What is better to choose wallpaper or paint for the walls?

When exactly should you choose a wallpaper?

When you are faced with a choice between wallpaper and wall painting, it is worth giving priority to the first option if:

• doing repairs in the "dry" area (nursery, bedroom, living room), plan to focus on complex design (prints, patterns);
• want to hide wall defects without complicated preparation, long leveling of walls with plaster and putty.

Wallpapering is the right solution if you are doing repairs yourself. You do not have to select or invent a shade and texture for a long time, and even an unprepared person will cope with the finishing process.

When choosing such a finishing material, pay attention to its appearance. Different wallpapers stand, look, serve and stick in different ways:

1. Paper wallpaper. Of the advantages - they do not emit harmful substances, they let air through. But they quickly fall into disrepair.
2. Non-woven. Eco-friendly, breathable, easy to stick and care. They do not tolerate high humidity.
3. Vinyl. Dense, masking, waterproof, non-fading. Hide all small, medium bumps. Dangerous when heated, due to excessive heat release toxic substances.

The type of wallpaper is especially important when you are deciding whether the wall surface will be smooth or textured, plain or lurid. In comparison with coloring, some will win, others will yield.

When is the best time to choose painting?

It is permissible to paint the walls in any of the rooms: many modern interiors do without wallpaper at all, and they do not lose the feeling of comfort. In some cases, this finish is really the most suitable:

• Search for "the same" shade. When you need a certain tone of green with a drop of blue and brown, looking for wallpaper is not an option. It's easier to find it in a huge palette of ready-made paint cans or order a computer tinting. Moreover, it is possible to choose not only a complex abstract tone, but also to repeat exactly the color “for something” - for example, under the same wallpaper that adorns the accent wall.
• Complex foundations. We are talking about the walls of a log house, lining, drywall and other surfaces of the house, which there is no desire to align. It will be more profitable to replace the color with a paint, brush, roller.
• Possibility of quick rework. Preparing walls for painting is a complicated and expensive process. But after it, it will take only a few hours to completely update the color of the walls. This is handy if you like permutations and are open to fresh ideas.
• The basis for artistic design. The paint on the wall doesn't have to be solid. Buy special stencils, create them yourself, or order decor from an artist to decorate the surface the way you want. Indeed, even among the ready-made prints on the wallpaper, it is not always possible to find the same one.

What is more expensive?

What kind of wall decoration, wallpaper or painting will cost a lot of money - it's hard to say. After all, an assortment for every taste and wallet is presented on the construction markets.

• The most economical option is paper wallpaper and water emulsion. They have an equally short service life (up to 3-5 years), it is impossible to care for both types of coating due to the fear of water.
• Middle price segment - non-woven fabrics, acrylic and latex mixtures. They last up to 10 years, maintenance is easier - but not all coatings are cleanable.
• The most expensive options are vinyl canvas, with silicone added to the paint composition. They are dense, mask surface imperfections, wash with water.

In general, the cost of the paint or wallpaper itself, as well as the additional costs for applying them, are about the same.

What's more practical?

Wall painting has one big flaw - the surface literally attracts dust. But this is overridden by simplified maintenance - it is enough to wash the walls with a damp cloth during cleaning.

On a plain base, stains and dirt are not just visible, they will be conspicuous - therefore, for this finish, choose washable wallpaper and compositions. Especially important for the hallway, nursery, kitchen.

Textured wallpaper with a small pattern makes small dirt almost invisible visually. This is an indisputable advantage of decorative canvases.

Life time

In the section "What is more expensive" we have already said that the higher the cost, the longer this finish will last - this applies to both wallpaper and dyes.

Paper will last 3-5 years, non-woven - 5-8, vinyl about 10, staining prolongs the life of the canvases twice.

Even the simplest water emulsion is designed for about 10 years, acrylic - 10-20, the silicone composition stays on the walls for 20 or more years. The most short-lived latex paint is 5-10 years.

