Wallpaper for walls as an option for interior decoration of premises, what types of material and its sizes are, selection rules. Wallpaper for walls is one of the most common types of interior decoration. In addition, there is a large variety of its varieties, which allows you to choose an option for every taste and for any type of premises. Before making a choice, it is worth carefully studying the characteristics of each type of roll material so that it will last a long time.
Wallpaper functions for wall decoration
Using wallpaper as wall decoration can solve several problems at once. Let's take a closer look at the functions of the wallpaper:
- Protective … Some types of wallpaper, due to their high level of moisture resistance, are able to isolate the surface of the wall from moisture, which, at a special temperature regime in the room, can contribute to the formation of mold and mildew. Increased vapor permeability allows excess moisture to evaporate faster.
- Decorative … If you have a large selection of patterns and color schemes, it is enough to simply decorate any interior in the chosen style. Photo wallpapers and wallpapers made using 3D technology deserve special attention. They can be used to create incredible artificial landscapes and other images in the home.
- Zoning … Using different types of wallpaper by texture, pattern, you can visually delimit the room into zones, for example, in a large kitchen, separate the work area from the dining area.
Specifications of wallpaper for walls
Wallpaper, like any finishing material, has a number of technical characteristics, the combination of which can affect the choice of one type or another. These include dimensions, density, degree of moisture resistance, as well as the material used in the production. Let's consider in more detail the parameters of the rolled product.
Sizes of wall wallpaper
The very first wallpaper, which began to be made on machines, was produced in 10 meters long and 53 centimeters wide. Other roll sizes are currently available.
In addition to standard sizes, various manufacturers in different countries have rolls with a width of 70, 90, 100, 106, 140 cm. The most unusual parameters are from premium suppliers, for example, Omexco (Belgium), Elitis (France). Wide wallpapers for walls may be less economical, it all depends on the parameters of the room. It may not be enough just 20-25 cm wide, which will require buying a whole roll. In addition, narrow wallpaper is easier to glue without assistance.
Roll length is also not constant. The footage can be 10, 20, 30, 50, 60 m. The number of full strips along the height of the room depends on this indicator.
The size of the wallpaper for the walls is the main indicator when calculating the required number of rolls. Consider the height of the room, the width of the walls to be glued. The easiest way to calculate the required amount of this finishing material before purchasing:
- The first indicator: using the width of each wall and the width of the roll, determine the required number of strips.
- Second indicator: divide the length of the roll by the height of the room in order to understand how many full strips will turn out.
- Divide the first indicator by the second. If the result is not an integer, round it to full units.
Having carried out such calculations, you can approximately determine the remnants of wallpaper after repair.
The degree of moisture resistance of wallpaper for walls
Wallpaper can have varying degrees of moisture resistance, so it is customary to classify them also by the degree of moisture resistance. Here's a short description of each category:
- Washable … An excellent option for those rooms where the walls are exposed to frequent, but not very serious pollution, because their surface does not deteriorate when wet, the paint is not washed out. This type of finish is chosen by many as a cheaper alternative to wall tiles. Of course, tiles are ideal, and it is difficult to compare their durability with the same characteristics of a roll-on finishing material. However, manufacturers claim that the coating of some super-washable wallpaper can be cleaned even with brushes without fear of ruining it.
- Moisture resistant … Moistened cloths can be applied to this coating, but it is not recommended to use detergents or cleaners.
- Plain wallpaper or classic … They are made without applying a moisture-resistant layer, therefore they do not tolerate the touch of moisture, especially since they cannot be cleaned with special means. During cleaning, dry processing is allowed to remove dust, cobwebs.
Density of wall wallpaper
Roll materials for walls have many other characteristics, such as density, weight, structure, texture, color schemes.
Their weight per square meter depends on the density of the wallpaper, so it is customary to divide them into:
- Lungs … The density of this type is quite low, as is the weight, which is 110 g per square meter. Most often, lightweight wallpapers are single-layer.
