Wallpaper mural on an internal living room wall

Wallpaper in Humid Cities: Which Walls Are Safe, How to Test for Damp and When to Install

DecoraHub

Wallpaper rarely fails because of the paper. It fails because of the wall behind it. In Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi and Bhubaneswar, the monsoon pushes moisture into external walls, and that moisture lifts seams from behind. DecoraHub installs wallpaper in Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ranchi, so most of our installations are in humid cities. This guide covers which walls are safe, how to test a wall and how to prepare it.

What the paper can and cannot handle

  • The printed surface has a water-resistant coating. It can be wiped with a damp cloth, and humid air in the room does not harm it.
  • The seams are the weak point. Moisture coming through the wall from behind softens the adhesive at the joins first.
  • The pigments are fade resistant under normal indoor light. Hours of direct sun every day will fade any print faster.

Print and base details are in the paper types guide.

Walls to choose and walls to avoid

Safe Risky
Internal walls between two rooms External walls that face the monsoon wind, usually west and south-west on the west coast
Walls in air-conditioned bedrooms and living rooms A wall with a bathroom or wet kitchen on the other side
Walls on upper floors Ground floor walls with rising damp or white salt marks near the skirting
Walls that have stayed clean through at least one monsoon Walls below a window with a leaking frame, and walls with a concealed pipe that has leaked before

In most flats the wall behind the sofa and the wall behind the bed are internal walls. These are also the walls you would choose for design reasons. See wallpaper for drawing room.

Jaipur Garden wallpaper installed on an internal living room wall

Test the wall in 48 hours

  1. Cut a piece of clear plastic sheet about 1 ft square.
  2. Tape all four edges to the wall so that no air gets in.
  3. Leave it for 48 hours.
  4. Water droplets on the wall side of the plastic mean moisture is coming through the wall. Fix the source first. Droplets on the room side only mean the room air is humid, which is not a problem for the paper.

Also look for paint that bubbles or flakes, a musty smell, dark patches that return after repainting, and white powder on the surface. Any of these means the wall needs repair before paper.

Preparing the wall

  1. Stop the water. Repair external cracks, window sealant, terrace waterproofing or the leaking pipe. Wallpaper cannot hide damp. It shows it within one season.
  2. Let it dry. A repaired wall needs several dry weeks. Do this work between October and May.
  3. Scrape and level. Remove loose paint and old distemper. Fill with wall putty and sand smooth.
  4. Prime. One coat of primer seals the putty so that the adhesive bonds to a stable surface.
  5. Wait after painting. Fresh paint should cure for three to four weeks before paper goes over it.

When to install

October to May is the easy window in coastal cities. Installation during the monsoon is possible in an air-conditioned room. Run the AC for a day before and for two days after, so the adhesive sets in dry air. Orders are printed after they are placed and delivered in 7 to 14 working days, so order about three weeks before the date you want it on the wall.

After it is up

  • Ventilate the room daily. Trapped humid air behind closed windows is harder on seams than open-window air.
  • Keep furniture 2 inches off the papered wall so that air moves behind a sofa, a TV unit or a console table.
  • Wipe marks with a soft damp cloth. Do not scrub seams.
  • If a seam lifts, press it back with wallpaper adhesive the same week. A lifted seam that is left alone collects dust and will not stick again.
  • Use curtains on west-facing windows to cut direct afternoon sun on the print.
Vintage Floral wallpaper on a bedroom wall

Wallpaper or paint on a wall you are unsure about

If a wall has a history of damp and the source cannot be fixed, paint that wall and paper a different one. One papered internal wall gives the room its character. A 10 x 9 ft wall costs ₹8,910 on Standard paper. Totals for other sizes are in wallpaper price per sq ft in India. On the difficult wall, use metal wall art, a metal wall clock or a mirror. Stainless steel with PVD coating is unaffected by humidity. A PVD partition is another way to add pattern to a room without touching the walls.

Common questions

Does wallpaper peel in the monsoon?
On a dry internal wall, no. On a wall that takes in water from outside, the seams lift.

Can wallpaper go in a bathroom or kitchen?
Avoid walls that get splashed or steamed daily. A dry dining wall next to an open kitchen is fine.

Is wallpaper suitable for Mumbai and Kolkata flats?
Yes, on internal walls and in rooms that are ventilated or air conditioned.

Can the team check my wall?
Send photos of the wall and the room through the contact page. If you want a design made for the wall, see customised wallpaper.

Browse the wallpaper collection. Delivery terms are in the shipping policy.

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