Bedroom walls wallpaper or paint. Wallpaper or painting walls: which is better, the pros and cons of wallpaper, paint properties. What is better: wallpapering or painting the walls? Choosing the best option

Features of materials

Before you start decorating the walls in the interior, you should make sure that the chosen coating is safe and will not cause harm to health. When considering wallpaper, you should take into account the base material and the composition with which the pattern was applied. The most common types of wallpaper for walls are:

• paper - made from cellulose composition, which is completely safe for humans;
• textile - manufacturers can add synthetic substances to their composition that increase the strength of the finished fabric. Their quantity does not exceed permissible standards, so this finishing material is safe;
• non-woven - if water-based paints were used to apply the design, then these wallpapers are not harmful to health (there should be a label on the packaging about the dyes used);
• vinyl - unscrupulous manufacturers may use harmful volatile substances in their production, which, with prolonged contact, negatively affect well-being. Therefore, when choosing vinyl wallpaper, you must definitely study their label to see if the manufacturer has the appropriate certificates of quality and product safety.

Wall paint can also be dangerous. Finishing materials containing ammonia and drying oil should be avoided. They have a pronounced, pungent odor, causing headaches and nausea. You can paint the walls in your apartment instead of wallpaper using the following safe paints:

• Variety of choice;
• Can hide minor imperfections;
• Long service life;
• Easy installation.

Wallpaper can hide small imperfections in the walls. The thicker the canvas, the more it will hide. In addition, with the help of a pattern you can visually hide unevenness. Wallpaper is one of the safest materials used in repairs. They contain no toxic substances or harmful materials. They will last a long time; many do not change them for decades.

Wallpaper is easy to apply. No special skills are required here. It is unlikely that there will be at least one person who did the repairs on their own and did not glue wallpaper. The complexity of the work lies in cutting and joining the drawings, but even here it requires careful and careful work rather than knowledge.

Despite all the advantages of wallpaper, they also have negative sides. Anyone who has dealt with removing old coating knows that removing wallpaper is not so easy. This is a labor-intensive process that takes time. But now there are types of wallpaper that you just need to lightly pull and they will fall off on their own. But getting rid of paper wallpaper will not be so easy.

The coating is difficult to clean. If you put a stain on the wallpaper, it is almost impossible to remove it unless you do it yourself. Even special wallpaper that can be painted does not guarantee quick cleaning. But paper ones cannot be washed like this at all. If you have pets, then this factor can be a disadvantage for finishing wallpaper.

Cheap types of wallpaper are not intended for covering walls in damp or unheated rooms. And those species that can withstand such conditions are not budget ones. They are easy to damage with something sharp. Again, animals can be the true test of your coating's durability.

• Easy to care for;
• Easy to apply;
• Affordable price;
• Lots of flowers.

You will have to purchase the necessary materials. But you will only need to do this once. Then there is no need to level the walls. Paint is inexpensive. Even the best ones will cost much less than other materials. In this case, the price will affect the cleaning. Cheap types cannot be washed; the paint will wear off over time.

But paints that are not afraid of moisture can be easily washed. They are not afraid of stains. The walls can be painted in the kitchen or bathroom. The paint has a rich choice of colors, but applying a design is quite problematic. You can use special stencils, but they are not very diverse. If you want an original drawing, you will have to apply it yourself or hire craftsmen.

But you can choose any shade. No need to run from store to store looking for the perfect color. Just buy a color scheme and dilute the white paint in the proportions that you need. For interior decoration, it is better to use emulsion paints. They are safer than alkyd. More durable, some are waterproof.

Wallpaper or painting - criteria

Beautiful wallpaper in the living room and bedroom not only looks expensive and stylish, it gives the room a special coziness and warmth. Photo wallpapers serve as the main element of room decor, its “highlight”. Thick wallpaper acts as a way to heat and sound insulate a room.

For wall decoration, ordinary paper wallpaper is often chosen - it is the cheapest, can be glued with any wallpaper glue, and is environmentally friendly. Paper-based canvases can be thin or “triplex” - triple with a layer of wood in the middle. You can also be 100% confident in the safety of glass wallpaper (fiberglass).

