I would like the updated interior to be beautiful and remain unchanged for as long as possible. Therefore, it is important to choose a practical, durable design, among the most popular finishing options: wallpaper or wall painting, which is better - we'll figure it out today. We will also tell you which rooms the decor is suitable for, where it is better not to use it.

Pros and cons wallpapers and images

Gone are the days when only paper strips were glued to the walls. The material could be more or less dense, but in any case it was just paper, which quickly deteriorated. Modern coatings are made differently. In most cases, these are two sometimes three-layer canvases, where decorative, protective layers are applied to the base. The properties of the decor depend on the materials used in its manufacture.

Paper

Dense, breathable, environmentally friendly. They are able to mask small defects in the base. They deteriorate under the influence of moisture, fragile, short-lived. Cannot be used for wet rooms.

Non-woven

Eco-friendly, plastic, easy to stick, remove. Mask minor surface imperfections. , dampen the sound well. They do not like moisture, they cannot be washed. The material is transparent, stains on the base will be visible.

Vinyl

Very durable, hide any irregularities, water-resistant, UV-resistant. Durable, available in a variety of designs. They cannot be considered completely safe. When heated and burned, they release toxic substances.

Fiberglass

Durable, moisture resistant, non-toxic. Can be washed with a stiff brush. Therefore, they are glued in the kitchen, behind the batteries, etc. Serves up to 30 years. Used only for painting, poorly removed from the base.

Wallpaper panels vary greatly. This must be taken into account when choosing which is better:. Embossed vinyl will not lose its properties and attractive appearance for more than a decade. Whereas ordinary paper, even thick paper with water-repellent protection, will not last long. Much depends on the correct choice of material.

So, in the bathroom, where high humidity is constantly present, it is impossible to glue paper or non-woven fabric. They will deteriorate very quickly. Fiberglass, on the other hand, will last a long time. It is possible to use hot-stamped vinyl, but it is still desirable to finish the "wet" areas with tiles or something similar. Despite the variety of wallpapers, they have common merits.

Wallpaper benefits

• ... It is especially easy to work with interlining, which does not need to be lubricated with glue.
• A large selection of various textures, colors.
• The ability to hide small, and in the case of vinyl, significant defects in the base.
• Embossed or smooth surface pleasant to the touch.

disadvantages

Of the common shortcomings, we note the difficulties with dismantling the panels. Some types of decor are difficult to remove. Most are sensitive to mechanical damage, moisture. Only fiberglass can be fully washed. It is rather difficult to repair a damaged surface. The area where you had to remove the damaged fragment, and then stick a new one, is almost impossible to make invisible.

Paint: pros and cons

They have long ceased to be associated with government agencies, hospitals, and other unpleasant places. This design technique is used in many spectacular interior solutions. A variety of coloring compositions allows you to obtain a decor with the desired properties. Several types are used for.

Water-based preparations

Easy to apply, dry quickly. A wide range of colors, there are textured means that partially cover the defects of the base. Under the influence of moisture, with direct contact with liquid, the coating quickly deteriorates.

Water-dispersed

They form coatings that are moisture-proof, vapor-permeable, resistant to mechanical damage. Can be applied in rooms with high humidity. Only white and black mix is ​​available. The desired shade is obtained by tinting. At low temperatures, the paint deteriorates.

Acrylic

They are made on the basis of acrylic resins. The resulting dyeing film is elastic and durable. It is water-repellent, resistant to UV radiation, protects metal from corrosion. A significant disadvantage is the high price.

Latex

Latex added. After drying, a practical water-repellent coating forms, partially masking surface imperfections. It is easy to apply, dries quickly, and can be used on smooth and embossed substrates.

Silicone

They have the best hiding power of all, close fairly significant defects. Form a dense elastic film that repels liquid. Washable, versatile in use.

This is only a part. Their choice is even wider. Let's list the advantages common to all.

