Wallcovering Basics.
Glossary of Terms.

Abrasion Resistance

The ability to withstand repeated mechanical action – such as rubbing, scraping, or scrubbing – which may progressively tend to remove material from wallcovering’s surface.

Aging

The process of exposing materials to an environment for an interval of time.

Antimicrobial (Biocide)

An additive used to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi and algae on the surface of a finished product. Please Note: These additives will not prevent mold growth if moisture is allowed to accumulate in or behind the wall.

Base

Pigmented polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film with a supportive backing. Also called a foundation sheet.

Blocking Resistance

The ability of a film to resist adhesion between two surfaces that touch under uniform loading and temperature conditions for specified time.

Blotch Coat

Heavy pigmented ink vehicle or coating which is used to change the base vinyl color.

Breaking Strength

The ability to withstand a pulling force.

Calendering

Process of forming sheet materials by passing them through a series of heated rolls with designated speeds and gaps to determine the product thickness.

Chemical Film

A polymeric material that is formed in a sheet using either naturally occurring or synthetic chemicals.

Clear Vinyl Coating

Clear vinyl (CV) liquid coating can be any of a number of top finishes which can be applied to protect prints and to control luster ranging from dull to bright. Pigments can be added to tint overall color.

Coated Fabric

A Fabric coated/impregnated with a plastic solution, dispersion, hot melt, or powder.

Coated Film

A film to which a polymeric coating has been applied to a surface to affect one or more surface properties.

Coating Adhesion

A measure of the strength of the bond between a wallcovering’s surface coating and its backing (or substrate).

Cold Cracking

The ability of a wallcovering’s coating and backing to resist cracking when the wallcovering is folded while exposed to cold temperatures.

Colorants

Pigments or dyes used to impart color to a material.

Colorfast

The ability of a product to maintain its original appearance and color after lengthy exposure to light.

Compounding

The process of mixing resin(s) and additives needed to modify the resin into a suitable form to make the finished article.

Copyright

The exclusive right granted to the creator of a work to reproduce, distribute, etc. that work.

Crocking Resistance

Ability to resist transfer of color from a wallcovering surface when rubbed.

Custom Order

Any material which is different from a standard stock item, i.e. packaging, color, weight, put-up size, etc.

Degradable Plastic

A plastic designed to undergo a significant change in its chemical structure under specific environmental conditions resulting in a loss of some properties that may vary as measured by standard test methods appropriate to the plastic and the application in a period of time that determines its classification. (ASTM D883-9la Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics).

Defects, Wallcovering

• Bad Edges

Ragged or uneven edges. Or edges that curl when hung.

• Color Variation

Differences in color brightness, saturation or hue from roll to roll within the same production run.

• Crease and Wrinkles

Hard wrinkles or creases that cannot be removed when proper hanging instructions are followed.

• Distortion

Printed pattern appears bowed, wavy, warped, or otherwise deformed.

• Embossing

Defects include shallow grain and grain variation, as well as streaks or spots inherent in the embossing pattern.

• Hole

Any gap, opening or puncture in the vinyl substrate.

• Match

Pattern will not match up along the edges from one piece to another.

• No Adhesive

Pre-pasted wallcovering with inadequate amounts of adhesive.

• Print

Any abnormalities in the printed patterns, including but not limited to spots, streak, bleeding, etc.

• Register

One of more ink stages are out of alignment with other ink stages creating an unsharp, blurred or fuzzy appearance, and loss of detail.

• Seams

Wallcovering has taped or sewn seams that were not removed during production or before shipment.

• Shading

Excessive color difference from side to side.

• Tilt

Pattern is printed on the bias (at an angle and not square to the edges).

Drape

A term to describe the way a fabric, coated fabric and/or film falls while it hangs; the suppleness and ability of a fabric to form graceful configurations.

Embossing

The process of imparting a specific pattern or texture to the surface of the material. This can be done during the film formation processor at a later operation.

Extrusion

A process in which heated or unheated plastic is forced through a shaping orifice (a die) in one continuously formed shape, as in film, sheet, rod or tubing. (ASTM D883-91a – Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics).