- Heavy … These are the wallpapers, the mass of which per square meter is more than 110 g. They can consist of several layers.
The front surface can have different textures of wallpaper for the walls, for example, smooth, with a small texture and with a deep embossed image.
With the help of these characteristics, you can choose the right wallpaper in order to hide the imperfections of the main surface as much as possible. So, on a flat wall, you can glue light smooth wallpapers, and to mask surface irregularities, it is better to choose heavy ones with a relief surface.
The main types of wallpaper for walls
Currently, there are a large number of types of wallpaper for walls. The most common classification is according to the material used in production.
Vinyl Wallpaper for Wall Decoration
Vinyl wallpaper for walls is the second most popular after paper. Non-woven, paper or fabric is used as a base. Vinyl canvases are the most interesting decorative option for walls, they often have a beautiful texture that can hide the unevenness of the walls, they can imitate stone, plaster, textiles. Chemical embossing treatment allows long-term color retention even on the sunny side.
Negative properties:
- A thick layer, which makes repair work much more difficult.
- Not resistant to changes in humidity and temperature, mechanical damage.
- When gluing, it is better to use a special roller, avoiding processing with a rag, so as not to disturb the foamed textured surface.
- In the process of gluing, when glue is applied, the canvas stretches, and after drying it shrinks, which is why gaps often appear at the joints.
A special variety is silk-screen wallpaper for walls. The outer vinyl layer contains silk threads, so the appearance of the room is significantly transformed, becoming a work of art. This type of canvases is mainly made in dark colors, resistant to light, moisture, elastic, durable.
Paper wall wallpaper
Paper wallpaper for walls can be single-layer and double-layer. The first option is made of paper, a pattern is applied to the surface of the canvas. The second one has a paper base and a decorative layer, which can be, for example, vinyl. Two-layer wallpaper is naturally more durable.
Positive properties: the lowest price category, easy installation, environmental friendliness. Certain types can be painted or impregnated with water-repellent solutions.
Pure paper wallpapers do not hide imperfections in the surface of the walls, they get soaked from moisture, therefore only dry cleaning from dust is applied to them, are subject to mechanical damage, do not have lightfastness.
A special technology for the production of paper wallpaper is used by Novaboss and Bauhfaser. It consists in the production of two paper layers, between which wood chips are placed, and further embossing. Due to this, the canvases have a stable structure, masking defects of the main surface. Most often they are produced in plain colors and serve as an excellent background for interior items, but they can be painted repeatedly.
Non-woven wallpaper for walls
The most common finishing material is non-woven wallpaper for walls. Non-woven material is a viscose-containing material that has many advantages:
- Smooth surface.
- Large selection of textures.
- High strength and elasticity.
- During and after gluing work, the canvases do not shrink or stretch, i.e. keep their shape perfectly.
- Wallpaper, completely made of non-woven, is highly environmentally friendly, which cannot be said about those canvases on which vinyl is applied.
- Saving glue, because there is no need to process the back of the wallpaper, just apply it to the wall.
- If it is necessary to carry out repairs, it is enough to remove the upper decorative vinyl layer, and glue new canvases on the remaining base.
- Possibility of multiple staining, because This is a paintable wall paper.
However, non-woven wallpaper also has disadvantages. Let's describe them:
- The surface can be easily damaged even with blunt objects.
- Susceptible to dust build-up.
- Quite high cost. Experts do not advise buying cheap non-woven wallpaper, because such product may be of poor quality.
Glass wallpaper for pasting walls
The technology for the production of fiberglass is rather complicated, it uses environmentally friendly raw materials (quartz sand, dolomite, lime, soda). The main suppliers are Sweden and Germany. At the very beginning, special glass fibers are made, which are subsequently woven into yarn, from which canvases with beautiful patterns are formed. The width of the rolls is 1 meter, one roll can be pasted over 50 square meters of the wall surface.
