How to choose wallpaper for an apartment. Understanding the nuances

Pasting walls with wallpaper to this day remains the most popular and demanded option for renovation work indoors. Relative simplicity and cheapness, practicality and beautiful appearance – the advantages of wallpaper are great. And given the fact that technologies do not stand still, and traditional paper wallpaper has been replaced by options from modern materials, the choice in favor of this option becomes logical and obvious. In the end, if the design of the room at some point gets bored and wants something new, the wallpaper can be re-glued in a matter of hours!

The best wallpaper manufacturers – which company to choose

In our time, wallpaper is produced by almost every first manufacturer of printed materials and printed products. However, not all of them can be recommended for purchase. Preference should be given to those brands that have been on the market for a long time, bring regular innovations and constantly expand the range of products:

1. Arthouse;

2. Marburg Wallcovering;

3. Casadeco;

4. Eco;

Despite the fact that well-known European manufacturers are the trendsetter in the production of these products, you can find attractive options in the catalogs of domestic manufacturers. All that is needed is to study the catalogs of their products, as well as familiarize themselves with customer reviews.

Types of wallpaper

Currently on sale you can find a large number of different types of wallpaper, differing in manufacturing technology and, as a result, in operational characteristics.

Paper wallpaper

The most famous and widespread type of wallpaper. Modern paper models have gone far enough from their 'grandfather' counterparts, they provide a pleasant texture, high density of materials and a variety of colors and textures. Currently, multi-layer paper wallpapers are popular, which provide the ability to level the walls and are highly environmentally friendly.

Advantages

• High quality workmanship;

• Environmental friendliness;

• Low cost;

• A huge variety of models and colors;

• Natural colors, crisp printing;

disadvantages

• Minimum resistance to moisture;

• Burn out in the light;

Vinyl wallpapers

The most popular type of wallpaper at the present time. It is based on a PVC 'sandwich' which is fixed on a paper backing. As a result of this arrangement of materials, the manufacturer received, firstly, the ability to apply any pattern and texture, and, secondly, exceptional tensile strength and resistance to mechanical stress. Such wallpapers are unpretentious in operation, resistant to sunlight, and also easy to wash.

Advantages

• Strong and durable;

• Huge variety of directories;

• Resistant to moisture – wash without problems;

• Resistant to mechanical stress;

disadvantages

• Quite high cost;

• Weak breathability;

Non-woven wallpaper

A perfect compromise between vinyl and regular paper wallpaper. These models are also based on a pressed paper and PVC sandwich, but the proportions here are somewhat different: up to 75-80% paper and only 20-25% vinyl. Together with the use of a special manufacturing technology, the output is an excellent combination of wear resistance, resistance to mechanical damage, moisture and direct sunlight, as well as high environmental friendliness.

Advantages

• A huge variety of models, colors and shades;

• Ease of pasting;

• Long service life;

• They are not afraid of exposure to moisture and direct sunlight;

• Excellent performance characteristics;

disadvantages

• High price;

• Violation of the protective coating makes the wallpaper unstable to moisture;

Fiberglass wallpaper

A very interesting type of wallpaper that is great for creative people who value individuality in everything. They are made on a paper or non-woven base and have special reinforcing fibers in their design. The original color of the material is white, and the final appearance depends solely on your wishes, since such wallpapers are intended for painting.

Advantages

• High environmental friendliness;

• Allow multiple repainting;

• Easy to stick – do not require drawing and joints;

• Resistance to mechanical damage;

disadvantages

• When cutting, fiberglass gives off pieces of glass, like glass wool;

Fabric wallpaper

The basis for such models is also paper or non-woven, but the outer layer is radically different. It is made of a thin layer of natural fabric, which organically fits into the interior of the room, emphasizes the good taste of the owner and makes the overall concept of the room complete and incredibly cozy.

Advantages

• Environmental friendliness;

• Easy to glue, unpretentious in operation;

• Can be painted or varnished;

• High breathability;

• Natural appearance;

disadvantages

• Very gentle to mechanical stress;

• Very expensive;

• Do not allow cleaning and washing;

Wallpaper selection options

When choosing wallpaper for a residential building, you need to pay attention to the following key features.

Abrasion resistance and resistance to moisture and direct sunlight

It means the ability of wallpaper to withstand mechanical stress, as well as moisture and temperature extremes. This parameter is especially important when choosing kitchen wallpaper, where all three factors can act simultaneously. According to the degree of resistance to moisture, all wallpapers are divided into three general groups:

1. Waterproof wallpaper that can be easily wiped off with a damp cloth;

2. Washable – allows you to clean the wall with a wet cloth or damp brush;

3. Super washable – remove almost all restrictions on washing and cleaning wallpaper;

Wallpaper also differs in the degree of resistance to direct sunlight. For maximum clarity, it is displayed as a sun symbol. So, the half of the symbol denotes a satisfactory, mediocre stability. If two symbols are drawn on the package, the wallpaper has maximum protection against ultraviolet radiation, does not fade and does not lose its properties over time.

Texture and relief

On sale you can find both ordinary, 'flat' wallpapers, and their embossed counterparts, which have a realistic appearance and texture felt to the touch. The advantage of this texture, without a doubt, is an attractive design, and the disadvantages include whimsical cleaning and the ability to accumulate dust.

Pattern type

The easiest to stick are monochromatic models that do not have a pronounced pattern. They are glued without fit and do not cause unnecessary trouble. Multi-tone wallpaper or models with illustrations are much more complicated. They require a perfect fit, which is a very laborious operation. In addition, the number of wallpaper scraps in such a situation increases significantly.

Roll geometrical dimensions

When choosing wallpaper, you should pay attention to both the width of the roll and the total length. The width of most wallpaper manufacturers is standardized – 53, 70 and 105 millimeters. The length can vary quite a lot – from 10 to 30 meters.

What wallpaper to choose for different rooms

1. Wallpaper for the kitchen must fully fit into the interior of the room, as well as withstand mechanical stress and be resistant to ultraviolet light and moisture. The best option in such a situation is super-washable wallpaper on a non-woven or vinyl base. High-quality moisture-resistant wallpaper for painting is also suitable.

2. Wallpaper for the hallway should be as aesthetic and stylish as possible – it is they who 'greet' the guests entering the house. Non-woven wallpaper or PVC models are suitable, attention should be paid to mechanical resistance, but moisture resistance and protection to UV rays is a secondary matter. Silk-screen printing, as well as fabric wallpaper;

3. Wallpaper in the bedroom and nursery, in view of the special functionality of the room, should, first of all, be as environmentally friendly as possible. Secondly, bright, provocative colors should be avoided, the choice should be made in favor of soft, pastel colors. High-quality paper or non-woven wallpaper is the best choice, modern fabric or eco-wallpaper is also suitable;

How much does wallpaper cost?

1. Inexpensive paper wallpaper, depending on the quality of manufacture and production method, will cost around 200-400 rubles per roll. Models from well-known European manufacturers will be more expensive, about 300-600 rubles;

2. Vinyl and PVC models will cost more: depending on the brand and the specific model, their price tag starts at 800-1000 and ends at 5-7 thousand rubles;

3. Non-woven wallpaper popular among buyers costs about 3-5 thousand rubles per roll;

4. Fabric wallpaper is rightfully considered one of the most expensive. The price tag for such models can start from 1-2 thousand rubles and often reaches 20-25 thousand for elite models.

In the following articles, our experts will tell you how to choose a bimetallic radiator and the secrets of choosing wallpaper for the bedroom and kitchen.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.