Fabric

In the coated fabrics industry, this term refers to the textile material used to enhance the physical properties of the composite formed by the coating/lamination of the plastic to the textile. The fabric usually is in a woven, knitted, or nonwoven construction. Woven fabrics consist of materials formed on a loom with two separate yarns (warp and filling) that are at right angles to each other and they go over and under each other in a designated pattern. Knitted fabrics are formed by a single or multiple yarns making interlocking loops. Nonwoven fabrics are formed by laying a continuous web of random spaced fibers to create a uniform batting.

Film

A thin sheet of uniform gauge without any underlying support fabric, typically having a nominal thickness of no more than 0.01 in. (0.25 mm)

Finish

See “Clear Vinyl (CV) Coating.”

Gravure Coating

A process by which a design or full coating is applied to the surface of a product using an engraved cylinder.

Gravure Printing (Rotogravure)

A roll printing process where the amount and areas of application are determined by the location and depth of depressions engraved on the roll surface. The excess print vehicle is wiped off the surface of the roll with a doctoring blade prior to application. The metered print is applied to the plastic material as it passes between the gravure roll and a resilient surface backing roll. (Whittington’s Dictionary of Plastics by Lloyd R. Whittington)

HAP (Hazardous Air Pollutant)

A material identified as toxic when released to the environment.

Hand

The tactile qualities of a fabric, coated fabric and/or film, e.g., softness, firmness, elasticity, etc.

Heat Aging Resistance

Ability of a wallcovering’s coating and backing to resist deterioration when exposed to high temperatures over an extended period of time.

Intumescence

The condition of a plastic material to expand when exposed to very high heats and/or flames. It aides in reducing the flame spread of a material.

Joins

Area in a design where repeats come together. Can be horizontal or vertical in alignment, depending on the design.

Knitted Fabrics

See “Fabric.”

Lacquer

A solution of a resin(s) in a volatile solvent that when applied to the surface of a material forms an adherent film upon evaporation of the solvents.

Laminating

The process of combining two or more layers into a single structure.

Latex/Latices

A polymer dispersion of emulsion, typically in water.

Machine Direction and Cross Machine Direction

Machine direction is parallel to the orientation through the equipment by which a film is manufactured (MD). Cross machine is perpendicular to machine direction.

Maximum Prints

The combined maximum number of colors, finishes or coats which a wallcovering press can transfer in a single press operation. Currently, OMNOVA’s presses can transfer a maximum of six imprints. Example: six 54” registered print colors, or five 54” registered print colors and one topcoat.

Metamerism

A term used to note the condition where a material matches the color of another item in one type of light but does not in another type of light. Example: two pieces match in sunlight (daylight) but one looks more red when looked at under incandescent light. (Whittington’s Dictionary of Plastics by Lloyd R. Whittington).

Mildew Resistant

Indicates a wallcovering that has been chemically treated to deter the growth of (fungal) mildew. Please Note: These additives will not prevent mildew growth if moisture is allowed to accumulate in or behind the wall.

Non-Rigid Plastic

For purposes of general classification, a plastic that has a modulus of elasticity either in flexure or in tension of not over 70MPa (10,000 psi) at 23°C and 50% relative humidity when tested in accordance with ASTM Test Methods D790, D747, D638, or D882. (ASTMD883-9la - Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics).

Nonwoven Fabrics

See “Fabric."

Offset Printing

Process of applying a print coat to a material where the printing material is first applied to an intermediate roll/plate surface. It is then transferred to the surface to be printed.

Organasol

A suspension of resin and plasticizer mixture with a volatile organic liquid (at >5% level).

Pearl Finish

Pearlescent pigment is added to a clear ink vehicle to obtain a pearly gloss finish.

Pigments

Colorants that are insoluble in the medium in which they are used.

Plasticizer

A substance incorporated in a material to increase its workability, flexibility, or distensibility. (ASTM D883-9la - Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics).

