PRESERVATION OF WALLPAPERS AS PARTS OF INTERIORS

Preservation of wallpaper as a part of interiors
wallpaper became an affordable and widely used product, it has
been seen as an ephemeral means of decoration. This principal
has led to destroying or damaging numerous historic wallpapers
in domestic interiors, where the wallpaper has been partially or
completely stripped from walls, painted or pasted over.
Certain types of damage are caused by the inherent weaknesses
of paper and paint. Deterioration and embrittlement of a
paper support dating from after the 1850s were direct results of
the poorer quality paper stock used at that time. 308 A flaky paint
layer can be caused by the common practice of using a matte
distemper having granular pigments with very little binder. Pigments
containing metal particles may start oxidising, causing
discolouring and embrittlement of the paper base and printed
areas. A certain area on wallpaper strips hung close to the outer
wall of a salon in the Theodor Aman Museum in Bucharest had
started corroding. The background of an embossed wallpaper
imitating gilded leather had been printed with a pigment consisting
of copper. Due to high humidity, areas of the wallpaper
had turned greenish-grey.
Although it is not possible to guarantee complete protection
and maintenance of a historic wallpaper, one can minimize
extensive damage by using certain restrictive measures.
The most effective and least interventionist means of extending
the life-span of a wallpaper is to control the environment.
Thus it is recommended that thermohygrographs be installed to
monitor changes in temperature and that humidifiers/dehumidifiers
be used to regulate the environment. To reduce the amount
of light, UV filter stickers should be installed on windows.
Recommended storage conditions of a wallpaper in situ are:
– controlled temperature of +18 (with -/+ 3 C° degrees
fluctuation annually)
– controlled humidity of up to 30-50% (with -/+ 5%
fluctuation annually)
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Mapes,“Historic Wallpaper Conservation”, http://www.buildingconservation.com/
articles/wallpap/wallpap.html.
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