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Lining paper grades

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are in a spare room with a hairline crack and a title that reads 1400, and the number looks like a weight in grams. Lining paper grades are use-lines for the wall, not a grams-per-square-metre figure. A higher number means heavier paper for a worse surface. This comparison stocks 1000, 1400 and 2000. Prices from 19 October 2026 sit on the [lining paper comparison](/hub/painting-supplies/lining-paper). Peter F. matched Erfurt's use-lines to those UK listings. This is not a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are in a spare room with a hairline crack and a title that reads 1400, and the number looks like a weight in grams. Lining paper grades are use-lines for the wall, not a grams-per-square-metre figure.

Our top picks

Erfurt Erfurt 1400 single

Best overall

Erfurt Erfurt 1400 single
9.2/10about £6.36
View offer
Erfurt MAV Erfurt MAV 2000 double

Rank 2

Erfurt MAV Erfurt MAV 2000 double
9.2/10about £9.25
View offer
Erfurt Erfurt 1000 single

Rank 3

Erfurt Erfurt 1000 single
8.6/10about £8.37
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the lining paper grade number means
  2. 2.1000 grade lining paper for small defects
  3. 3.1400 grade lining paper for larger cracks
  4. 4.2000 grade lining paper, and when to stop

What the lining paper grade number means

The number is a maker band. Erfurt treats 1000 as older plaster in good condition with small defects, 1400 as sound older plaster with larger cracks, and 2000 as damaged, cracked, holed or blistered plaster once loose material is dealt with. Homebuilding groups 800–1000 for decent walls, 1200–1400 for hairline cracks, and 1700–2000 for significant imperfections. This comparison does not stock 800, 1200, 1700 or 2500. A thickness field that says 2000 millimetres copies the grade into the wrong box. Neither Erfurt nor these listings print gsm. Check brand and metres on the best lining paper page, because a heavier title is not a guarantee of the roll in the parcel.

1000 grade lining paper for small defects

Erfurt's 1000 grade is for older plaster in good condition, with pinholes and a hairline that has not opened. Homebuilding puts that decent wall in the 800–1000 band. Erfurt's 800, for new plaster, is outside this set, so a sound older wall here starts at 1000. If filler sits proud of a wider crack, you have left this band. Erfurt soaks 1000 grade for 8–10 minutes. On 19 October 2026 the kept 1000 single was about £8.37, against about £6.36 for the 1400 single. The lighter grade cost more that day. That gap is a listing price, not a reason to buy 1000 for a wall that needs 1400.
Erfurt Erfurt 1400 single

Testsieger

Erfurt Erfurt 1400 single
9.2/10about £6.36
View offer

1400 grade lining paper for larger cracks

Erfurt's 1400 grade is for older plaster that is still sound, with larger cracks. If the plaster does not move when you press beside the crack, this is the band. This set has no 1200, so 1400 is the middle grade you can order. If the plaster drums or flakes, you have left sound plaster. Erfurt wants ready-mixed paste and a soak of about 10 minutes. Paste is separate. Do not step up to 2000 only because the filler looks untidy. The 1400 single at about £6.36 was the lowest shelf price on 19 October 2026, and it states no length, so that price is not a best value per square metre. If the wall is only tired and sound, start at 1400.

2000 grade lining paper, and when to stop

Erfurt's 2000 grade is for plaster that is damaged, cracked, holed or blistered, after loose material is dealt with. Homebuilding says a higher grade is not a fix for crumbling plaster. A hollow section that drums needs a plasterer first. This set has no 1700 or 2500, so 2000 is the heaviest plain grade stocked, not the top of Erfurt's scale. The soak is 10–12 minutes. For the worst texture Erfurt points to a fibreliner or an insulating liner. 2000 does not insulate the room or replace plaster. Both 2000 captures here are disputed on what arrived. If the wall is hollow, crumbling or damp, stop.

Common questions

Is 1400 grade thicker than 1000 in grams?
These pages do not give a gram weight, so you cannot say that 1400 grade lining paper is a set number of grams heavier than 1000. Erfurt puts 1000 on older plaster in good condition with small defects, and 1400 on sound older plaster with larger cracks. Heavier on that scale is a use-line, not a gram weight you can calculate from the title.
Which grade suits sound older plaster with small defects?
Erfurt's 1000 grade matches older plaster in good condition with small defects, such as pinholes and a hairline that has not opened. Homebuilding's 800–1000 band is the same kind of decent wall, and Erfurt's 800 for new plaster is not in this comparison. If the cracks are already large, move to 1400.
Which grade suits larger cracks on plaster that is still sound?
Choose 1400 grade lining paper when the older plaster is still sound and the cracks are larger than small defects. If the plaster does not move when you press beside the crack, Erfurt's 1400 line is the one written for that wall. If the plaster is holed, blistered or loose, 1400 is the lighter grade you have passed.
When is 2000 grade still the wrong product?
2000 grade lining paper is for damaged, cracked, holed or blistered plaster after loose material is dealt with. It is the wrong product when the plaster is crumbling, hollow or damp, and when Erfurt points that texture at a fibreliner or an insulating liner. A higher number does not insulate the room or replace plaster.
Are 800, 1200, 1700 and 2500 in this comparison?
No. This comparison stocks 1000, 1400 and 2000 only. Erfurt sells 800 for new plaster, and the wider scale includes 1200, 1700 and 2500, which is why Homebuilding can describe bands this set does not cover. A missing grade is not a reason to step up.
Can you mix grades, or old and new base paper, on one wall?
Do not mix grades on one wall. A join between 1000 and 1400, or between 1400 and 2000, is a step in thickness that paint can show in raking light. Finish the wall in the grade the worst sound area needs. Erfurt's newer base paper looks like the older one and should not share the job. Buy one batch for the room.

Related pages

How to hang lining paper

Lining paper buying guide

Lining paper

Cross lining before wallpaper: direction and grade

Best lining paper: who each of the five rolls suits

Sources

Public UK and maker sources used for grade, soak times and drying. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures saved for this set on 19 October 2026: B00HWV7L4I, B00HWV7H88, B094JKS29M, B01HR2ZXOG and B00HWV7DIM.

  1. Erfurt MAV, professional lining paper 1000 grade (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Erfurt MAV, professional lining paper 1400 grade (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Erfurt MAV, professional lining paper 2000 grade (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Homebuilding, lining paper grades (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Farrow & Ball, preparing walls for wallpaper (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Graham & Brown, how to hang wallpaper (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. B&Q, how to hang lining paper (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. BS EN 234:2019, wallcoverings for subsequent decoration (retrieved 19 October 2026)