Benefits of paints

• Ease of application, repair work will be performed by every novice master.
• Maintainability. The damaged fragment is easy to paint again.
• Most of the compositions are moisture resistant, resistant to mechanical damage.
• A wide range of decorative materials.

disadvantages

You can paint. This is the main disadvantage of the technique. Surfaces with defects will have to be leveled before painting, it is laborious and costly.

We compare the complexity of installation

One of the significant selection criteria is simplicity, ease of application of decoration. Let's figure out which is easier to paint or glue.

Surface preparation

Wallpaper also requires an even base. Cracks, dents and bumps will not be completely covered by the finish. The only exception is foamed vinyl. The embossed soft fabric hides flaws. In other cases, preparatory work will be required. In the "full cycle" they are carried out in several stages.

1. ... The worn-out design is deleted. Not a single fragment should remain. Everything is neatly removed and cleaned.
2. Leveling the base. It is necessary to determine the degree of curvature of the planes. Depending on the result, a decision is made on the degree of complexity of the upcoming work. With slight curvatures, the base is only putty. Blocked walls must be leveled. If the plane leaves more than 50 mm, drywall is used. In other cases, they are leveled with plaster.
3. Application. It will cover the remaining small irregularities. After drying, the material is sanded. It turns out a white, absolutely flat surface.
4. ... A primer is needed to improve the adhesion of the substrate and design, to solve some special problems. For example, a solution with an antiseptic or fungicide will prevent in wet rooms.

Main works

A well-prepared base is a guarantee of the quality of a new finish. Gluing canvases is quite simple. The material is cut into strips of the desired size. If adjustment of the pattern is required, this is taken into account when cutting. You need to choose glue and glue the panels exactly according to the manufacturer's instructions. Every decor requires the right approach. For example, non-woven fabric is laid on a base greased with glue. Thick vinyl is slightly soaked with an adhesive mixture, only then applied to the wall treated with it.

Coloring compositions are applied to the surface with a roller or brush. It depends on the consistency of the liquid mixture. To get a good result, it is important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. He explains how the agent can be diluted, how thick it should be, etc. If you plan to apply several layers, the previous one must be allowed to dry completely.

After all these works, the walls are ready for further finishing. It doesn't matter if it is supposed to paint or glue the wallpaper, only in this way you can get a prepared base. If it was initially relatively flat, some of the operations are skipped. But puttying, priming are required in any case.

Which is cheaper: paint the walls or wallpaper

It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. The cost consists of the price of the material, the cost of preparatory work, painting or gluing. Preparation in both cases is approximately the same, therefore, its price is also the same. The cost of the main work is also comparable. There can be a significant difference in the price of the decor.

Much depends on its quality. Only paper sheets and water emulsion can be bought cheaply. They will not last long. Expensive decoration is more durable. On average, the costs for materials of the same price category are approximately the same in both cases. This is provided that the canvases do not require adjustment. If it is needed, then spending increases. It's safe to say that the final price of both types of decor is about the same.

conclusions

Let's summarize and find out which finish is better:

• Their operational characteristics are about the same. Among the varieties of decor, there is moisture resistant, durable, environmentally friendly, etc.
• The complexity of installation is also similar. The preparation of the base for both finishes is the same. The decal process is perhaps a little more difficult than painting. Work skills are desirable in both cases.
• The cost varies greatly, depending on the chosen decor. If we compare the prices for the services of craftsmen, then painting on average will be slightly cheaper.

Choosing or painting the walls is not that difficult. Both options are good, quite affordable. In any case, there are many design options, among them you can easily find the one that you like the most.

• Prepared by: Inna Yasinovskaya

Despite the large selection of a wide variety of wallpapers of this type, many still wonder which paintable wallpaper is better. The choice of wallpaper for the walls is a subjective matter, but you will have to build on not only your own preferences, but also on the parameters of the room, the conditions that are typical for it, as well as the interior design.

