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Painted paper
One of the quickest solutions to change the appearance of the decoration of a house, is to use painted paper for wall (Also called wallpaper). It's cheap, easy to install, versatile, and great for decorative arts It's that simple!
Like decorative vinyl or painting walls, we can renovate the home spending little and with little effort by placing a print. Can't ask for more yet decorative wallcovering.
But wallpaper It has its tricks … Do you want to know the best? We explain everything to you in detail …
It is important to know the type of wallpaper we buy. It will be easier to install, it will last us longer and we will save money
Types of wallpaper
To buy the best wall paper, here we have to differentiate two parts; the first is the surface finish or pattern that we see, and the second is the base material, that is, the face that is attached to the wall.
Why do we have to differentiate between the just seen and the back of the sheet? Above all, due to the quality of the material (washable, damp, odorless, in the sun, etc.) and to make installation much easier (There are some very educational and useful summary tables below).
Let's get on with it! We start with the print first … What types of decorative papers are there?
1.- Non-vinyl wallpaper
Is a wallpaper that can carry one or two layers of paper of different thickness. An impression is applied to give color or shapes to the design. They are smooth in different shades of colors or with a patterned surface with a matte 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 wallpaperIt is a good option (Not for children's rooms).
Of this range, you will find less and less in stores, and, although they are the cheapest, manufacturers are stopping making them.
2.- Vinyl wallpaper
Are the best-selling and resistant because they have a protective vinyl layer in your face view. But… What does the vinyl layer contribute?
| Properties that the vinyl layer brings to the surface |
| Avoid humidity produced by the kitchen or bathroom, for example. |
| They are easily washable |
| Provides extra resistance to the leaves |
| It resists better if the rays of the Sun fall and it maintains the color better |
| They provide from a small almost matte shine to a lot, depending on the model. |
His 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 mild 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 for hiding defects in the facing.
3.- Textured or embossed vinyl wallpaper
Designs with wall relief are composed of an embossed paper base coated with a varnish or vinyl coating which makes it washable. They are recommended for the whole house, especially on walls with imperfections.
Is a patterned paper to provide a design with relief: geometric or some basic drawing. Composed of a paper base - to give relief - covered with a varnish or vinyl layer (Provides resistance to humidity, ease of washing, etc).
They are very useful when we have walls with imperfections or in poor condition, they cover it perfectly!
4.- Textile wallpaper:
Is a tapestry that has a paper base on which a woven material is applied. There are made of synthetic (polyvinyl) or natural fibers by a filament of viscose, cotton, linen, silk, nylon or velvet.
The fibers provide a feeling of comfort, softness, natural colors, modern design and more naturalness to the mural with an organic appearance in the decoration.
Sometimes the base of the wallpapers is replaced by acrylic or fleece material (non-woven fabric) to improve acoustic and thermal insulation. On the exposed side, it looks and feels like a fabric: velvet, suede, silk, linen or cotton, depending on the composition.
Like any fabric, moisture is not your friend and it quickly absorbs odors. Due to the complexity of the manufacture, the price of these textile sheets is high. There are even artisanal ones.
Textile wallpaper does not resist humidity very well, especially if they are natural fibers. So watch out for the kitchen and bathroom.
Although they usually have an anti-stain treatment (especially if they are synthetic), they require more care and are more difficult to install. As a complement see article on decoration with fabrics.
5.- Paintable wallpapers
Are wallcovering with a visible 'white' surface that give the space a patterned or smooth texture, and then we can paint on top of the color we want.
Although we usually find them with flourishes, there are also plain white prints, perfect for children's rooms. It's like having a big blackboard.
6.- Wallpaper for contract space
The contract mural is a wallpaper with special characteristics used in hotels, offices or luxury decoration. The compassion of the material brings extras to the pattern such as; fire resistance, noise reduction, thicker, high strength, etc.
It is usually made up of fiberglass made from quartz sand, limestone, dolomite and soda, and then woven.
Top quality in a modern design! Is he leader among all types of decorative paper for its resistance; from fire, dust or chemicals, and also does not cause allergic reactions, does not accumulate static electricity or emit harmful and toxic substances.
These prints can be installed on all surfaces; including concrete, brick, plaster, wood, metal, and others.
Pay attention!… Because of the characteristics of the finishes that we have named (If it has a vinyl layer or not). Some are better in humid rooms, they are more resistant and are easier to clean, so we have:
| Housing stays | 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 special characteristics are required.
Wallpapers that have a vinyl layer are more protected for use and are easy to clean
The kitchens with wallpaper and bathrooms, require it to have a vinyl coating. Remember our article on modern kitchen designs and kitchen models)
We already know something more about wallpaper patterns. Something very important is missing: know its reverse! That will tell us how easy or difficult it is to put a wallpaper.
Wallpapers according to their installation method (Base)
The basis of how a sheet is made (reverse) directly affects how we will place it and if it is easier to put it on. That is, it determines the way it sticks to the wall:
- Paper-based sheet: You need to glue the wall and the base for a proper grip.
- Sheet with non-woven fabric base TNT - No Women: You only need to glue the wall. Much more comfortable installation!
- Self-adhesive foil: The base already has its own adhesive (Like a sticker).
To make it a little clearer, we better see the following scheme:
Note: There is also the Pre-glued (More difficult to see). In this case, the base already has a "tail" from the factory. Only the back is moistened before installation.
