Painting Tools, Paperhanging Tools
To help you cover your clients' walls with ease, we asked a cross section of manufacturers what is their hottest selling tool for paperhanging, and why.
by Stacey Enesey Klemenc
walls with ease, we asked a cross section of manufacturers what is their hottest selling tool for paperhanging, and why. Here’s what they said:
(Model LMB 150) — Weighing in at less than 20 pounds, this best-selling wallpaper steamer is a major contender for those messy wallcovering removal jobs. Its innovative step-stool design allows you to remove wallcoverings from 8-foot walls without a ladder. It comes complete with a large, flexible, nonmetal steam pan and a cast-aluminum water tank that can provide up to 210 minutes of steam time. Ideal for both professionals and novices, the steamer is equipped with two protective thermal devices, one that shuts off the unit if it overheats and the other if it runs low on water.
Visit the SteamMaster/Earlex Web site.
— Since 1956, when OLFA first introduced its snap-off blade, which was inspired from snapping pieces off a chocolate bar, the demand for utility cutters has escalated worldwide. Out of the more than 100 precision-cutting tools the company produces for various trades, the refillable soft-handle utility cutter is the most popular among paperhangers. A company spokesman says people at the annual convention of the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers love this particular cutter because its hand-saving soft grip allows for one precision cut after another, day in and day out.
Visit the OLFA Web site.
— This flexible plastic 9-inch wallcovering smoother is Warner’s best-selling wallpaper tool because it not only can be used to remove bubbles and push seams together but it can also serve as a trim tool. Priced at less than $1.50, it’s a must-have tool at a bargain price. Visit the Warner Tool Web site.
— Many professionals prefer to use Warner’s snap-off blade knives when they’re cutting expensive vinyl wallpaper. Typically, they’ll ready 30 to 40 knives the night before a job by snapping off the existing blades and exposing sharp new ones. On the job, pros in the know use each knife only once to ensure a clean cut each time. These best-selling knives are available in plastic, stainless steel and a combination of the two. Visit the Warner Tool Web site.
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— When it comes to wallpaper removal, this popular duo from Hyde works hand in glove to tackle the problem. The Wallverine, a circular tool with a soft grip on top and four stainless-steel wheels underneath, is used to perforate the wallpaper so a solution or steam can then be applied and work its way behind the paper to make stripping easier. Once the paper is softened, the Wall Wolf with its 4-inch wallpaper shaving blade will allow you to finish the job safely and efficiently. The durable Wall Wolf features a glass-filled polypropylene handle for rigidity and no tools are required to change the blade. As a bonus, it also can be used to scrape paint and stickers from glass.
Visit the Hyde Tools Web site.
— Gravity-fed pasting machines, which have no moving parts that can break down, are among the hottest pasting tools on the market right now. This year, the company boasts of a few improvements to the Paste-Well machine — better consistency of paste thickness, easier pull and longer life. Pans are now lined with plastic, and the pan support blade has been reinforced. Contractors love these affordable machines because they’re an easy way to dramatically reduce time spent applying paste. Just once through the machine and the wallcovering is evenly pasted. Plus, clean up is quick, easy and can be done on site. Visit the PasteWell Web site.
) — Tapo-Fix’s best-selling XST 60-inch pasting machine turns the chore of paper hanging into an art form. Designed by paper-hanging professionals and highly skilled German engineers, the top-of-the-line machine is made of stainless steel, aluminum, brass and high-grade plastic to make for a rust-free pasting machine. A gear-driven unit, it features a “pop-out” aluminum paste applicator and feed roller for easy cleaning, and a sloped-bottom paste tray and unlimited paste flow adjustment for perfect edge-to-edge pasting. Praised for its durability and versatility, the machine can be used with all types of paste, including clay-base pastes.
Visit the Tapo-Fix Web site.
— This heavy-duty, gear-driven pasting machine provides consistent, even distribution of paste, roll after roll. It can handle a variety of materials up to 62-inches wide, including vinyl, grasscloth, string, burlap and even some suede. The machine’s pick-up roller pulls paste efficiently and evenly from a high-capacity tank that allows as much as a 30-yard bolt to be pulled without adding paste. The Paste-Mate is a big hit with professional paperhangers because its stainless-steel paste adjustment roller consistently controls the amount and flow of paste, which prevents the adhesive from getting on the face of the wallcovering. Reportedly, the machine is easy to maintain and easy to keep clean.
Visit the Advance-Equipment Web site.
— Designed to be used as a transportation cart as well as a pasting machine, the 62-inch commercial pasting machine will carry materials from the work vehicle into the job site, eliminating several trips. The versatile gear-driven unit comes with an inch-meter, rolling casters and folding floor stand. In addition to the standard features, it also includes a booking table, built in hard-shell case and transportation system, a tool storage compartment, cleaning tools and a paste chute for easy paste loading. Contractors like the extra-wide pasting machine because it’s designed to set up fast and be easy to clean.
Visit the Ramco Industries Web site.
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Utility cutter from OLFA (NA-1)