In addition to environmental friendliness, fiberglass wallpaper stands out with a number of other advantages:
- Fire safety … The glass does not burn, so the wallpaper from it does not ignite, the only exceptions are those cases when they are glued using flammable glue.
- Electrical neutrality … The materials used in the production do not conduct current, therefore the walls do not accumulate a static discharge, do not serve as a storage for positive ions.
- Non-toxic … They do not emit substances that can cause allergies or otherwise harm health.
- Vapor permeability … Let the walls breathe.
- Water tightness … Do not get wet when exposed to moisture.
- Versatility … Glass fiber can be pasted over almost any surface, even not plastered brick, concrete, wood-based panels and other wooden surfaces, metal, gypsum board, used in any type of room to maintain a microclimate.
- Sustainability … This type of finish is not subject to destruction when microorganisms and chemicals get on it.
- Strength … The use of fiberglass wallpaper on drywall or foam gives these materials additional resistance to mechanical stress. After the adhesive solution has completely dried, fasteners can be screwed into the walls without fear, and there will be no shedding or cracks.
- Ability to paint … The glass sheet can be painted many times, changing the style of the room from time to time.
- Durability … Due to the strength characteristics and resistance to various substances, the service life of glass wallpaper is quite long.
The disadvantages are the following:
- With repeated painting, the fine structure and fine pattern are hidden under the layers of paint.
- During gluing, it is worth carefully covering the body and eyes from falling fragments that may form when cutting the canvas.
Textile wallpaper for walls
This type refers to wallpaper on a paper, non-woven or synthetic base, on which glue is applied, then a natural or combined fabric (cotton, linen, viscose, foam rubber, velor) is applied and dried in a special way (using infrared radiation).
Advantages of textile wallpaper: thermal insulation, noise absorption, lightfastness, environmental friendliness, fire safety, a wide range of colors. In this case, the room takes on a chic, exclusive look.
Some problems may arise depending on the base material. For example, textile wallpapers are rather difficult to glue, especially with a synthetic base, it is easiest to glue on a non-woven fabric. They require thorough impregnation.
Among other disadvantages of fabric wallpaper for walls, there are susceptibility to dust, intolerance to high humidity and high cost.
Lincrust for wall surface finishing
Lincrust is made on a paper or fabric base, which is covered with an ultra-thin layer of a solution of PVC, lonoxin mastic, wood flour, linseed oil and / or other fillers. High elasticity allows you to form a variety of patterns on the surface of the canvas. Previously, this material was called "wall linoleum".
The advantages of linkrust are chic appearance, durability, strength, wear resistance, a wide variety of relief forms, the possibility of painting with oil or water-based paints, the surface is not afraid of wet processing with the use of detergents, linseed oil does not allow microorganisms to multiply.
Disadvantages - rather laborious gluing technology, the process of work takes a lot of time, high cost.
Liquid wallpaper for wall application
Liquid wallpaper for walls is a decorative plaster that has a lot of advantages over rolled canvas. This type of topcoat does not contain sand; it is replaced by cellulose (a naturally occurring adhesive). In addition to cellulose, there are other components, for example, textile fibers, cotton.
Such formulations can be applied to concrete and drywall. They can be supplied in both liquid and powder form.
Advantages of liquid wallpaper:
- The ability to create both smooth and textured surfaces.
- Lack of seams, because the material is applied according to the plaster principle.
- When applying, you can use a roller, spatula, spray gun.
- They do not contain harmful substances, therefore, they are safe for human health.
- The ability to give wallpaper a variety of shades by using special paints.
The disadvantages include the high cost, which decreases every year, as well as the fact that they cannot be wet cleaned. The easiest way is to cut out the stained area and plaster it again with the remnants of the wallpaper. The latter can be considered to a greater extent even an advantage, because you do not have to completely change the coating.
