Glass fiber: features and application

Recommendation points

Glass fiber has a number of advantages over paper roll coatings. In this article we will acquaint you with the main types of glass wallpaper, the features of their use in residential premises and the rules for applying material to walls and ceilings..

Glass fiber deservedly belongs to one of the most practical types of wall material. Previously, it was used to decorate the interiors of offices and enterprises, but soon this type of wallpaper canvas began to be used as a decorative material for pasting walls and ceilings of residential premises, since an unusual corrugated surface looks interesting and presentable.

Glass cloth wallpaper appeared in Germany in the thirties. At that time, colored glass was first used for their production, and then a synthesis from glass and wool. Around the beginning of the sixties in Switzerland glass cloth began to be used as an alternative to the then popular jute wall coverings..

Existing types of material

It is a mistake to think that all fiberglass wallpapers look the same and are produced using standard technology. In fact, there are several coating options, the distinctive characteristics of which are structure and texture..

There are two types of material – smooth and embossed coatings. Smooth canvases (or “spiderweb”) are less dense and have a corresponding smooth, even texture. For the final decoration of the walls, relief canvases are often used. They are quite dense, and the risk of tearing them when gluing or using is minimized.

The pattern of the fiberglass cloth depends on the way in which they were made in production. If the fabric was woven on a standard loom, then its surface will be represented by a textured pattern, and if on a jacquard loom, then the pattern will be more complex and elegant.

Advantages and disadvantages of fiberglass

First, it is necessary to say about the advantages of fiberglass and fiberglass cloths:

Glass fiber is an absolutely safe, breathable and environmentally friendly material, since it contains no harmful substances, and the base of the wall covering consists of quartz sand, clay and dolomite with soda.

Fireproof natural material completely excludes the possibility of glass wallpaper fire.

You can safely decorate the walls of rooms in which children spend time with fiberglass. The material is hypoallergenic and does not attract dust.

The material is not afraid of water and does not lose its inherent characteristics under its influence.

Air-tight wallpaper prevents mold from forming on the walls under the wall covering.

Works on pasting walls with glass fiber will not cause difficulties even for novice repairmen.

If desired, the appearance of the fiberglass wallpaper can be changed (the material can withstand up to 15-20 paints).

In the case of buying high-quality material, one does not even have to talk about the shortcomings of wallpaper. But low quality fiberglass wallpaper can crack in your hands during deployment.

If you plan to repeatedly change the color of the wall covering, buy glass cloth with a pronounced textured pattern, since wallpaper with an insufficiently expressed texture will lose it after 2-3 painting.

Pasting the ceiling and walls with fiberglass: application technology

The technology of pasting walls with this type of wallpaper is very simple. However, there are a few things to be aware of:

It is a mistake to think that the sides of the fibrous web are the same. Typically, glass fiber rolls are wound upside down.

Remember to work with wallpaper strips with gloves and long sleeves. This is especially true of the process of cutting wallpaper into wide strips, since the fiberglass crumbles, and if it gets on the skin, it can cause irritation.

For pasting walls with fiberglass, you must use glue for heavy wallpaper. Its basis is starch processed in a special specific way..

Remember that before gluing this type of wallpaper, it is necessary to apply a primer on the walls or treat the canvas in advance with a weak glue solution.

Technology for pasting the ceiling and walls with glass fiber:

You need to start pasting the walls and ceiling from the wall with a window. All wallpaper strips must be placed parallel to the window.

When gluing the ceiling, the adhesive must be applied directly to the ceiling.

The strips of wallpaper must be glued to a damp surface and then rolled over the wallpaper. The rest of the wallpaper must be glued end-to-end, and the remnants of the glue must be removed with a dry and clean piece of cloth.

Features of painting fiberglass

This finishing material can be subjected to a large number of stains if you want to transform or change the appearance of the walls. Also painting fiberglass with a well-defined texture gives you the opportunity to practically get rid of the need to adjust the joints.

Types of paints for the material:

Latex based paint or styrene-butadiene paint. These two types of paints are widely used for painting glass wallpaper, as they are highly moisture resistant..

Acrylic paint is available in a wide range of color options and is UV resistant.

Advantages of paints for glass wallpaper:

paints are odorless, which makes it possible to conclude about their safety;

products intended for painting glass cloth are quickly absorbed and dry.

A few practical recommendations for painting wallpaper:

Before starting the painting process, it is necessary to apply diluted wallpaper glue as a primer. This trick allows you to make the seams between the strips of wallpaper less noticeable, and also contributes to better adhesion of the dye composition and fiberglass.

It is recommended to use a roller with a high pile to apply the coloring composition to the wall cloth. Since the work performed with a low-pile roller will not be of very high quality (due to the corrugated, textured surface of the glass cloth). You can also apply paint to the wallpaper using a spray gun or a clean smooth roller..

Painting work of this nature must be performed in bright daylight or artificial lighting..

A small brush should be used to paint the areas above the skirting board and near the ceiling..

It is recommended to apply the paint in two layers, but in certain cases it will be necessary to process the wallpaper 3 or 4 times. Remember that after applying the first coat of paint, the next coat can only be applied after 12 hours.

Advice: when painting wallpaper on the walls, adhere to this “proportion” – 500-600 g of paint per 1 square meter. Remember that wallpaper can come off from an overabundance of coloring composition..

Glass fiber wallpaper is not yet as popular among the inhabitants of our country as in foreign countries. But if you are looking for an ecological and easy-care wall covering – get rid of stereotypes and decorate your home with this wall covering option..