Consultation for
SILK WALLS

Single-ply, double-ply, four-ply or other. Coarse fibers, polished finish, no slubs, many slubs. Choosing colors and pigments (Green pigment or not?). The choices are more numerous than one may initially think. Silk construction will not just yield a unique finish, they will pose differing potential problems when stretching and installing. Even the width of each silk section impacts the installation method as well as the final finish. The species of the silk worm (or spider!) will determine certain characteristics of the silk construction. Guidance in choosing a proper silk is a good idea.

Most upholsterers or fabric installers will only work with raw silk if it has been backed with a substrate of some sort, often robbing the silk of many of its natural appeal and characteristics. Not only might silk easily run when tensioning with tacks or staples, but most installation techniques make it very difficult to install with any stability in the natural weave lines. And silk is, "hydrophilic", meaning it absorbs water from humidity, expanding the silk threads and loosening after being stretched.

What should the layout be like? Silk factories make silk bolts in many different widths and only a few types of construction allow for sewn seams. Thus most layouts need to be installed in individual, tightly abutted, sections. Where the seams fall is critical for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Colors, which can be highly customized, might vary greatly from one batch to another given the naturalness of the worm-produced silk threads. Will pictures be hung? Will interior climate be controlled?​ All are important decisions.