Today, when harmonious wall decoration is available to everyone, difficulties with design no longer frighten even beginners. All paintable wallpapers look stylish and impressive even with a smooth surface without patterned inserts. But the quality of such materials is a more important issue, so let's dwell on it in more detail by examining photos and reviews about wallpaper for painting.

How to choose wallpaper for painting?

Not all wallpapers can withstand the dyeing process: as a result, their quality and appearance suffer. You can repaint only a few types of wallpaper, and if you do not want to correct the mistakes of such experiments, immediately give preference to proven branded wallpapers with appropriate properties.

Advice: Not sure if the wallpaper you like can be recolored? Contact consultants or pay attention to the labeling: as a rule, the possibility of repainting is taken into account in the instructions or on the packaging.

In order to find out which paintable wallpaper is best to use, consider the following factors:

• the size of the room. Not all wallpapers of this type can harmoniously fit into a cramped interior. Do not forget that the volumetric texture helps to reduce the space, just like the dark colors chosen for the design of such coatings;
• the nature of the lighting. Honor this factor is extremely important when choosing the type of wallpaper surface with washable properties: gloss will be reflected in direct contact with the sun's rays, and this effect is not permissible in all interiors;
• the purpose of the room. A variety of wallpapers allows you to choose the most convenient coverings in terms of resistance to pollution, environmental safety, strength and other properties;
• price. If you are not sure that the selected wallpaper will serve you for a long time, or if you plan to make another repair in the room after a certain time, do not give preference to expensive wallpaper for painting.

Be sure to consider the decorative aspect.: textured patterns on such wallpapers must necessarily correspond to the general style of the room. When combining such wallpaper with simple canvases pay attention to the thickness of the blade: Substantial differences in parameters will cause visible joints to be created at their border.

Types of wall materials

If you are just thinking about how to choose wallpaper for painting on the walls, we hasten to assure you that you will not find many varieties of such materials. There are only four types of wallpaper that can withstand repainting, but these can vary in size and design.

All wallpapers of this type can have a smooth or textured surface. The embossed texture serves not only as a stylish decor element, but also provides additional protection for the walls.

Advice: vinyl wallpaper can also be used in such interiors. Give preference: otherwise, constant cleaning will damage their structure.

In the bathroom, fiberglass wallpaper is considered the best option. because they react calmly to wet conditions. But it is better to choose other materials for the walls, for example, tiles. When gluing wallpaper for painting in such an interior consider the properties of the paint: it must also be sufficiently resistant and durable.

In the living room, it is more important to provide a decorative rather than a protective effect., therefore, any wallpaper for painting is suitable for decorating this room. All that is required of you is to decide on the design, as well as find materials that match your financial capabilities.

Despite the wide price range, even the cheapest wallpaper of this type will look original with the right choice of paint.

Among the decorative wall coverings, wallpaper occupies the first place in popularity. Special attention should be paid to wallpaper for painting, which have their pros and cons.

Wallpaper is the most practical material for wall decoration, since it does not require careful preliminary preparation of the coating.

The popularity of paintable wallpaper is explained by the possibility of a constant change of their shade, while when gluing traditional wallpaper with a pattern, the owners are forced to contemplate the same look for years.

For paintable wallpaper, its original color is the base on which any paint can be applied. Subsequently, you can update the selected shade or cover it on top with a different color.

Depending on the material of manufacture, wallpaper for painting is divided into the following types:

• paper;
• non-woven;
• fiberglass;
• vinyl.

The most environmentally friendly are paper wallpapers, but they are less resistant to external influences.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of paintable wallpaper:

• the ability to give the walls of the room any desired shade;
• the ability to change the appearance of the walls at any time;
• they do not require long-term surface preparation and significant financial costs;
• moisture resistance;
• environmental friendliness.

Disadvantages:

• a limited number of possible colors with a shallow depth of the pattern;
• in the absence of the necessary skills, difficulties may arise when painting.