The following types of wallpaper are much more expensive:

• vinyl;
• fabric;
• non-woven;
• bamboo;
• silk;
• with acrylic coating;
• decorative plaster (liquid wallpaper).

Wallpaper can be smooth and embossed, embossed and even textured - for example, in the form of brickwork. The choice of canvases is very rich, and the advantages of using this type of finishing material are indisputable:

• preparation is carried out to a minimum, since small defects in the walls will be perfectly hidden by thick canvases;
• wallpaper adheres perfectly to most types of substrates, even bare concrete, provided that special glue is used;
• the shades and textures of the wallpaper are incredibly diverse, the surface is soft, delicate, giving the interior “visual warmth”;
• wallpaper is practically not capable of causing allergies (we are talking about paper, non-woven materials), modern canvases are safe for humans;
• a finishing layer will enhance the effect of noise insulation and reduce heat loss in corner apartments;
• paper wallpaper is a vapor-permeable material, it does not disturb the microclimate in the room;
• Even a non-professional can glue new wallpaper; the method is simple and accessible - you just need to learn how to combine the pattern and smooth the canvas on the wall;
• The service life of the wallpaper is long; many can be washed with household chemicals.

This type of finish also has disadvantages:

• in order to tear tightly glued canvases from the wall, you need to try - first you will have to moisten them with water, then scrape them off with a spatula (usually problems arise when replacing paper wallpapers; dense ones are easier to remove);
• Dirt and stains from paper strips are difficult to remove, and scuff marks may remain on the surface (washable wallpaper can easily withstand such manipulations);
• animals often damage wallpaper and tear it off, so if you have a pet you need to buy a roll of material in reserve;
• paper wallpapers are not suitable for rooms with high humidity - bathrooms, kitchens, they can peel off or lose their appearance;
• under the influence of mechanical factors, the material is easily torn, and thin paper wallpaper can be deformed even with a fingernail.

During the repair process, many issues arise that require a clear solution. These include the choice of interior decoration for the room. You can decide what is more practical and economical - wallpaper or painting the walls - after comparing all the advantages and disadvantages of these interior design options. The following criteria should be taken into account:

• purpose and versatility;
• safety;
• quality;
• color palette;
• difficulty in preparing walls;
• scope of work;
• price.

Safety of finishing material

Before you start decorating the walls in the interior, you should make sure that the chosen coating is safe and will not cause harm to health. When considering wallpaper, you should take into account the base material and the composition with which the pattern was applied. The most common types of wallpaper for walls are:

• paper - made from cellulose composition, which is completely safe for humans;
• textile - manufacturers can add synthetic substances to their composition that increase the strength of the finished fabric. Their quantity does not exceed permissible standards, so this finishing material is safe;
• non-woven - if water-based paints were used to apply the design, then these wallpapers are not harmful to health (there should be a label on the packaging about the dyes used);
• vinyl - unscrupulous manufacturers may use harmful volatile substances in their production, which, with prolonged contact, negatively affect well-being. Therefore, when choosing vinyl wallpaper, you must definitely study their label to see if the manufacturer has the appropriate certificates of quality and product safety.

Wall paint can also be dangerous. Finishing materials containing ammonia and drying oil should be avoided. They have a pronounced, pungent odor, causing headaches and nausea. You can paint the walls in your apartment instead of wallpaper using the following safe paints:

• alkyd;
• latex.

Coating quality

An equally important criterion in choosing which is better - wallpaper or painting the walls is the quality of the coating, its durability and resistance to external factors. Wallpaper is made from materials that do not form cracks; chips also do not occur on their surface. But the disadvantages of this finish include:

• low level of moisture resistance;
• lack of protective properties against mold and mildew;
• difficulties in care, for example, walls in the kitchen covered with wallpaper are prone to getting dirty, but it is almost impossible to wash them from greasy stains;
• vulnerability to sunlight - under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the color of the coating may turn yellow or fade.