Plastisol

A vinyl polymer suspension containing plasticizer(s) and other needed additives. The liquid suspension is relatively stable at lower temperatures, but will solvate the resin to form a flexible solid material at elevated temperatures.

Post Embossing

The process of embossing vinyl after prints have been applied.

PreFixx®

A stain resistant top coating for wallcoverings that is proprietary to OMNOVA Solutions.

Primer

A coating applied to the surface of a film to improve the receptivity of the surface for further coating application or improve bonds to an adhesive.

Recycled Plastic

A plastic composed of post-consumer material or recovered material only, or both, that may or may not have been subject to additional processing steps of the types used to make products such as recycled-regrind or reprocessed or reconstituted plastics. (ASTM D883-9la - Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics).

Rigid Plastic

For purposes of general classification, a plastic that has a modulus of elasticity, either in flexure or in tension, greater than 700 MPa(100,000 psi) at 23°C and 50% relative humidity when tested in accordance with ASTM Test MethodsD747, D790, D638, or D882. (ASTM D883-9la -Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics).

Rotogravure

See “Gravure Printing."

Scrubbability

The ability of a wallcovering’s surface to accept repeated cleanings with a brush and detergent solution without a visual deterioration of the wallcovering’s decorative appearance.

Sheeting

A form of plastic in which the thickness is very small in proportion to length and width and in which the plastic is present as a continuous phase throughout, with or without filter. (ASTM D883-9la -Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics).

Skin Layer

The relatively solid layer on the top surface of an expanded layer of coated material. This is usually applied for improved physical properties. (Whittington’s Dictionary of Plastics by Lloyd R. Whittington)

Spanishing

A printing process where the print solution is deposited in the bottoms and sides of the grain depressions of an embossed material. Usually, the top of the grain surface is wiped clean of the print vehicle. Also referred to as shadowing, washcoating and flood coating. (Whittington’s Dictionary of Plastics by Lloyd R. Whittington)

Stabilizer

Additive used with polymers against heat, mechanical and ultraviolet stress, to prevent degradation during processing and product life.

Stain Resistance

The ability of a product’s surface to be exposed to specific staining agents and cleaned without a visual deterioration of the wallcovering’s decorative appearance.

Substrate

Unexposed layer or layers in a composite used to impart physical properties rather than appearance.

Supported Product

A polymeric film laminated to a fabric for support and strength.

Surface Tension

A measure of the surface energy of a film or liquid. For liquid, the surface tensions are those forces which hold the liquid together as a drop and prevent it from wetting a surface.

Tear Resistance

The ability of a product to resist the propagation of an existing tear.

Tedlar®

The DuPont brand name of a clear film that can be laminated to substrates to provide additional surface protection, durability and cleanability.

Thermoplastics

Resins or plastic compounds that can be softened by heating and re-hardened at cooler temperatures. (Whittington’s Dictionary of Plastics by Lloyd R. Whittington)

Thermosets

Resins or plastic compounds that, once they have been cured (by heat, catalyst, or some chemical means), will not re-soften when heated. Note: some thermoplastic materials can be made thermosets by cross-linking.

Tip Printing

Printing the tops of the grain on an embossed piece of vinyl.

Transfer Coating

A process of making coated fabrics. A plastisol coating is applied directly to a treated release paper or continuous belt. After one or several layers are applied and partially cured, a thin layer of adhesive plastisol is applied and the textile substrate is laid onto the material. The final curing process is completed. Then, the coated material is stripped from the treated paper. The paper can either be flat or have an embossed grain. It can normally be reused several times. (Whittington’s Dictionary of Plastics by Lloyd R. Whittington).

UEV

An unsupported expandable vacuum formable product usually produced by the cast coating process.

VOC

Volatile organic compounds.

Waterborne Coating or Ink

A coating or ink containing solids that are dispersed or dissolved in a vehicle that is primarily water.

Wallcovering

A flexible sheeting material designed to be applied to walls and ceilings for decorative and functional purposes.

Whitening

Marking of the surface of a film, coated fabric, or composite when it is either bent or flexed.

Woven Fabrics

See “Fabric."