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Wood Veneer Wallcovering Installation




The installation process is critical to the aesthetic appeal and acceptance of the finished Urban Wallcovering Veneer . Surface preparation, adhesive and primer selection, environmental condition and quality workman-ship are the key elements for a successful installation. Thus, professional installation is highly recommended. Please visit your local paint supplier for installers in your area. Urban Wallcovering cannot be held liable for faulty installation.

Storage:
Urban Wallcovering veneer should be kept in the manufacturer's packaging until needed for installation. Store wood wallcovering in a clean, dry, secure area that has low humidity and a stable temperature range.

Inspection of Products:
Examine all sheets of Urban Wallcovering for quality and compliance with the approved specification before starting installation.

Adhesives:
Do not use clear or strippable adhesives. Do not cut your adhesive with water.
The unique backing laminated to the wood veneer face helps stabilize the veneer under normal temperature and humidity conditions. Generally, the moisture from the adhesive bleeds into the substrate because of the backing. If the substrate will not allow the moisture in the adhesive to bleed into the substrate, then off gases from the adhesive may cause bubbling or failure of the veneer to adhere to the substrate (See "Preparation of Wall Surface."). Avoid using adhesives with high moisture content. To purchase adhesive please visit your local paint supply store. See below:
Use one of the following approved adhesives:
Sure Grip 111 Heavy Duty Clay Based Wallcovering Adhesive, Mfr. Zinsser

Environmental Conditions:
Areas to receive wood wallcovering should be environmentally controlled by a permanent HVAC system. Maintain a temperature range of 65 - 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with not more than 50% relative humidity, for a period of not less than 4 days prior to installation and maintained thereafter.

Preparation of Wall Surface:

NEW DRYWALL - Finish gypsum board to comply with AWCI (Association Wallcovering and Ceiling Industries) specifications, Level 4 or greater. All joints and interior angles shall have tape embedded in joint compound and threeseparate coats of joint compound applied over all joints, angles, fastener heads, and accessories. All joint compound shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. The surface shall be clean, smooth and dry prior to the application of wood veneer. Check the moisture content of the wall with a moisture meter. Moisture content shall not be in excess of 7%. If you are installing veneer in extremely low humidity areas such as the Southwest, then a primer such as Vinyl Prep 909, mfr. Romans Adhesives, Inc.) should be used. This will help ensure that a good bond between the substrate and wood wallcovering occurs. This vinyl prep or its equal prevents the adhesive from being absorbed into the substrate too quickly and it will give added time to the installer for slipage and removal of selvage when double cutting the material. After the wall has been primed and cured, size the wall with a heavy- duty clay base adhesive. Allow the size to dry. Then paste the back of the wood veneer and install.

Do not use alkyd/oil base primers with Urban Wallcovering Veneer.

PAINTED DRYWALL -
Acrylic/Latex - All surfaces must be clean, dry and smooth and it is extremely important that the paint be tight and free from flaking. The surface shall be sanded to break the paint seal and allow for the moisture in the adhesive to be absorbed in the drywall. Size the substrate with adhesive. Allow it to dry. Paste the back of the wood wallcovering, then install. Depending on the condition of the painted substrate, the installer may choose not to size the drywall. It is suggested that the installer test an area first.

Alkyd/Oil - All surfaces must be clean,dry and smooth and it is extremely important that the paint be tight and free from flaking. Surfaces painted with alkyd/oil paint will not allow the moisture to be absorbed into the drywall. Therefore, a wall liner must be applied first to allow the moisture to bleed into it. Paste the back of the wood wallcovering, then install.

NEW PLASTER (1/2" to 3/4" thickness) - Finish all plaster to comply with the architect's specifications. All surfaces must be clean, dry, smooth and free of defects. All undulations in the plaster must be smoothen to a flat finish. allow the plaster to cure for 60 to 90 days. Test the wall surfaces with a moisture meter to insure the moisture content does not exceed 7%.

If the job conditions require the material to be installed prior to the 60 to 90 days, then wash the newly plastered walls with zinc sulfate solution to neutralize the lime (2 to 4 pounds of zinc sulfate crystals per gallon of water). The environmental conditions must be maintained with a permanent HVAC system for four days prior to the installation of the material and thereafter. The temperature will be maintained between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 50%. Following the above procedures, an application of a quality primer should be applied. Use Vinyl Prep 909, Mfr. Roman's Adhesives, Inc. or E-5 Heavy Duty Acrylic primer or an equivalent. Size the substrate with a recommended adhesive. Allow the size to dry. Then paste the back of the wood wallcovering and install.