Painted surfaces are easier to care for, as most paints are moisture-resistant and can be washed. In addition, they tolerate temperature changes and sunlight well.

Also, for example, acrylic paints prevent the formation of mold, the development of fungus and have fire-resistant properties, which is important in residential areas. The disadvantages of painted surfaces include the risk of cracks and chips as a result of shrinkage of the building walls or mechanical damage.

Paint and wallpaper have an equally long service life. High-quality finishing materials will delight you with a neat appearance for 10-15 years.

Purpose and versatility

The big disadvantage of wallpaper is the need to glue it to a wall that has been previously plastered and putty. Even the strongest and highest quality glue will not provide the necessary adhesion to a wooden or brick surface. But thanks to textured wallpaper, you can hide some minor imperfections on the wall. They mask the unevenness of the plaster well, creating an attractive coating.

Painting walls instead of wallpaper can be done on the following surfaces:

• plasterboard sheets;
• putty;
• tree;
• metal;
• brick;
• a natural stone;
• glass.

The main thing is to choose the right coloring composition to ensure the required level of adhesion.

Wallpaper is also less versatile in its purpose. Usually they are used only for finishing living rooms. At the same time, walls are also painted in domestic premises, kitchens, and bathrooms.

Preparing the walls

Regardless of whether paint or wallpaper will be applied to the surface, it must be carefully prepared. This stage is especially important, since it is it that ensures the necessary adhesion of the materials.

First, the wall to be wallpapered or painted must first be cleaned of the remnants of the previous coating. To do this, you can use special solutions that are applied to the wall using a roller. Without using a solvent, removing old wallpaper can cause a lot of problems and inconveniences. You can remove paint from the surface using coarse sanding.

Then the cleaned wall is treated with primer and all visible irregularities are eliminated with plaster or putty. Painting requires the elimination of all defects, since this affects not only the appearance, but also the performance properties (in places where there are existing irregularities, the risk of cracks is increased).

If you need to simply update and refresh the paint layer, you don’t need to carry out preliminary puttying. In this case, it will be enough to simply apply the new finishing material in two layers.

Scope and complexity of work

Wallpapering requires much more effort and time. This is due to the fact that you must first dilute the glue and cut the roll into pieces of the required size. After this, you need to choose wallpaper that matches each other in design and then just start gluing it.

Even if there is no particular print on the wallpaper, you still need to carefully monitor the joints so that there are no gaps. This kind of work is difficult and inconvenient to do on your own. Therefore, when gluing yourself, it is better to immediately get an assistant.

Walls without wallpaper are painted in two layers. Depending on the size of the surface, you can use brushes or a roller for this. The last of them is convenient for distributing paint over a large area. Brushes will help to treat corners and hard-to-reach areas. The paint is applied evenly in one direction to avoid drips.

Color palette

Thanks to modern construction technologies, finishing materials are not inferior to each other in the variety of colors. You can buy wallpaper with a ready-made pattern or order any vinyl-based print from specialists. The stores also offer a wide selection of textured coatings. And if you need to create a monochromatic surface, you can choose wallpaper for painting.

The advantage of wall paint is that manufacturers provide the opportunity to independently tint the composition. This way you can create any desired shade. If necessary, a drawing is applied to the surface. This is done using special acrylic interior paints and a variety of tools. Read more about it in a special article.

You can also find it on store shelves, for example, with plaster or sand. Thanks to them, you can create a relief, textured surface. And if you apply it to the walls, you can even draw on such a coating.

Price

Pricing for finishing materials depends on their quality and manufacturers. Typically, the more popular a brand is, the higher its value. In general, you can find inexpensive paints or wallpaper to suit any budget, but it is important to understand that cheap materials are more difficult to work with and have a shorter lifespan.

Relative to each other, paints and wallpapers have approximately the same cost in terms of consumption per square meter of surface. Even if you buy wallpaper cheaper than paint, you will have to spend money on glue and the tools necessary for the job.

