What is grasscloth?
Grasscloth is wall-covering made from hand woven strands of natural fiber and un-pasted rice paper backing. The fibers consist of sea grass, bamboo, hemp, cork and burlap. Thin cotton thread is knit together with the material of choice, then it’s adhered to a backing typically made of delicate rice paper. It produces grassy smell and earthy texture.
The patterns come in either horizontal or vertical styles, but can also be a mix of both. It comes in different weaves. The finer weaves make the product look smooth and modern, while the thicker weaves give it a rustic feel. Grasscloth wallpaper was a staple in the 1960’s and ’70’s, and has lately been making a huge comeback. It’s very versatile and compliments nearly any style.
How is grasscloth different from other wallpapers?
Grasscloth differs from other wallpapers because it’s not made in a controlled factory environment. No two rolls of grasscloth wallpaper are identical. The structure of the material determines the pattern of the grass wallpaper. The fibers can vary in size, color or merit. In addition, the fibers will never line up evenly from one roll to another. It also provides sound and heat insulation qualities. Standard wallpapers are printed on paper, in a controlled factory environment for identical printings. Grasscloth also doesn’t come with a pre-pasted backing like standard wallpapers.
What room/s does it work best in?
While grasscloth is very versatile, it may not be the best choice for every room in your home. Most people install grasscloth in living rooms, dining rooms, studies and bedrooms. So why are those rooms the most popular?
For one, grasscloth and water don’t mix well. It’s highly susceptible to water spots after coming into contact with water and/or high humidity. If you absolutely must have grasscloth in your bathroom, make sure you have an adequate exhaust system. Additionally, because water and grasscloth don’t mix, it can be hard to clean.
Do you have a cat? If so, that could be claws for concern! Many cats find the texture of the wallpaper to the material of a scratching post. It’s going to be hard to repair the wall covering without it standing out like a sore thumb.
Another thing to take into consideration is indoor odors. Because this wallcovering has natural fiber’s, it’s much more porous and therefore can absorb and hold in odors which is why I wouldn’t recommend for a kitchen.
How to apply grasscloth:
Cleaning:
Grasscloth can’t be scrubbed like other wallcoverings. Some manufactures recommend gently wiping the wallcovering down. Regardless, it’s a good idea to test an inconspicuous area before wiping down the entire wall since some grasscloth can dull with the slightest bit of water. The brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner can also be used to clean and remove dirt and dust particles.
