How to choose the right wallpaper?

Types of wallpaper, their pros and cons

There is a huge variety of materials used to make wallpaper, but I will tell you about the 5 main ones:

Paper

Vinyl

Non-woven

Textiles

Glass fiber wallpaper

1. Paper

There are two types of paper wallpaper and they are divided into:

Single-layer

Double-layer

The advantages of paper wallpaper include:

Their low price and environmental friendliness make them suitable for use in children's rooms, but that's where the advantages of paper wallpaper end.

The disadvantages of paper wallpaper include:

When drying, paper wallpaper on the wall may shrink and the seams between the wallpaper may come apart.

Paper wallpapers cannot be called durable because they are easily damaged, they cannot be washed if dirty, and the pattern of paper wallpapers can quickly fade when exposed to direct sunlight. Paper wallpapers are mainly used on a small budget or in apartments for rent, although this solution is not very suitable for wear-resistant repairs.

Also, when gluing paper wallpaper, it is necessary to apply glue not only to the wallpaper itself, but also to the surface of the wall, which in turn increases the consumption of glue

2. Vinyl

Vinyl wallpaper can be considered the opposite of paper wallpaper, as the advantages of this type of wallpaper include:

Easy to apply, longer lifespan due to its protective properties, vinyl wallpaper can be washed to remove dirt, but don't overdo it.

Also, the coating of vinyl wallpaper is more resistant to fading in the sun, so this type of wallpaper is the most popular.

The disadvantages of vinyl wallpaper include:

Vinyl wallpaper is more expensive than paper, and it's not as environmentally friendly. Therefore, if using only eco-friendly materials in your apartment is important to you, this type of wallpaper may not be right for you.

About mold

There's a common misconception that mold can form behind vinyl wallpaper because it doesn't "breathe." In fact, such cases do occur, but they're extremely rare. Wallpaper adhesive isn't applied in a concentrated form; it's diluted with 5 to 7 liters of water per package. If vinyl wallpaper weren't porous, the water would have nowhere to go. And yes, in that case, the risk of mold would be high.

For mold to form, it is necessary:

We need the neighbor who lives above us to flood us.

It is desirable that this be done during the cold season when the room is ventilated less frequently than in the summer.

Another condition for mold formation is flooding a dark room, such as a pantry, so that direct sunlight does not penetrate into the room.

In all other cases, mold formation is practically impossible, so there is no need to be afraid to use vinyl wallpaper.

3. Non-woven

Many people confuse non-woven wallpaper with vinyl wallpaper, as they are really difficult to distinguish from each other in appearance. Therefore, to help you avoid making a mistake when choosing wallpaper, I will briefly explain the difference.

Composition of vinyl wallpaper:

Polyvinyl chloride face

The bottom layer (base) is paper or non-woven fabric.

Composition of non-woven wallpaper:

Cellulose (produced from wood processing)

Stabilization polymers

Vinyl wallpaper with a non-woven backing is also common on the market, which is why many people confuse the two types. In short, vinyl wallpaper is made of PVC, while non-woven wallpaper is made of cellulose.

4. Textiles

Textile wallpapers contain natural materials, so this type of wallpaper is pleasant to the touch.

The advantages of textile wallpaper include:

Such wallpapers look visually expensive, but a lot depends on the pattern applied to the front surface.

The disadvantages of textile wallpaper include:

The very high cost of not only the wallpaper itself, but also the high cost of the work involved in gluing this type of wallpaper

To make sure that the interior of an apartment with textile wallpaper doesn't look tasteless and at the same time isn't too expensive, it's not necessary to use it on all the walls of the room, but it's enough to use it as a decoration, for example, behind the headboard of the bed.

Below I've attached a bedroom interior with a large botanical print behind the headboard.

I also often hear that wallpaper is out of fashion and that modern interiors should only use paint on the walls. In fact, properly chosen wallpaper, applied in the right place, can look more expensive than paint, so it's hard to say whether wallpaper is good or bad.

Moreover, I do not recommend painting walls in newly completed buildings, as shrinkage of the building is inevitable and there is a high probability of cracks forming on the walls.

5. Glass wallpaper

The advantages of glass fiber wallpaper include:

High wear resistance, sometimes even too much