The Difference in Wallpaper Types
When it comes to planning a wallpaper project, one question that should be highly considered is; What kind of wallpaper should I use? While many installers have their preferences, the fact is that many different kinds exist and thus should be well described in order for the purchaser to make the best decision according to their wants and needs.
The most common wallpaper that is used, and in our personal recommendation should be, is a traditional, pre-trimmed, non-woven wallpaper. A non-woven wallpaper means that the wallpaper pattern is printed onto the wallpaper and has no weaves. Weaves in wallpaper are what you would typically find in textured wallpapers. Pre-trimmed means that the wallpaper just butts up to each other and doesn’t have to have the sides trimmed on site, except where the wallpaper ends during the installation. Non-woven wallpaper is a very easy wallpaper to work with during installation, and generally provides a high quality finish. It will either be a “paste the paper” application or “paste the wall” application. In our experience, the best quality will come from a “paste the wall” application. This generally reduces the possibility of paper shrinkage which will hide seams better. It is also important to note that the busier the pattern is, the better it will hide the seams. When the wallpaper has a lot of blank space around the seams, it will sometimes emphasize the seams more.
Woven wallpapers are wallpapers that have been woven. This can be a few different materials commonly. Those are paper weave, wheat grass, or vinyl. These wallpapers are a little more challenging to work with because of their thickness and pattern obscurities (generally have no patterns). This typically makes the seams a little more noticeable than a non-woven would typically provide. These can come in trimmed and pre-trimmed options, but the quality of the seams can vary from paper to paper. Some options are designed to just butt up to each other, and look good. Sometimes a higher quality seam comes from overlapping the adjoining strips and cutting the seams on the wall. In either case, it requires a personal preference when using a woven wallpaper due to the textured look and feel. Woven wallpapers can normally cover wall defects better than a traditional, non-woven wallpaper because of their thickness and mild texture.
Textured Wallpapers can be different than woven wallpaper, but are typically equally as challenging (if not more). Textured wallpapers just mean that the wallpaper has a texture on it. This can mean so many different things, depending on the creativity of the wallpaper designer. This is one of the more rare wallpapers we generally install and should really be used in very specific spaces that will be more accepting of delicate walls. This isn’t because the paper itself isn’t durable, but rather the possibility of the textured substance being damaged. In general, you don’t want textured wallpapers to be untrimmed, except for woven wallpapers at times. Textured wallpapers can normally cover wall defects better than a traditional, non-woven wallpaper because of their thickness and texture.
The above wallpapers are generally what you will find in upper end homes and businesses. This is because they are considered more durable with a higher quality appearance. In addition to these options, however, are what we would view and mid-grade and lower grade options. These options are referred to as pre-pasted and peel-and-stick wallpapers.
Pre-pasted wallpapers have a dry powder coat on the back that activates into paste when it becomes wet with water. They are a lower thickness than traditional non-woven wallpaper, and tend to have issues with the edges curling. This makes it hard to get the seams to press down when installing. They are a much lower grade than those mentioned above, and do not typically pass the durability test for long term use. They are also generally not very wide, so they require a lot more strips than traditional wallpaper (meaning more seams and work). Pre-pasted should be considered only for short use on a wall, and generally small sections. It will typically start to curl back at the seams over time. The walls must be in excellent and smooth condition for this wallpaper. It should really only be purchased as a low budget option when the homeowner will be installing themselves.
Peel-and-Stick is printed on a vinyl sheet of paper and is much like the consistency of a sticker. It peels off of a wax backing and sticks directly to the wall. This absolutely should be considered short term as well for instances such as apartments or children’s bedrooms. It is important to note that it sometimes puts off a strong smell at first, like new plastic or a swimming pool. This may be undesired if it will be around a newborn child. Peel-and-Stick wallpaper has a lot of issues with adhering to the wall long term. It tends to bubble with wide swings in climate conditions, and many times completely fall off the wall randomly. For this reason, the walls must be in excellent and smooth condition for this wallpaper. It should really only be purchased as a low budget option when the homeowner will be installing themselves.
Please use this article for educational purposes only, based on our experience and opinion. Regardless of what decision you make when it comes to a wallpaper selection, Art Installer Pro would love to work with you to get your wallpaper professionally installed in your desired space. Though we most commonly service the upstate of South Carolina around the Greenville area, feel free to reach out to see if we would make the trip to your location. We hope this has given you more confidence in moving forward with your wallpaper project, and here is us sending positive vibes your direction in this endeavor.
