Where To Find Your Wallpaper's Dye Lot Number (And Why It Matters)

Wallpaper is a fantastic option for your walls over paint, but there are certain things you need to be aware of beforehand. While most people worry about buying enough wallpaper, hanging it correctly, and other common concerns, they may be neglecting something just as important — the dye lot.

This is a common concern in various fields, and those who crochet, knit, or otherwise work with textiles may be familiar with the term. The term dye lot refers to the batch of yarn, fabric, or in this case, wallpaper that was produced at the same time. Meaning the dye used on everything in that dye lot was the exact same. In the next batch, the dye could be ever so slightly off. While this doesn't seem like a big deal, especially in a task as daunting as hanging wallpaper, it can significantly and likely negatively impact the outcome of your final wallpaper job.

When purchasing your wallpaper, make sure to go in person so you can check the dye lot number. Even if the dye has varied only slightly from batch to batch, when you hang up each strip of wallpaper from different lots next to each other, you can see the difference. If you have a patterned wallpaper with many colors, this may not be as obvious, but the simpler the design, the more visible the variation will be — especially for completely solid swatches.

The dye lot will be found on each roll of wallpaper, likely near the label or barcode. If you're having trouble locating the dye lot number specifically, look for other synonymous terms like batch numbers or run numbers. If you're still having difficulties, consult one of the store professionals. If you absolutely have to order your wallpaper online, see if there's a special request box or someone at the company you can call to request each roll is from the same lot.

It's easy enough to find multiple rolls of wallpaper from the same dye lot when you're at the store the first time. After that, though, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to find another roll from the exact same batch. It's already recommended that you buy more wallpaper than you think you need in case of miscalculations or application mishaps. However, buying extra wallpaper in the same dye lot also helps prevent varying colors — just check the return policy for unused wallpaper.

If, for some reason, you're unable to buy multiple rolls from the same dye lot, try and get creative with how you manage the varying shades. For example, if you're just a few strips of wallpaper short of one dye lot, consider choosing one smaller wall to hang the new dye lot paper on so the color variance isn't as gradient or harsh. If you have multiple rolls with different dye lots, lay them out, even taking small swatches from each roll, and hang them up to see how stark the shade differences are. Depending on the lighting in your room, you could pass off darker shades as the result of a shadowy corner, for example.