Cork wall wallpaper
For wall decoration, cork is made in several ways. These are panels that are impregnated with wax (a rather expensive material), rolls (average price category of cork materials for walls), wallpaper. The main material from which cork wallpaper for walls is made is cork bark glued to a paper base. The cork layer is 1 mm thick veneer, the roll sizes are often 50 cm by 10 meters. The color can be natural or dyed.
This type of finish has many advantages: sound insulation, durability, fire resistance, water repellency, antibacterial properties, resistance to dirt, mechanical damage, cleaning with detergents, exposure to light that can lead to fading, lightfastness.
Cork wallpaper does not accumulate odors, dust, static electricity, and is able to maintain a stable indoor climate. In addition, one can note the presence of a large number of options for combining colors and textures within one room.
Cork wallpaper also has disadvantages, for example, high cost, susceptibility to the harmful effects of moisture, if the material is not treated with wax.
Wooden wallpaper for wall cladding
Wooden wall-paper for walls is made of paper (base) and veneer from precious wood (decorative coating). This type has the following positive properties and characteristics: eco-friendly material, hypoallergenic, has a chic look. It is a cheaper way to give the walls a noble image of wood. It is also used as an alternative to more expensive plastic panels with imitation of a wooden surface.
Several disadvantages of veneer wallpaper:
- Not suitable for rooms with high humidity.
- It is worth paying special attention to the layout of the picture so that the individual canvases are harmoniously connected at the joints.
- They are highly flammable.
- Photosensitive, the pattern will fade over time.
- Additional treatment with antiseptic and sunscreens is desirable.
- They are more expensive than ordinary paper wallpaper.
Self-adhesive wallpaper for wall mounting
Self-adhesive wallpaper for walls is especially popular. This type of wallpaper has an adhesive layer on the reverse side and is covered with a protective film. All this allows you to perform high-quality installation without the use of wallpaper glue and special devices (glue, roller). The repair process is greatly simplified, there is no dirt and debris. The decorative layer can be PVC (very thin), fabric or cork (these two varieties are the most durable, but not the cheapest).
Advantages of self-adhesive: durability, health safety, a wide range of colors, an average price category, increased moisture resistance, ease of maintenance. However, such wallpapers are not capable of hiding irregularities, they can easily break during operation.
Tips for choosing wallpaper for your walls
To choose the right wallpaper, consider the following guidelines:
- Wallpaper executed in one color, i.e. background, are a great solution in order to highlight furniture and objects of art located in the room, not to distract attention from them.
- A large drawing should be chosen with extreme caution in order to harmoniously fit them into the interior and not visually clog the general perception of the situation. In rooms with low ceilings and small sizes, it is not recommended to decorate the walls with sweeping patterns.
- Light colors of the wallpaper can visually increase the space.
- Always take into account the rapport on the roll material, the pattern of which must be matched at the joints.
- For rooms of irregular shape, it is better to choose plain canvas or wallpaper with a small pattern.
- The longitudinal drawing is able to visually increase the height of the room. Cross - to expand the space.
- For well-lit rooms, blue, gray, green shades are acceptable.
- Dark rooms need warm colors - light beige, lemon, golden.
- In the corridors, choose wallpaper with high wear-resistant properties.
- Living rooms can be decorated with canvases of any color scheme, texture, but it is better that it supports the general style of the room.
- It is better not to oversaturate bedrooms and children's rooms with drawings and bright aggressive colors, although bright kind drawings are appropriate in children's rooms.
- In a study or a room where there are schoolchildren and students, stick to a discreet style.
- Check the product carefully at the purchase stage. Rolls must be from the same batch, protected from damage by packaging, of the same thickness.
How to choose wallpaper for walls - watch the video:
[media = https://www.youtube.com/watch? v = FPtNae5EIpQ] The main characteristics of wallpaper described in the article will help you make the right choice among the variety of types of finishing coat for walls.
