One of the quickest solutions to change the appearance of the decoration of a home , is to use wallpaper for walls (Also called wallpaper). It is cheap, easy to install, versatile and excellent for the decorative arts that's how simple!
Like decorative vinyl or painting walls, we can renovate the home spending little and with little effort placing a patterning . You can not ask for more even decorative wallcovering .
But, wallpaper has its tricks... Do you want to know the best? We explain everything in detail…
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To buy the best wallpaper , here is to differentiate two parts; the first is the finish surface or pattern that we see, and, second, the material of the base, that is, the face that is attached to the wall.
Why do we have to differentiate the just seen and the back of the sheet? Above all, for the quality of the material (washable, damp, odor-free, Sun, etc) and to make the installation much easier (More ahead there are some very didactic and useful summary tables).
Let's get to the point! Let's start with the print first... What types of decorative papers are there?
It is a wallpaper that can take one or two layers of paper of different thickness . An impression is applied to give color or shapes to the design. They are smooth to different shades colored or with a patterned surface with matt result, in most cases.
It is delicate to clean, not very washable, they act badly against humidity and are not recommended for areas of use (Example; corridors, stairs, children's rooms, kitchens, bathrooms). For bedrooms with wallpaper , it is a good option (Not for children's rooms).
You will find less and less of this range in stores, and, although they are the cheapest, manufacturers are stopping make them.
They are the most sold and resistant because they have a vinyl protective layer on its visible side. But… What does the vinyl layer provide?
| Properties provided by the layer of vinyl to the surface |
| Avoid humidity produced by the kitchen or bathroom, for example. |
| They are easily washable |
| Provides extra resistance to the leaves |
| Resists better if the sun's rays fall on you and they keep the color better |
| They provide from a small almost matt shine to a lot, according to model. |
Their surface is washable and that makes them the ideal choice for kitchens, bathrooms or places with a lot of use ; corridors, stairs, rooms with children, etc
Stains on the print are easily removed with a simple damp sponge or a soft cloth with neutral soap.
There is also foaming vinyl wallpaper (The base is thicker). It is ideal for walls that are very deteriorated, having relief on the back is perfect to hide defects in the facing.
The designs with mural relief are composed of an embossed paper base coated with a varnish or vinyl coating that makes it washable. Are recommended for the whole house, especially on walls with imperfections.
They are very useful when we have walls with imperfections or shabby, they cover it perfectly!
It is a wallpaper that has a paper base on which a woven material is applied . There they are made of synthetic fibers (polyvinyl) or natural materials by a filament of viscose, cotton, linen, silk, nylon or velvet.
The fibers provide a sensation of comfort, softness, natural colors, modern design and more naturalness to the mural with an organic appearance in the decoration.
Sometimes the base of wallpapers is replaced with acrylic or pellon material (non-woven fabric) to improve the acoustic and thermal insulation. On the face seen, its appearance and touch is that of a fabric: velvet, suede, silk, linen or cotton, depending on the composition.
Like any fabric, moisture is not your friend and it absorbs odors quickly. Due to the complexity of the manufacturing, the price of these textile sheets is high. There are even handmade ones.
Although they usually have an anti-stain treatment (On especially if they are synthetic), require more care and are more difficult to place. As a complement see article on decoration with fabrics.
They are wall coverings with an exposed surface in “white” that give the space a texture printed or smooth, and then we can paint over the color that we want.
Although we usually find them with flourishes, they also there is a smooth print in white, perfect for rooms childish. It's like having a big blackboard.
The contract mural is a wallpaper with special characteristics used in hotels, offices or luxury decoration . The compassion of the material contributes extras to the pattern such as; fire resistance, reduction of noise, thicker, high resistance, etc.
It is usually made of fiberglass made from quartz sand, limestone, dolomite and soda, and then weaves.
Highest quality in a modern design! He is the leader among all types of decorative paper for its resistance ; from fire, dust or products chemicals, and also does not cause allergic reactions, does not accumulates static electricity or emits harmful substances and toxic.
These prints can be installed on all surfaces; including concrete, brick, plaster, wood, metal and others.
Pay attention! … Due to the characteristics of the finishes that we have named (whether it has a vinyl layer or not). Some are better in humid rooms, are more resistant and they are easier to clean, so we have:
| Rooms of the house | Paper WITHOUT vinyl coating | Vinyl coated paper |
| Bedroom, rooms and office | YES | YES |
| Children's rooms | NO | YES |
| Living room | YES | YES |
| Corridor, hall and stairs | NO | YES |
| Bathroom | NO | YES |
| Kitchen | NO | YES |
For premises, offices and hotels in general, we will have to use the contract wallpaper where require special characteristics.
The kitchens with wallpaper and bathrooms, require that it have a vinyl coating. remember our article on modern kitchen designs and the one on kitchen models kitchens)
We now know more about the models of wallpapered . Something very important is missing: know your reverse! That will tell us how easy or difficult it is to put a wallpaper.
The basis of how a sheet is made (reverse) influences directly on how we will place it and if it is easier in put it. That is, it determines the way in which it sticks to the wall:
To make it a little clearer, we better see the following schema:
Note: There is also Pre-gluing (More hard to see). In this case, the base already has a "tail" of factory. Only the back is moistened before installation.
Wallpapering is a type of paper that is used in interior decoration , and therefore there is a important variety of models, patterns, motifs, colors, finished etc for all styles of the house!
| Motifs and styles in the paper models | |||
| Floral motifs | Tropical | Smooth | Geometric |
| Stripes | Brick imitation | Imitation wood | Imitation stone |
| Waves | Imitation animal skin | Imitation tiles | Childish |
| Architecture | Imitation concrete | Damascus | Stars |
| Bamboo | Animals | Cities | Landscapes |
There are many aesthetic finishes! contemporary design, vintage style or more modern, minimalist, Art Deco, with classic or more risky geometric drawings.
Practice a coherent wall decoration . Look for something that fits into the interior design of the home without being too loud, you'll appreciate it in time.
Tips! … One of the fastest ways to to see hundreds of wallpaper photos to catch modern ideas and designs, is through the social network from Pinterest. It has specialized boards with many images as we can see HERE. An example:
Sometimes we need a wallpaper special due to the characteristics of the place or the vertical facing. Among the most common that we can find:
| Wall paper with special features |
| Ecological |
| For professional use (The Contract) |
| Erasable or paintable |
| With high solar resistance (More paper for exterior or near windows) |
| Very washable |
| Make them murals (A complete image covers the entire septum) |