Alternative options

Alternative wall designs:

1. Painting. Painted walls look stylish and fresh. A wide range of paint shades (especially when using tinting compounds) allows you to choose the most suitable background for any interior.
2. Pasting with ordinary wallpaper. This is the simplest and most versatile method of wall decoration. A wide range of colors, materials of manufacture and prices for traditional wallpapers makes them truly in demand.

Wallpaper for paint is the optimal combination of interesting design, minimal investment, high quality and practicality.

We will send the material to you by e-mail

There are a huge number of wallpapers on the market today. Among them, a special niche is occupied by those that, after gluing to the wall, create an ideal surface for applying paint. These are paintable wallpapers, the pros and cons of which, as well as features, will be discussed today in our review prepared by the editors of the online magazine site.

Paintable wallpaper is a special material for creating a unique interior

All products of this type can be repainted several times. It is very convenient. Tired of one color or decided to update your furniture? Redecoration and complete renovation of the room will not be difficult.

What are paintable wallpapers: pros and cons

On the shelves of hardware stores, you can find several types of paintable material:

They all differ from each other in the material of manufacture. In addition, there are wallpapers with and without texture, smooth. Anti-vandal items occupy a special niche.

Non-woven wallpaper for painting

This type, along with fiberglass specimens, is most often found on the market. They are made from non-woven material based on cellulose and synthetic fibers. The texture of the wallpaper is thin; in most cases, foamed vinyl is applied to the material.

Glass fiber for painting

This material is particularly durable. It is made from several components:

• caustic soda;
• quartz sand;
• dolomite;
• lime.

The result is fiberglass that is resistant to external influences.

Advice! The question of what is better for painting, glass wallpaper or non-woven wallpaper cannot be answered unequivocally. We advise you to choose fiberglass-based material for children's and living rooms, and in other cases, be guided by your own taste and financial capabilities.

Paper models

This option will suit those who want to save significantly on cosmetic repairs. Paper ones were widespread in our parents' apartments. They consist of two layers of paper. In order for the wallpaper to have a texture, the embossing method using wood shavings is used.

Non-woven paintable vinyl wallpaper

As we said earlier, the most common coating for non-woven backing is vinyl. By itself, this material is fragile, over time it shrinks and crumbles. That is why such wallpapers must be painted. The paint creates not only color, but also a protective layer.

Vinyl is a PVC coating. It is also applied to a paper base. Vinyl can be easily wiped off with a damp cloth. The service life of such material is up to 6 years.

Smooth wallpaper without painting for painting

If you want to visually align the walls of the room and cover them with your favorite shade, choose wallpaper for painting without. They are smooth and not embossed. As a rule, the choice falls on this material if the owner wants to decorate the room in a minimalist style. The same option is acceptable for the Scandinavian classics, where any details on the walls will be superfluous.

Structural paintable wallpaper

Most of the products are patterned and structured. The more interesting the structure of the sheet, the more original it will look in the interior after painting.

An expert's point of view

Dmitry Holodok

Technical Director of the repair and construction company "ILASSTROY"

Ask a Question

“Paintable wallpaper can be repainted several times, but texture is lost with each painting. Most often you can paint glass fiber, up to 10 times. "

A wide choice of structures will allow the room to sparkle with new colors, moreover, it will make it unique. Washing them is as easy as smoothing them.

Vandal-proof paintable wallpaper

Separately, I would like to talk about wallpapers that have anti-vandal properties. Their advantage is that they are able to withstand mechanical stress. Such material will be, as it is impossible, by the way in houses where there are small children or pets.

This property is ensured by a special dense vinyl layer. The possibility of multiple repainting is an additional plus of the material. An example of high European quality is the German anti-vandal paintable Erfurt wallpaper. They also have an interesting texture.

Related article:

interesting solutions for the living room, bedroom, children's room, kitchen and corridor. The basic rules for the selection of canvases and the recommendations of designers - read our review.

Which paintable wallpaper is better to choose

The choice of finishing material is difficult, even when it comes to wallpaper. When buying, you should pay attention to the following details:

• price;
• strength;
• roll width;
• appearance.

