Lining Paper Grades Explained: 1000, 1200, 1400, 1700 — When to Use Which
What lining paper grades actually mean, when each is right, and the case for never skipping it.
The Short Answer
Lining paper is graded by weight — the higher the number, the heavier and thicker the paper:
- 1000 grade: Light, budget. Walls in excellent condition, paint underneath.
- 1200 grade: Standard. Most general wallpaper and paint jobs.
- 1400 grade: Medium-heavy. Walls with minor imperfections, premium wallpapers.
- 1700 grade: Heavy. Walls with significant imperfections, HNW and bespoke papers.
- 2000 grade: Extra heavy. Restoration work, badly damaged plaster, period properties.
Cost per roll: £8 (1000 grade) to £28 (1700 grade). Labour to hang: £65–£95 per wall regardless of grade.
What the Grade Number Means
The number refers to paper weight in gsm-equivalent terms, though the calculation is older and idiosyncratic — 1000 doesn't literally mean 1000gsm. In practice, treat the number as a ranking: higher = heavier paper, more substantial, better at hiding wall imperfections.
1000 Grade — Light
The thinnest lining paper available. Suitable for:
- Walls already painted in modern emulsion (already sealed and smooth)
- Budget paint jobs where you want a slightly better finish without spending much
- Ceilings being repainted where small imperfections exist
NOT suitable for: any wallpaper installation, walls with visible texture, walls that have been repaired.
Cost: £8–£12 per roll.
1200 Grade — Standard
The workhorse. Most general decorating jobs use 1200 grade. Suitable for:
- Mid-market wallpaper installations (Graham & Brown, John Lewis, Dunelm-tier papers)
- Paint jobs on previously painted walls in good condition
- Standard residential work where the substrate is sound
Cost: £10–£15 per roll.
1400 Grade — Medium-Heavy
The most common upgrade for wallpaper installations. Suitable for:
- Premium designer wallpapers (Cole & Son, Little Greene, Harlequin, Designers Guild, Sanderson, Morris & Co)
- Walls with minor imperfections (small repairs, slightly textured plaster)
- Period properties where the substrate has been touched up over decades
- Any wallpaper where the design is detailed or expensive enough to deserve a perfect ground
This is what we use as standard for most paid wallpapering work. The cost difference vs 1200 grade is £4–£8 per roll, and the improvement in how the decorative paper sits is real.
Cost: £14–£20 per roll.
1700 Grade — Heavy
The grade for serious work. Suitable for:
- HNW wallpaper installations (de Gournay, Fromental, Iksel, Phillip Jeffries grasscloth, Pierre Frey)
- Walls with noticeable plaster imperfections that haven't been skim-coated
- Plasterboard or drywall as the substrate (provides a more stable surface than the plasterboard itself)
- Bespoke commissions where panel matching is critical
We use 1700 grade as standard on every HNW installation. The cost of the paper itself is rarely the issue at this tier — what matters is that the substrate is as flat and stable as possible.
Cost: £20–£28 per roll.
2000 Grade and Above — Restoration
Less common but exists for restoration and specialist work. Suitable for:
- Heritage restoration projects
- Lath and plaster walls where skimming isn't appropriate (listed building considerations)
- Walls in genuinely poor condition where a heavier paper provides bridging without skim coats
This is specialist territory — discuss with the decorator and any conservation advisor before specifying.
Other Lining Paper Variants
Pitch-coated lining paper
Has a black tar/pitch coating on one side. Used to block stains, moisture, or nicotine from bleeding through to the decorative paper. Hung pitch-side to the wall.
Reinforced lining paper
Has a fibreglass or polyester scrim woven into the paper. Used over hairline-cracked plaster to prevent the cracks reappearing through the decorative finish. Important in older properties.
Paintable lining paper
Designed to be painted directly rather than papered over. Provides a flat, smooth surface for paint on otherwise imperfect walls. Useful when you want a high-end paint finish without skim-coating.
Hanging Direction — Cross-Lining
Lining paper is hung horizontally (cross-lining), not vertically. This matters: if hung vertically, the lining paper's seams could align with the decorative paper's vertical seams, doubling up the joint thickness. Cross-lining ensures the decorative seams sit on flat lining paper everywhere they meet the wall.
Cost — Lining Paper Worth It vs Not
Always worth it
- Any HNW or bespoke wallpaper (£20+ on lining adds 1-2% to the install cost of a £20k+ paper job)
- Premium designer wallpapers (£14 on lining vs £100+ per roll for the decorative paper)
- Walls in marginal condition
- Period properties with plaster history
Sometimes optional
- Budget mid-market paper on walls in excellent condition that are already painted
- Renting properties where the install has a fixed lifespan
Honest take
Lining paper costs £14–£28 per roll. Hanging it costs £65–£95 per wall in labour. So skipping it on a feature wall saves roughly £100–£130 — against a feature wall that probably costs £280–£380 total. The saving is real but rarely worth it. The decorative finish is visibly better when lined.
What This Means for Your Quote
When you get a wallpaper quote, ask what grade of lining paper is included. A good quote will specify:
- 1200 or 1400 grade for mid-market designer paper jobs
- 1400 grade as standard for premium ranges
- 1700 grade for HNW and bespoke installations
If lining paper isn't mentioned at all, ask. Either it's included and the decorator forgot to specify it, or it's being left out — and you should know which.