PRESERVATION OF WALLPAPERS AS PARTS OF INTERIORS

Preservation of wallpaper as a part of interiors
wallpaper should be covered with a layer of facing (for more,
see pp. 190–191), which will make it possible to consolidate the
brittle pigment and wash the object simultaneously. After the
facing has dried, the object should be placed with its printed side
up onto a layer of Hollytex and two or three layers of blotting
paper. The whole pile should be sprayed with distilled water,
which will loosen the particles of dirt. The dirt will be absorbed
by the blotting papers, which should be changed at least once
or twice during the process. The layer of facing paper should
be carefully removed after washing.
To prevent runny and water-sensitive pigments from absorbing
into the backside of a wallpaper, the areas of the pigment
should be consolidated with cyclodecane, which is commonly
used as a temporary consolidant to support weak and brittle
materials: textiles, objects with loose paint layers, weathered
stone etc. Cyclodecane is a fitting material for consolidating
runny pigments on wallpapers, since it forms a hydrophobic
layer on the surface of an object, which protects it from water
and aqueous solutions, as well as polar solvents. 348 Cyclodecane
sublimes from the material over the course of time.
A consolidant is an adhesive carried in a solvent at the
minimum concentration necessary to re-attach a medium to a
support. 349 Depending on the degree of fragility, the paint can be
either consolidated locally with a soft brush or overall with the
aid of spray bottles, vapour beam pens, airbrush guns and the
like. 350 The success of a consolidation of aerosols depends on the
original paint materials and on the interaction of the adhesive,
solvent, and spraying tool. 351
The matte surface of a wallpaper is often treated with watersoluble
binding agents, which may be applied either locally or
to the entire surface. To effectively consolidate a paint layer, the
conservator must know its composition, solubility, sensitivity to
348
Tsüklodekaan ja selle kasutamine paberi konserveerimises. Metoodiline juhend, Nr. 1,
ed. Heige Peets. Accessed on June 17, 2013, http://www.kanut.ee/juhendid/
broshyyr_tsyklododekaan.pdf.
349
Collier, “Wallpaper – In and Out of Context”, 55.
350
Hill Stoner & Rushfield, Conservation of Easel Paintings, 377.
351
Ibid., 378.
187