PAINTED PLASTER - All surfaces must be clean, dry, smooth and free of defects and it is extremely important that the paint be tight and free from flaking. All efflorescence crystals should be removed before starting the installation. All undulations in the plaster must be smoothed to a flat finish. Plaster surfaces must be installed with attention to the type of paint applied to the surface and the number of coats it has received over time. If the painted surface can be sanded and the paint seal broken to allow the moisture from the adhesive to bleed in the wall, then the installer may size the wall with a recommended adhesive. Allow the size to dry. Then paster the back of the veneer and install. Painted plaster walls, which have numerous coats of alkyd/oil or even latex may have to use a wall liner when the sealed surface cannot be broken by sanding. Install the wall liner allowing sufficient time for the moisture in the adhesive used to evaporate (use recommended adhesive). Then paste the back of the wood veneer and install.

METAL - All surfaces must be clean, dry, smooth and free from defects. If the metal surface has not been factory primed with a rust inhibitor, then the installer shall use a quality zinc chromate primer to prime the metal surface. Install over metal surface with a recommended contact adhesive (Follow the manufacturer's instructions). Exterior metal doors must be insulated. Do not install Urban Wallcovering over metal surfaces which are subject to extreme temperature changes. (Urban Wallcovering is not to be used as an exterior product.)

WOOD - All surfaces must be clean, dry, smooth and free of defects. Wood surfaces expand and contract under varying differences in humidity conditions. The wood wallcovering must be installed in a controlled, maintained environment on wood surfaces at the job site. Do not install wood wallcovering over any solid wood substrate which is not stable.

Install no less than three (3) full-width panels of each pattern specified in an area designated for testing. The test installation area shall be reviewed for conformance to the manufacturer's standard installation instructions and recommended adhesives. The approved test area shall remain as part of the finished installation work and as a standard of comparison for the installation throughout the project. Do not install specified material beyond the test area, prior to the approval of the test area. Remove the wood veneer sheets from the box and allow them to relax and acclimate to the environment for approximately 12 - 24 hours. If the air is dry or the sheets remain out of the box for an extended period of time, then cover the wood wallcovering with a sheet of vinyl wallcovering to prevent the veneer from drying out. After inspecting all the wood venner sheets, arrange the sheets in numerical sequence as labeled on the back of each sheet in the lower left corner. The wood veneer sheets must be installed in sequence with the sequence numbers at the floor or ceiling level. Depending on the appearance wanting to be achieved will depend upon whether the numbers are installed at the floor or the ceiling. Follow the instructions enclosed for the recommended type of adhesive and preparation of wall surfaces before beginning. Apply the wood veneer sheets to the wall in sequence, filling in over doors and windows in sequence from the consecutive sheets.

Standard lengths of Urban Wallcovering may be either butt jointed or double cut on the wall depending upon the job constraints. All wood wallcovering over 10 feet in length must be double cut on the wall. Vertical joints shall not occur less than 2 1/2 inches from all outside and inside corners. Overlapping of seams is not acceptable. Smooth the wood veneer wallcovering on the wall with a broad knife, which will not mar the finish but ensures that all air bubbles are eliminated and there is a good adhesive bond between wood veneer and the substrate. Remove excess adhesive from each seam immediately prior to installing the next sheet. Do not let the clay base adhesive dry on the face of the wood veneer. Use a clean, moist natural sponge to remove excess adhesive and then dry the surface with a lint free towel. It is very important to change the water frequently in order to maintain cleanliness. Urban Wallcovering has a face veneer moisture content of 6-9%. If the wood wallcovering becomes too dry and difficult to install, moisten the veneer face with a damp cloth. Place the sheets face to face on the floor and cover with a sheet of vinyl wallcovering. Allow the wood veneer to relax for at least 30 minutes and then start the installation.

Air bubbles must be removed and installation errors corrected before the adhesive dries. Sufficient lighting will greatly enable to see the bubbles and other installation problems. After installing 3 sheets, inspect the wood wallcovering for proper installation. Allow the wood veneer to bond to the wall for 24 hours before inspecting.

Finishing:
If the natural color is acceptable, no additional steps are required. An additional finish may be required for protection if the wood wallcovering is in an area which is subject to abuse. It is recommended that the finish coat be of low to mid sheen in order to reduce the chance of seeing drywall imperfections.

If an additional stain or finish is specified, follow the Manufacturer's instructions.

Clean Up and Protection:

All excess material is to be removed from the premises and the area left in a clean and orderly condition. The finished wood wallcovering should be protected from damage that may occur from other trades.


For Best Results:
DO NOT use oil/alkyd wall primers
DO NOT install Urban Wallcovering over alkyd/oil-based paints without using a wall liner.
DO NOT cut recommended adhesives with water.
DO NOT install wood veneer wallcovering if the drywall moisture content is over 7% and/or the relative humidity exceeds 50%.
DO NOT sand Urban Wallcovering with a heavy grit sandpaper if repair of scratches is required; use Watco oil and 300 - 400 grit sandpaper.
DO NOT use alcohol based stains or strong solvent finishes on wood veneer.
DO NOT use heavy-duty clear adhesives.