Wallpaper Dye Lots, Runs, and Batches? Why Do they Matter?

When selecting the right wallpaper, you already have numerous considerations to contend with. Worrying about dye lots and other aspects of the manufacturing process seem completely irrelevant. Then you find out that you are one roll short of completing the project, and when you go to get another one, the color is just a little different than what you have already installed. The end result is that it makes the one area look mismatched with the rest of the room.

That is the importance of getting all your wallpaper in one dye lot.  It's written on every roll. If you get all your order from one place, at the same time, then there is a very good chance they will come from the same lot. But if you get the same pattern in separate orders and from separate places then you need to double check that the rolls don't come from different batches. Manufacturers provide this information so that you don’t have a room that looks a little off when you are finished.

Three Terms – One Meaning

Trying to remember to pay attention to the dye lot, run, and batch can be intimidating. Fortunately, it isn’t quite as bad as it sounds because the three words are used interchangeably. The term you really need to know is dye lot because if that term is used along with either of the other terms (as it is occasionally), it is the one you need.

The dye lot number identifies which rolls were produced at the same time during the manufacturing process. It is possible to have different batches with the same dye lot number. If there is no dye lot number, check for the batch or run number. Some companies use those terms to mean the same thing.

Why It Matters

All of the rolls identified with the same dye lot were made at the same time. This means that they have the same coloring and that the design will be consistent across the different rolls.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is with yarn, something that you can find in many stores and that also uses dye lots. If you buy five skeins of yarn and one of the five skeins comes from a different dye lot, hold a thread up against one of the others. In many cases you can actually tell which one was not produced at the same time.

This is the same thing with wallpaper, it can just be more difficult to tell the difference because there are patterns and sometimes wrapping in the way. However, once you get that different dye lot up on your wall, it becomes pretty obvious really fast.

The best way to avoid this problem is to buy two or three more rolls than what you need. That way if you do not have enough or if you make mistakes, you won’t need to track down more wallpaper from the dye lot.