Our Substrates
The difference is in the material.
We print on professional-grade substrates engineered for the trade — not consumer wallpaper paper. Every material we offer is selected for print quality, durability, and the demands of real projects.
Our Materials
Four substrates. Every environment.

Matte
A smooth, flat finish with a distinctive paper-like quality. Clean and understated — lets the pattern speak for itself. Our Matte substrate is a premium paper product, not a vinyl — it delivers a finish that feels refined and intentional in any space.
Best For: Residential · Lower traffic spaces · Accent walls

Premium Matte
Commercial-grade durability brought home. Type II vinyl with a smooth matte finish — scrubbable, Class A fire rated, and built to perform in any environment. The step up from Matte in every measurable way.
Best For: Family homes · High traffic · Commercial applications

Imitation Grasscloth
Type II vinyl with a deeply embossed grasscloth texture. All the warmth and tactile quality of natural grasscloth — without the fragility or dye lot variation. Your pattern prints beautifully on top of the texture for a truly unique result.
Best For: Texture lovers · Boutique hospitality · Feature walls

Lustrous
Type II mylar with a metallic finish that catches light beautifully. Subtle shimmer and depth that makes any pattern feel elevated and luxurious. Designed for spaces that are meant to be noticed.
Best For: Accent walls · Glam interiors · Hospitality
Double Cut Required
Double cutting is the professional installation standard for premium wallcoverings. Two panels are overlapped and cut simultaneously — creating a perfect seam every time. If your installer mentions double cutting, that is a sign you are working with someone who knows what they are doing.
No Consumer-Grade Paper
Every substrate we offer is specified for professional installation and long-term performance. We do not stock the thin, mass-market papers common in retail wallpaper. What you get from WallSnobs is what commercial designers specify.
Printed In-House in Fort Worth
Every panel is printed on our wide-format printer in our Fort Worth studio. Not imported. Not outsourced. This is what makes customization possible — we control every variable from color to substrate to scale.
Fire Ratings
Almost all of the materials we offer carry a Class A fire rating — the highest rating available in the industry. Our Matte substrate is the only exception, though it still meets residential fire safety standards.
Type II Certification
Type II certification classifies how washable and durable a material is. Our Premium Matte, Imitation Grasscloth, and Lustrous substrates are all Type II certified — making them suitable for commercial spaces, high traffic areas, and scrubbable surfaces.
Installation
Hang it right the first time.
Read the guide for your substrate before your installer begins, or download it to take to the job. Each one covers surface prep, adhesive, seam technique and double cutting — and matches the sheet printed in your box.
Matte
Installation Guide
Class A · FSI 5 · SDI 30 · ASTM E84
Spongable · ASTM F793 Type I · Nonwoven
Smooth Vinyl
Installation Guide
Class A · FSI 15 · SDI 20 · ASTM E84
Scrubbable · ASTM F793 Type II · Nonwoven
Premium Matte
Installation Guide
Class A · FSI 15 · SDI 20 · ASTM E84
Scrubbable · ASTM F793 Type II · Nonwoven
Imitation Grasscloth
Installation Guide
Class A · FSI 15 · SDI 20 · ASTM E84
Scrubbable · ASTM F793 Type II · Nonwoven
Lustrous
Installation Guide
Class A · FSI 5 · SDI 30 · ASTM E84
Washable · ASTM F793 Type II · Nonwoven
Peel & Stick
Installation Guide
Class A · FSI 15 · SDI 15 · ASTM E84
Repositionable · Removable · self-adhesive fabric
Matte
Our standard wallcovering. Paste the sheet, book 3–5 minutes.
Walls must be clean, dry, and free from grease, dirt, mold, and loose material. Apply a stain-killing primer if necessary, then a primer designed for wallcovering installation. Allow to dry completely, then seal with wallpaper size. Allow to dry fully before proceeding.
- Cut and hang one strip at a time. Cut to wall height plus 6". Account for pattern match before cutting.
- Apply a lightweight pre-mixed clear adhesive to the back. Ensure paste reaches all edges.
- Book the strip glue-on-glue — bring both ends to the middle. Rest 3–5 minutes.
- Hang from the top and smooth with a soft brush. Keep paste off the face.
- Low-tack painter's tape can protect the edge of previously hung strips from paste.
- Double cutting: Overlap the second strip 1" over the first. Tape seam underneath with low-tack tape, double cut through both layers, remove waste, press seam flat.
- Trim top and bottom with a sharp blade and straight edge. Change blades frequently.
- Use a seam roller with plain paper — light pressure only; excess force may leave indentations.
Clean with a damp, non-abrasive sponge or cloth. Do not scrub.
Smooth Vinyl
Smooth finish. Same substrate as Premium Matte, and hangs the same way.
Walls must be clean, dry, and free from grease, dirt, mold, and loose material. Apply a stain-killing primer if necessary, then a primer designed for wallcovering installation. Allow to dry completely, then seal with wallpaper size. Allow to dry fully before proceeding.
- Cut and hang one strip at a time. Cut to wall height plus 6". Account for pattern match before cutting.
- Apply a heavy-duty pre-mixed vinyl adhesive — do not dilute. Ensure paste reaches all edges.
- Book the strip glue-on-glue — bring both ends to the middle. Rest 10 minutes.
- Hang from the top and smooth with a soft brush. Keep paste off the face.