In general, the choice of finishing materials must be approached responsibly and taking into account all the features of the surface and individual needs. In the end, the overall appearance of the room and the mood of its inhabitants depend on what paint to paint the walls in the apartment or what wallpaper to glue.

Every home should be decorated attractively and beautifully. But achieving this can be difficult; even choosing the appropriate design option is difficult. Often the choice arises between painting the walls and covering them with wallpaper, and the idea of ​​the advantages and disadvantages of both options is vague and incomplete for most people.

Pros and cons of wallpaper

A wall without wallpaper seems uncomfortable, abandoned and poorly maintained. If you can choose the optimal type of wallpaper material, you can transform any room. A lot of materials have been created, each of them has its own unique parameters. It will please even the most discerning and demanding aesthetes. It will not be difficult to prepare the surface for applying almost all existing wallpapers; in addition, they are able to cover even minor wall defects.

The choice of textures, ornaments and colors, general style (from monochromatic classics to custom-made designer compositions) will delight you.

In the same home, you can use different tones and types of wallpaper for each room, fully express its spirit and keep everything in a single key (or, on the contrary, emphasize the features).

The paper base effectively resists the appearance of mold and other fungi, and the typographic design Completely safe for people and pets. In an apartment building, wallpaper materials are attractive due to their excellent level of sound insulation and thermal insulation, and they are quite easy to apply if you know some subtleties.

Among the disadvantages, it can be noted that wallpaper gets dirty easily, paper varieties cannot be cleaned, and vinyl and non-woven ones need to be rubbed more carefully. Not all types are equally suitable for wet areas, and those that can be used require expensive adhesives. The coating will have to be changed at least once every five years, and removing the previous layer can be very difficult.

Pros and cons of painting

Painting allows you to mask cracks for a long time, provided that the surface is properly prepared. Repainting is a very simple process, and many types of paints allow you to wash, scrub off dirt and use detergents. The possibilities for choosing colors are no less than with wallpaper, and the texture can also be quite varied.

• Painting gives a good result only on thoroughly leveled and prepared walls.
• All preparation at a high level is unlikely to be possible for non-professionals, as is the initial covering of the walls.
• Surfaces will need to be washed completely from time to time to prevent dirt from blocking the pores.
• Painting everything one color is a solution that is only appropriate for some organizations, and a variety of designer paints, even acrylic ones, are expensive.

Which is better to choose?

You still have to make the final decision - wallpaper or paint the walls in the apartment. To paint and prepare for it, as already mentioned, you will need to hire experienced finishers. Wall pasting is also available for non-professionals even when working alone, the list of necessary equipment is minimal.

If you need to finish walls not from scratch, but thoroughly leveled during previous renovations, it may be more financially profitable to use paint.

Environmental friendliness

By using modern wallpaper in the room, you don’t have to worry about the sanitary situation. The paper covering easily allows air to pass through, and they try to use the same synthetic materials. Anyway Wallpaper used in everyday life is hypoallergenic.

With environmental characteristics, however, the situation is not so clear. Either extremely expensive textile or paper wallpaper that is not very attractive in appearance fully meets all the requirements.

What's more expensive?

Even the most experienced specialists will not give a definite answer to this question, because you can only compare wallpaper and paint of comparable categories, and not materials in general. If you look only at high-quality materials, their cost in the end, together with additional costs, will be approximately the same. Please note that You need to spend more time preparing for painting than preparing for wallpapering. The ideal base option for both design options is plasterboard.

What's fashionable now?

If you look at the collections of various designers, both mid-level and top-class, you can find examples of rooms decorated with both wallpaper and paint. Paint and varnish coatings are distinguished by an enormous variety; some manufacturers have such colors in their assortment that even a simple description of them requires a whole phrase. But wallpaper manufacturers are trying to keep up and are also constantly improving their coatings:

• This year, plain wallpapers are at the peak of popularity, and they are selected individually for different rooms, expressing their spirit and style as fully as possible. A combination of plain stripes or lines will allow you to visually delimit parts of the room; freshness of perception is ensured by introducing prints into the interior.

