Runs and Dye Lots

      When wallcoverings are printed, large vats of ink are made and all the wallpaper that is run through the press with that batch of ink is labeled as one 'run' or 'dye lot.'  When the next batch of ink is prepared, it may not be exactly the same as the previous batch (run).  Batches, lots, and runs are familiar terms to those who paint, sew, install wallcoverings, or otherwise work with color. 

     It is important that you get all of your wallcovering in the same run number.  Although manufacturers try to be as consistent as possible, there is bound to be some variation between dye lots.  This difference may be very slight, but it will show up when two strips of wallcovering from different lots are installed side by side on the same wall.

      If you are left in a situation where you must use a different run, there is still a remedy.  Frequently, different runs are close enough that you can cover an individual space, like an isolated wall, with the odd run.  This works best if you can get from one inside corner to the next.

      Since the lighting changes from one wall to the next, inside corners serve as natural 'breaks' that mask the difference in color changes very effectively.  The important thing is to avoid putting two different runs together on the same visual plane.