- Low-tack painter's tape can protect the edge of previously hung strips from paste.
- Double cutting: Overlap the second strip 1" over the first. Tape seam underneath with low-tack tape, double cut through both layers, remove waste, press seam flat.
- Trim top and bottom with a sharp blade and straight edge. Change blades frequently.
- Use a seam roller with plain paper — light pressure only; excess force may leave indentations.
- Pro tip: A heat gun can help ease installation around corners.
Remove stains and paste quickly. Ordinary dirt: mild soap and warm water, clean bottom-up, rinse top-down, blot dry. For difficult stains use a stronger detergent — test an inconspicuous area first. Do not use steel wool, abrasive powders, or solvent-based cleaners.
Imitation Grasscloth
Grasscloth look on the same heavier substrate. Directional texture.
Walls must be clean, dry, and free from grease, dirt, mold, and loose material. Apply a stain-killing primer if necessary, then a primer designed for wallcovering installation. Allow to dry completely, then seal with wallpaper size. Allow to dry fully before proceeding.
- Cut and hang one strip at a time. Cut to wall height plus 6". Account for pattern match before cutting.
- Apply a heavy-duty pre-mixed vinyl adhesive — do not dilute. Ensure paste reaches all edges.
- Book the strip glue-on-glue — bring both ends to the middle. Rest 10 minutes.
- Hang from the top and smooth with a soft brush. Keep paste off the face. This texture is directional — maintain consistent orientation strip to strip.
- Low-tack painter's tape can protect the edge of previously hung strips from paste.
- Double cutting: Overlap the second strip 1" over the first. Tape seam underneath with low-tack tape, double cut through both layers, remove waste, press seam flat.
- Trim top and bottom with a sharp blade and straight edge. Change blades frequently.
- Use a seam roller with plain paper — light pressure only; excess force may leave indentations.
- Pro tip: A heat gun can help ease installation around corners.
Remove stains and paste quickly. Ordinary dirt: mild soap and warm water, clean bottom-up, rinse top-down, blot dry. For difficult stains use a stronger detergent — test an inconspicuous area first. Do not use steel wool, abrasive powders, or solvent-based cleaners.
Lustrous
Metallic finish. Conducts electricity — fabric smoothing tools only.
A level 4 drywall finish is required. Walls must be clean, smooth, dry, undamaged and free of mold, mildew, grease or stains, with no more than 4% residual moisture — use a moisture meter. Prime with a universal white-pigmented, mold-inhibiting wallcovering primer. Mark only with a lead pencil; pen ink bleeds through. Keep the room above 65°F for at least 48 hours before hanging.
- Measure the wall, allow for pattern match, add 4", and cut. Work in sequence from the highest roll number down.
- Apply a heavy-duty clay pre-mixed adhesive to the back of the strip with a pasting machine or paint roller. Do not dilute. Work it right out to the edges.
- Fold each end to the middle, pasted sides together, edges aligned. Do not crease. Book for 10 minutes so the adhesive can penetrate the backing.
- Line the pattern up at eye level, letting any drift run off toward the ceiling and floor. Plumb the first drop with a level.
- Smooth with fabric smoothing tools only — no plastic scraper — and do not burnish the face.
- Seams may be set with a seam roller over plain paper, light pressure only; excess force marks the finish. A heat gun can help ease the material around corners.
- Double cutting: overlap the second strip over the first, tape the seam underneath with low-tack tape, then double cut with a seam knife without cutting into the wall. Remove the waste and press flat. Leave no overlap — the surface will not adhere to itself. Keep seams at least 6" from corners.
Ordinary dirt: mild soap and warm water, working from the bottom of the wall upward, then rinsing top-down with clean water. Blot dry with a soft lint-free cloth. Never use steel wool, powdered abrasives or solvent-based cleaners — they strip the print and finish. Test any stronger cleaner on an inconspicuous area first.
Peel & Stick
Self-adhesive fabric. No paste, repositionable.
If you are priming now, allow 24 hours to dry before hanging. Clean the wall with a mix of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water, using a lint-free rag. This material adheres to virtually all paints, with the exception of Pro-Mar 400 Zero VOC. Heavily textured walls can keep the adhesive from gripping — always test a small piece first.
- Peel the backing liner back 8–10" and crease the under-liner.
- Align the strip on the wall at your starting point. Account for pattern match before cutting.
- Once in position, peel the liner back 6–8" at a time as you work down the wall.
- Squeegee from the middle outward to the edges, with firm even pressure.
- Bubbles: it is fine to peel the strip back and re-apply to release them.
- Overlap 1" where strips meet. Do not split cut — it can leave a white line.
- Trim with a very sharp blade, and change blades frequently.
This material can be repositioned multiple times. Keep the adhesive side clean while you work — once it collects dust, dirt or fibers it grips less well. If a bubble comes back after you rub it out, peel that section away, let the air escape, and re-apply.
Not sure which substrate you have? It's on your order confirmation and on the sheet in your box.
Questions before you hang: hello@wallsnobs.com · 817.241.5414