For and choose breathable materials, for walk-throughs, especially hallways, with a durable surface. If vandal-proof wallpaper seems expensive to you, feel free to choose a fiberglass that has shown itself well during operation. The material on a paper basis will last least of all, followed by the classic ones on the non-woven. The most durable options are considered to be on fiberglass, well, vandal-proof wallpapers, which have no competition. Today, one-meter-wide rolls are increasingly used, which are used to paste over the walls faster, besides, the picture looks perfect, because in this case there are fewer joints.

How to glue wallpaper for painting: work progress and nuances

We will tell and clearly show you for painting. Using their example, you can learn about the nuances of work. The first step is to close all windows and preferably even doors, since they are afraid of drafts. To work, you will need the following materials and tools:

• glue (special or PVA);
• wallpaper;
• pencil;
• primer;
• roulette;
• sharp knife;
• wallpaper spatula;
• wide brush for primer and glue;
• long ruler.

No need for special. We will show the photo in the interior below. The paint will hide all the little things. Before starting work, the surface is carefully primed. To do this, choose a high-quality primer. You can walk 2-3 times to improve adhesion. We also dilute the glue, it should be thicker than usual.

There are two types of wallpapers:

• without selecting a pattern;
• with the selection of the picture.

If working with the first option is not difficult, then the second makes a person think. In fact, the selection of a pattern should not be difficult. Take a look at the packaging, it contains, in addition to dry information, a fitting card. It also indicates how many centimeters the drawing is repeated again. When cutting, you just have to shift the new sheet to this segment. In a separate publication you can find a convenient number of wallpapers required.

Table 1. How to glue wallpaper for painting

Image	Description of work
	Measure the height of the walls and cut the wallpaper into pieces using a ruler, pencil and tape measure.
	They begin to glue the sheets from the window or the far corner of the room. Take a tape measure and measure from the corner to the right a distance equal to the width of the roll. We put a mark with a simple pencil.
	We apply glue to the area where the first sheet will be glued. Gaps without glue should not remain.
	A sheet is taken and aligned along the line that was previously placed on the wall along the width of the sheet. The sheets are glued dry, only the wall is covered with glue.
	After leveling, iron with a trowel. Smooth from left to right slowly, in parts.
	If a pipe adjoins the wall, boxes and sockets are available, then with the help of a sharp knife, these obstacles are bypassed on the spot.
	Further they advance in the same way. They measure the distance, put a mark and determine the line. Only now, smoothing is performed from the joint, going to the left. Everything is ready, it remains to paint the walls. However, first you need to choose the right paint.

Video on how to properly glue wallpaper:

Related article:

In the publication, we will consider options for gluing non-woven, liquid and vinyl coatings, what kind of glue is best to use, how to prepare the surface, how to glue the canvas to the ceiling, methods of processing corners.

What paint for wallpaper for painting is better

For each type of material, its own paint is selected. All of them belong to the category of water-dispersed. Its color is the client's desire:

• for paper and non-woven substrates - water-based paint;
• for fiberglass - acrylic or latex, at choice.

This rule is not essential. The most popular paint is acrylic. It should be noted that non-woven-based material is also painted with it. Its main advantage is the absence of fear of moisture. The disadvantage of acrylic paint is the dullness of the shades. It will not work to make the surface glossy.

Carefully. It must match the texture and purpose of the room. We also advise you to pay attention to the base of the paint, its composition and characteristics.

Painting the wallpaper in your apartment is the best option to save money and effort. This is the easiest way to make quick repairs, change the interior of your home. If you think that any canvases can be painted, then you are wrong. At the moment, there are three types of wallpaper on the market, with special qualities that are suitable for one or more colors. They appeared in the construction industry more than 10 years ago and do not lose their popularity among consumers. We will talk about them today.