Motives, ideas and special features
The Wallpaper is a type of paper that is used in interior decoration, and, therefore, there is an important variety of models, patterns, motifs, colors, finish, etc. For all styles of the house!
| Motifs and styles in paper models | |||
| Floral motifs | Tropical | Smooth | Geometric |
| Stripes | Brick imitation | Wood imitation | Imitation stone |
| Waves | Imitation animal skin | Imitation tiles | Childish |
| Architecture | Imitation cement | Damascus | Stars |
| Bamboo | Animals | Cities | Scenery |
There are many aesthetic finishes! Contemporary design, vintage or more modern style, minimalist, Art Deco, with classic or riskier geometric designs.
Practice a wall decoration coherent. Look for something that fits in the interior design of the home without being too strident, you will appreciate it in time.
Advice!… One of the fastest ways to view hundreds of wallpaper photos To get ideas and modern designs, it is through the Pinterest social network. It has as specialized boards with many images as we can see HERE. An example:
Sometimes we need a special wallpaper by the characteristics of the place or the vertical facing. Among the most common that we can find:
| Hanging paper with special features |
| Ecological |
| For professional use (The Contract) |
| Erasable or paintable |
| With high solar resistance (More paper for outside or near windows) |
| Very washable |
| Let them be murals (A complete image covers the entire partition) |
| High grammage |
| Special to cover imperfections |
| With special patterned surfaces (For example, handcrafted textiles) |
Also of interest is our article on types of paint and their effects. Very useful to give a radical change to the interior of the house.
Now for the good stuff! The «Money»…. How much?
Wallpaper price
First we have to understand that, depending on the store, offer us wallpaper prices per square meter (m2) or roll pay attention! To be able to compare amounts.
Second, the rolls have standard measurements; with a length of 10 meters, and a width of 0.53 m, 0.70 and 1.00 meter.
Bearing in mind the aforementioned, for rolls of width 0.53 m, it covers an area of 5.3 m2 … How much does wallpaper cost?
| Average price of wallpaper per roll | |
| Traditional painted wall paper | 12 Euros up to 25 Euros |
| Decorative vinyl papers | 20 Euros up to 35 Euros |
| Textured or embossed wallpaper | 30 Euros up to 50 Euros |
| Decorative textile papers: | 30 Euros up to 100 Euros |
| Paintable wallpapers | 20 Euros up to 30 Euros |
| Wallpaper for contract space | Price according to needs |
Obviously it is only an approximation. We have already seen that there are important differences between some prints and others, as well as more complex surface finishes that increase their value.
But… What brands are the most recognized in quality? There's a lot. As an example of quality and best manufacturers; AS Creation, My Look, Coordinate Y Three Inks (Spanish), Eijffinger, Rebel Walls, Sandberg, Elitis and many others that you can see from HERE (You can also take some ideas).
You have to compare prices. We not only have leroy merlin wallpaper, Bauhaus, Zara Home, English court, etc. There are many specialized companies that have direct sales, with a consistent cost that launch interesting offers. Plus they know what they're doing!
Also online we can quickly compare prices that appear on Amazon or search for brands to verify the sale price.
If you do the following, you will be successful in the purchase!
How to choose the right wallpaper
We have already seen many features, but not about how to choose the right wallpaper for our house.
1.- What style of decorative paper do we want for the house?
We point out some useful tips to improve the choice according to the decoration of our home:
- Make rooms appear larger: Use light tones.
- Make rooms look smaller: Use dark tones.
- Make rooms seem more welcoming: Use warm colors.
- Make rooms appear longer: Use linear patterns or motifs that form drawings in horizontal stripes (It also serves to reduce the feeling of very high ceilings).
- Make rooms appear shorter: Use linear patterns or motifs that form drawings in vertical stripes (It also serves to reduce the feeling of low ceilings).
- For room separation: Combine light tones with dark colors or with different patterns.
2.- What surface of the house we are going to cover
In this case the best ally will be the subway. To measure the width and height of the rooms, it is not necessary to explain much more! But… If this is your first time wallpapering, please try on a small partition first and, if you like it, you will already paper more wall.
4.- How much material do we need?
The simplest way to see it is with the following infographic that we have mounted on how wallpaper is calculated:
Sometimes it is spoken of the racor del papel (Also called rapport or case). It is the measure of paper that is lost to match a geometric pattern or drawing.
In the case explained in the previous image, we already shot high, but … Warning! It is always worth more than on paper to fall short.
Warning! It is always worth more than on paper to fall short
Also, if we have any accident or damage to the paper, we already have it at home.
5.- Compare prices in stores
We have already discussed it before. you have to compare prices. We have verified that there are important differences from one store to another.
Here there is no other than to search from the Internet, to department stores or neighborhood stores. Of course, specialty stores are the best option!
6.- Check the labeling of the wallpaper
We are always in a hurry. We come to the store, we like the wallpaper and we buy it. But when we got home, disgust! By looking at the instructions.
The label of the wallpaper is mandatory to look at before your purchase
The manufacturer embodies the essential characteristics of the wallcovering on the label; From how to install or remove it, to how it is put on or if it is washable or not, it is very important! In summary mode we have:
Summary video
The following video explains very well the types of wallpaper that are on the market and what must be taken into account for their placement and installation. It's the best YouTube video …
As we have seen, there is a wide range of models of indoor wallpaper with multiple features. To all these conditions, we must add another, of an economic nature: wallpapering a partition is undoubtedly the best way to redecorate a home on a low budget.
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