cloth. The coating is not afraid of brushes and detergents.
If the dirt has eaten too much or there is a desire to change color, the linkrust is wiped with White Spirit and repainted. When repainting the coating in a lighter color, it is important to know that paint consumption will increase significantly..
Any damage to the linkrust is easily eliminated with putty, giving it the necessary relief.
Scope of linkrust
The amazing wear resistance of the material, the possibility of deep embossing and easy dyeability attract designers from all over the world. It is often used as an inexpensive substitute for stucco, which gives the interior a luxurious and upmarket look.
Linkrust is widely used for decoration of expensive hotels, casinos, restaurants and bars. In residential interiors, this coating is most often chosen for gluing partitions, creating decorative elements on walls and ceilings, and for decorating built-in furniture.
Linkrust wallpapers are very popular among true connoisseurs of style and beauty.
Conclusion
Having made a choice in favor of this unique finishing material, you can easily create in your home not just a beautiful, but a luxurious coating that even your grandchildren will admire. These wallpapers live for a long time, like real family values.
Video: Do-it-yourself linkrusta painting
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