Burnout

What is more practical than wallpaper or painting a wall in a sunlit room is difficult to answer. If you save money, then both categories are afraid of ultraviolet radiation - they will fade, lose their original gloss.

Tip: Painting or pasting with more expensive modern materials guarantees color retention for the entire service life.

Resistance to mechanical stress

Sharp objects, pet claws, awkward movements of family members are fatal for any type of wallpaper. They are easily scratched, deteriorate, and the entire canvas will have to be replaced due to damage.

The painting is more stable and reliable, after 48-72 hours after application, the composition is completely covered with a protective film - so even your beloved animal with sharp claws will not be easy to harm. And if this did happen and the coating is damaged, it is enough to putty and touch up the place of the chip.

What material is cheaper to install?

Repair of any complexity can be done independently, or you can entrust it to professionals.

With wallpapering it is easier: remove large pits or bulges, prime, glue. A professional team, of course, will do everything efficiently: the seams will be invisible, the pattern will be adjusted. But it will require about 120 rubles per square meter for carrying out these actions (prices depend on the city of residence).

The painting itself does not require special skills, but before that, the walls must be made perfectly even. This is time consuming and can create many problems. In order not to be disappointed with the result, contact a specialist for quality. The price of preparation for 1m2 starts from 400 rubles, painting - 140 rubles.

What is more difficult to remove from the walls?

When deciding on wallpaper or wall painting, consider the following renovation: You will have to remove the old coating before applying the new one.

The easiest way is to get rid of the wallpaper: it is enough to wet the paper, leave it for 5-10 minutes and remove it without residue. Non-woven and vinyl are of two types: some can be easily removed without a trace, others are also easily removed, but provided that the dismantling is carried out correctly, they leave a thin base - the following canvases can be glued to it without preparation.

With painting it is different - if you plan to re-paint, you can not remove a high-quality coating at all. After washing and preparing the wall, apply a new color, a new layer.If the paint begins to recede, cracks appear - it will not work without dismantling. We'll have to try to remove it. For this, solvents, skins, construction tools and other technologies are used. The process is very long and labor intensive.

What is more environmentally friendly?

When creating both finishes, manufacturers use environmentally friendly components and conduct more than one research before launching a line. Therefore, a purchased can of dye or a roll of wallpaper will not harm the health of children and adults.

The only exception is vinyl wallpaper, at high temperatures (fire) they release harmful substances into the air.

Which finish is more fireproof?

Of course, paper burns best - so it may seem that wallpaper loses in this comparison. However, the chemicals in most paints are also flammable - so there is no difference in the event of a fire.

Fiberglass and silicate paints and varnishes are considered fire-resistant, they are really safer.

Which is better waterproof?

Acrylic, latex, silicone paints are not afraid of moisture, therefore they are suitable for "wet" areas - kitchen, bathroom, toilet.

Paper and non-woven wallpapers are hydrophobic, they cannot be wetted, used in high humidity conditions. Vinyl, thanks to a special moisture-proof coating, do not allow water to pass through, not inferior in characteristics to paints.

Variety of design

You can evaluate the appearance from different angles:

1. Paints have a wider choice of colors and shades; in many stores, the function of computer tinting of a white base is available - therefore, in a monochromatic comparison, paints and varnishes are in the lead.
2. The wallpaper has a lot of ready-made design options - a small repeating print, a large rapport, ready-made paintings. You just have to choose the right one and stick it on the wall.
3. With paint and stencils, you can easily create your own pattern, and your artistic talent will allow you to create a real work of art. Custom design is fashionable.

comparison table

The decision to paint the walls or glue the wallpaper is up to everyone. Determine what properties you want to get, how much time, effort and money you are willing to spend. To make it easier for you, look at the table of pros and cons of each finishing method.

When planning renovation work, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each material - there is no single ideal recipe for everyone, choose the most suitable method for each room.