18 October 2023 , 12:47
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People have been decorating their homes with wallpaper since the 12th century - but many are only just realising how it's made in modern times. Today, wallpaper can be bought in stores or online at an affordable price, depending on where you buy from, and can show almost any design imaginable.
Before machines did all the hard work, craftsman would hand-paint, woodblock, or stencil their designs onto wallpaper for their customers. Early wallpaper commonly featured scenes similar to those depicted on tapestries - and were hung loosely on the walls in large sheets of paper.
However, this got people wondering how wallpaper is made today, with one Reddit user asking: "I didn’t know I needed to see this." A recently resurfaced video shows a printer pushing out various colours and patterns along an 'assembly line'.
As the roll of wallpaper makes its way along the line, another pattern is added on top, eventually making the overall design. In the clip, the build-up of colour - mainly using pink, purple, yellow, and green - slowly creates a striking flower design ready to be pasted onto somebody's walls.
Commenting on the video, one user said: "Until today I did not believe in magic." Another user added: "Did not see this going this way. Amazing." A third user said: "I actually never have wondered for some reason yet this is pretty satisfying." One more user added: "It went from zero to 100 real quick."
London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard
But as technology develops, the wallpaper industry continues to grow, creating new ways to produce products for the masses. In the early 21st century, a wallpaper that blocks certain mobile phone and Wi-Fi signals, in the interest of privacy, was introduced to the world. The wallpaper is coated with silver ink which forms crystals that block outgoing signals.
One user said: "I find this process very interesting." Another user added: "That’s interesting but it’s hideous." A sixth user said: "Please tell me wallpaper is not making a comeback. I lived through that hell once already."