In the last year and a half, design experts have been recommending the use of wide wallpapers that form only a minimal number of joints.

• It is not only possible, but even necessary to dilute excessive monotony. Unusual patterns are used for this purpose. Or seemingly ordinary, but with thin dark contours of the figures. European and Asian motifs are consistently in demand; such solutions can be chosen confidently without fear of them going out of fashion.

• If painting is chosen instead of wallpaper, there are also undeniable leaders here. The design community and manufacturers are now inspired by colors that resemble natural greenery, clean water (in the ocean or in a waterfall), and patterns with bright wild flowers. The Kale tonality is intended to become a background for more catchy and vibrant elements. When you want something light, but practical and not pushy, it makes sense to choose the color hazelnut.

• In the event that you need to enliven and invigorate the room as much as possible, we can recommend painting lapis lazuli. Do you want extreme brightness, catchiness, do you like radical experiments? Then the red-orange “flame” tonality is suitable for you - the richest and most energetic in the latest collections. Such colors should be used on as large an area as possible, and other colors should be used only as accents or additions.

• For several years now, the use of blue tones has been a very popular solution. By varying the warm and cool shades of this color, you can easily express your unique mood. Do not go beyond the warm and cold groups; choose different tones in each room, but close color temperatures.

• The Marsala tonality began to be used in the interior relatively recently - and there is every reason to believe that it will become one of the leaders in the near future. Keep in mind that this rich cherry color concentrates attention and is therefore only suitable for accent walls.

Which is more practical?

Wallpaper that is produced these days can last longer than any paint and varnish material. But if you decide to change the look, use a different concept, painting the walls will be simpler and easier.

The combined option - wallpaper for painting - allows you to apply additional coating up to ten times, as manufacturers claim. The only problem is that the texture is preserved no more than five times, and then the paint layer becomes completely smooth.

If it is still very difficult to make a decisive choice, consider applying paint in some rooms and wallpaper in others. Or try dividing them by height, assigning different walls of the main room for them. In new buildings and where the walls will often get dirty, it is worth using wallpaper, and if the room is very humid, it is more appropriate to use a paint coating.

Coloring is more suitable for those who like frequent changes; it is also the only option that allows you to decorate a log house. Theoretically, wallpaper can also be glued over it, but you will definitely need to prepare a mediating layer, which will destroy the decorative benefits of the log house.

Alternative solutions

It should be noted that in some cases it is easier to abandon paint, wallpaper and use an alternative material. Which one depends on the quality that is your priority. Thus, naturalness and environmental friendliness are best for wood and all coatings based on it (lining, laminate, blockhouse and decorative panels). Plastic panels are moderately durable, very hygienic and have excellent antistatic properties. But these advantages are negated by high toxicity during combustion, susceptibility to high temperatures, tendency to warp and the impossibility of cleaning with abrasive agents.

The “wallpaper or paint” dilemma, which occupies almost everyone who has started a renovation, is the subject of a huge number of articles. In almost all forums touching on construction topics, heated discussions flare up: dozens of arguments are given, arguments “for or against”, stories from personal experience are told - the issue is discussed very actively. The purpose of this article is to bring together scattered information and create a full-fledged “guide” for those who cannot decide.

What is better: wallpapering or painting the walls?

Pros and cons of wallpaper

Before answering the question of what is better - painting or wallpaper, it is worth deciding on the pros and cons of these methods. Let's start the conversation with the advantages and disadvantages of wallpaper.

So, wallpaper. The material, which has been used for several centuries, is known to absolutely everyone. However, not everyone is aware of all its advantages and disadvantages. The information given below and structured into a table for the convenience of readers will help fill in the gaps and, perhaps, change your views.

Painting walls: what to prepare for?

Many people believe that painting walls can solve many problems: you won’t have to think about replacing the coating for a very long time, and caring for such a surface is not a difficult task. Is this really true or will we have to prepare for some difficulties? The advantages and disadvantages of painting walls are in the table below.

Wallpaper or painting - which is better?

