Glass fiber: questions and answers

What is fiberglass?

Fiberglass wallpaper (or fiberglass wallpaper) is a decorative wall covering similar in structure to fiberglass fabric. The starting material is special glass, from which fibers are drawn at a temperature of 1200 C, yarns of various types and thicknesses are formed from them, and then the material is woven. Textured designs are woven for fiberglass – in several versions of applying decor in linen and keeper weaving, and for glass fiber painting (cobwebs) – just a canvas.

What is this special glass made of??

It is based on quartz sand, soda, lime and dolomite, which distinguishes fiberglass from other materials, as these are natural materials that guarantee the absence of harmful chemical elements and high wear resistance.

What is the difference between glass fiber and other materials for wall coverings?

1) natural minerals used for the production of fiberglass ensure that wall coverings are environmentally friendly and that there is no breeding ground for microorganisms or parasites. Glass wallpaper and canvas are the same environmentally friendly materials as glass in your windows, and fungus or mold will never appear under these wallpapers.
2) the use of natural minerals leads to increased strength – fiberglass wallpaper does not tear, does not scratch, they are not afraid of chemical influences with concentrated disinfectants. Therefore, they can be washed, they also do not accumulate static electricity and do not attract dust..
3) fiberglass wallpaper is a knitted material such as a wool sweater. And its open loop structure promotes the movement of water vapor, which improves the indoor climate.
4) and finally, they do not even burn, which is an important requirement for fire safety in premises..

Really don’t burn?

You are welcome! Non-combustibility of glass fiber is guaranteed in accordance with the Swedish standards CSN 73 0823, class B, C1 (corresponds to the German DIN 4102 / A2, B1), they are also certified in Russia. And most importantly, when in contact with fire, fiberglass, unlike, for example, non-woven material, does not emit toxic substances.

How can you wash such wallpaper?

Glass fiber can withstand almost all existing detergents. The only thing that you need to pay attention to is the properties of the paint with which you cover the glass wallpaper – not all paints are able to withstand even plain water.

What is a spider web?

Painting fiberglass, which is also called a cobweb because of its external similarity, is a decorative and at the same time reinforcing material for surface finishing in dry construction. Glass-lined canvas is an ideal coating for rooms where a combination of aesthetic and reinforcing effects, strength and ease of maintenance, and adherence to fire safety requirements is required.

What are the reinforcing properties?

Due to heating and shrinkage of the walls of buildings, the thinnest and network-like cracks can appear in the plaster, which are invisible with dry wall surfaces. Fiberglass reinforcement eliminates these cracks and creates a clean, even surface. The spider line gives strength to the coating paint, closes cracks for a long time, does not lend itself to combustion, has high stability, and is very easy to use.

Where are glass wallpapers and glass fiber painting usually used??

In a wide variety of places: in homes, offices, restaurants, supermarkets, hospitals – wherever you need beautiful, durable surfaces that do not require difficult maintenance, as well as fire safety requirements. For example, in the McDonalds network and in the Intourist and Hilton hotels, in clinics, banks, car dealerships. Down to apartments.

How long does the glass fiber last, for example, in offices with high traffic??

The average lifespan of glass wallpaper is 30 years, depending on the quality of the glue and paint and the frequency of washing. At the same time, the paint coating can be renewed up to 20 times, which solves the issue with a design change and saves money.

What is the best way to glue and paint fiberglass and cobweb? And How?

1) the glue is applied to the wall, not the wallpaper; use a special glue, for example, Oscar glue;
2) glass wallpaper is glued end-to-end – when cutting, you need to make an allowance of 5 cm in advance to fit the pattern; then the excess is cut off; but if you glue a spider web or a matting, then there is no need for large allowances;
3) if you use the second grade for finishing, you can make a horizontal joint, you can also glue any fiberglass, if you have a cut from the previous roll, or you have cut the material incorrectly;
4) it is necessary to paint twice with an interval of at least 12 hours; however, excessive amounts of glue and paint can cause the glass wallpaper to detach from the wall under the weight of the coating. If you need to paste over the surface in a place with high traffic, choose the paint carefully – in this case you need a waterproof paint that is resistant to abrasion.
5) when choosing glass fiber wallpaper, keep in mind that a weakly expressed texture is lost after several layers of paint.

What surface can glass fiber be glued to? And how to prepare surfaces?

It doesn’t matter if the surface is made of wood, metal or plastic. You can glue over concrete, cleaned masonry, drywall and chipboard. During preparation, it is imperative to putty large cracks, and prime porous surfaces (with a weak glue solution). Small cracks will be reinforced with fiberglass, taking into account the effect inherent in fiberglass. For reinforcing surfaces and smoothing, we also recommend using a glass canvas (cobweb).

What is recommended to paint?

When painting, it is important to know what result you want to achieve – and choose a paint with that in mind. It is also necessary to take into account what influences the surface will be exposed to, how often it will be touched, how strong the touch can be, whether it will be washed; better to paint with latex glossy or semi-glossy paints.

What is the difference between cobweb and cullet?

The cobweb, or glass fiber painting, is less dense (35-50 g / m2, and glass fiber – from 100 g / m2) and structure. The purpose of the spider web is to cover a wall or ceiling for smoothing the surface, applying decoration, reinforcing small cracks, and glass wallpaper is a material for finishing. The cobweb is used to achieve a “marble” effect – a perfectly smooth wall; Wellton is most suitable for this purpose, due to its very fine fiber and weaving structure. Different types of cobweb differ in structure and density. So, “Wellton” 45 g / m2 is a densely woven cobweb, ideal for any surfaces, and especially for “marble” walls; “Oscar” 50 g / m2 – a cheaper spider web, and a lightweight series “Wellton Light” 35 g / m2, “Oscar Light” 35 g / m2 – a thinner type of spider web.

Wallpaper of the second grade, how is it different from the first?

Among the series of glass wallpapers for economical buyers are usually offered economy class glass wallpapers and second-grade glass wallpapers. Rolls of the second grade have a non-standard web length. When spinning fiberglass, sometimes malfunctions occur – just like with normal spinning. And manufacturers, removing a piece with a scrap, get rolls not 50 m long, but 15 and more. When using the second grade, a horizontal joint can be made. The same technique can be done with the first grade, and if you inadvertently cut a piece of the wrong length, or damaged the coating already on the wall, you can cut this piece and glue a new one..

Glass fiber is not afraid of mechanical damage?

Well, of course, if you try very hard – for example, to touch a heavy object with an acute angle or rub for a very long time and hard – you can damage it. Glass fiber is not a concrete wall, but you can break it if you want. The main thing is that, unlike other materials, they are resistant to daily touches with hands, feet, back of a chair, and it is possible to replace a piece of fiberglass.