Wallpaper for painting differs depending on the material and on the technique according to which they are made. Today the construction market can offer customers paper, non-woven and fiberglass wallpapers. Perhaps the only quality that unites them is that they can be painted over and over again.

pros

Let's start to consider the advantages of paper canvases, because they are the simplest and traditionally the most common. The technology by which they are produced is a combination of two layers of high-quality paper material, which is passed between rollers, creating a special pattern. On one side, the pattern is convex, and on the other, it is recessed. This type of application allows the image to be squeezed out, which guarantees its durability. Of course, there are also smooth wallpapers available, without much embossing. They also come in two layers, but their surface is white and even.

Although the selection of paper wallpapers on the construction market is quite large, it is far from always simple paper wallpapers. Modern paper canvases differ in that:

• consist of two layers;
• both layers are very dense;
• between the layers there is a special filler, which is made up of shavings and sawdust (it gives the surface a beautiful relief);
• are made using the embossing method (for pronounced relief, even after a series of paints);
• impregnated with water-repellent agents;
• environmentally friendly;
• look spectacular (with the proper skill to glue them);
• their price is comparatively low.

The second type of wallpaper, already more expensive, but more popular, is non-woven. Their pluses:

• average cost;
• durability;
• high quality (consist of non-woven material, which is a different type of fiber that is bound by a polymer);
• do not lend themselves to deformation (they do not stretch when wet, do not shrink when dry);
• working with them is simple and efficient;
• they can be used in new buildings (new buildings “sit down” within a couple of years, forming small cracks on the walls - if you stick this type of wallpaper on the walls, they will not tear themselves, and, moreover, will not allow the cracks to disperse).

The third type of wallpaper intended for painting is glass wallpaper. Their pluses:

• strong glass thread smelted from dolomite, quartz, soda, lime, which lies under the base;
• sufficiently long service life (about 30 years);
• universal relief surface in the form of "matting", "herringbone";
• easy removal of dirt from the surface - fiberglass, if necessary, can be washed with various means.

Minuses

The disadvantages of paper wallpaper is that they are difficult to work with. They should be glued very carefully, otherwise they can easily break or stretch and sag.

It is possible to paint paper canvases a relatively small number of times (about 7), while other types are much more (about 15).

The disadvantages of non-woven wallpaper are observed when vinyl spraying is used to create different figures in the pattern. Vinyl is a synthetic material that prevents walls from breathing. It is best not to use vinyl flooring in children's and adult bedrooms.

Glass fiber contains all the conceivable advantages of a wall covering, so their only disadvantages are high prices.

Plain or paintable wallpaper?

As you can see above, there are more pluses for paintable wallpaper than minuses. This means that ordinary wallpapers are definitely inferior to them in terms of finishing possibilities and quality.

Here are the main reasons why you should choose paintable wallpaper:

• the wall is given a special pronounced texture (which, after painting, does not dull, but stands out and looks even better);
• repainting, and accordingly, a change in design and mood, can be done even annually;
• the canvases are treated with special substances during production and are waterproof (this does not affect the absorption of paint and the retention of the pigment);
• paints that are intended for such wallpapers are made on a water basis - they dry quickly, are not toxic, the walls after them do not lose the ability to "breathe";
• after the canvases are painted, the joints between them are not noticeable at all;
• the width of the strip of such wallpaper is 1.06 m (provides a smaller number of joints);
• color variations are very wide - from variegated, bright colors to warm, soft shades;
• the canvases can not be painted if the original color that the canvases have upon purchase will be to your liking;
• patterns also have a whole list of choices - they can imitate the structure of large and small stones, fabrics and other decorative elements;
• suitable for gluing even not perfectly flat walls;
• perfectly mask a variety of defects and irregularities (especially thick and embossed).

Canvases for painting can serve you in their original form, and then, according to your mood or as stains, scuffs or, for example, children's drawings, appear, they can be repainted. In addition, wallpaper acts as additional noise and heat insulation, that is, it is capable of absorbing sounds and retaining heat.