No one will give a definite answer to this question. Here you need to take into account personal tastes, the interior concept, and the quality of the walls.

To decide on the choice of wall covering, use the questionnaire below, which takes into account the main factors.

1. Are you planning to do the repairs yourself or hire contractors?

Hanging wallpaper is much easier than painting the walls, much less preparing them for it. In order to perfectly level the surface, you will need at least the ability to plaster using reinforcing mesh.

You can even hang wallpaper alone. The presence of special tools, which are rarely found in the “home craftsman” box, is not required: a paper knife (scissors), a container for diluting glue and a roller - that’s all the required arsenal.

2. Is your budget limited?

If you do not plan to invest significant funds in repairs, opt for wallpaper. Really high-quality paint, as well as the materials necessary for preliminary leveling of the walls, will cost more than even modern washable wallpaper.

However, if you are renovating a room that is in excellent condition and does not require preparation (sealing cracks, leveling, etc.), the required amount of paint will not cost that much. Most likely, finishing the walls with paint in this case will cost less than wallpaper.

3. For what period do you make repairs?

If you belong to the category of people who get tired of design and change it regularly, give preference to wallpaper. Changing them every few years is a completely normal practice.

If you plan to make repairs once and forget about it like a bad dream for ten years, feel free to choose paint. With proper care, she will easily withstand this period.

4. Is the color of the walls very important to you?

Having given preference to paint, you can choose the shade you need. The paint will be tinted to your liking. Thus, even the slightest nuances will be taken into account.

With colored wallpaper, such a trick with the ears will not work. What the manufacturers created is what will have to be glued.

To summarize, I would like to say: the beauty of the interior in no way depends on what kind of wall covering you choose. The main thing is that it is in harmony with the decor and, of course, with your mood.

A lot depends on the concept. So, for example, if you want to decorate a room in a classic English style, or a checkered pattern will be the best choice. For modern design, both wallpaper and wall painting work equally well. To enliven an interior with painted walls, you can create an accent piece by covering it with wallpaper with a pattern or

The improvement in the quality of water-based paints and the emergence of new types of wallpaper have revived the competition for consumers between these finishing materials. But what is better for interior decoration - wallpaper or water-based paint? If we look at the statistics, we can conclude that Russian citizens prefer to use wallpaper for residential premises, and in public and commercial establishments they much more often choose water-based painting. But these are just statistics, and now let’s look at what is better, wallpaper or painting the walls, in fact.

The variety of types of trellises on sale makes it difficult to determine the advantages of this type of finishing. To talk about the advantages of wallpaper, you first need to consider the general characteristics, and then the features of different types. Among benefits Wallpaper can be noted:

• lower surface requirements (we have already written about preparing walls for wallpaper);
• the presence of heat and sound insulation properties;
• environmental cleanliness;
• simple gluing technology;
• the appearance on sale of new wallpaper for painting and 3D images on trellises, which significantly increased the possibilities in terms of room design.

Among the main shortcomings:

• low strength;
• service life up to 8 years (for vinyl and glass wallpaper - up to 20 years);
• difficult maintenance, even in the case of washable wallpaper;
• difficulties with joining the pattern on adjacent canvases.

Trellis on paper based breathable and able to hide defects on the wall surface. They do not tolerate moisture and are very short-lived.

Non-woven wallpaper They are characterized by high elasticity, which facilitates the gluing process, and good sound insulation. They have a translucent structure, which requires a uniform color of the walls, and cannot be washed with water.

Vinyl coverings durable, resistant to moisture and do not fade in the sun. Service life - up to 20 years. In case of fire and intense heating, they can release toxic substances.

Glass wallpaper the strongest and most durable. Easy to clean with water and detergents. They don't burn. Can only be used for subsequent painting.

Pros and cons of water-based paints

The main advantage of water-based emulsion is the simple technology for carrying out cosmetic repairs - it is enough to prepare the wall surface for painting once, after which the process is simplified beyond belief. In addition, it should be noted that advantages How:

• long service life;
• wide range of colors and the possibility of tinting;
• easy care using wet cleaning;
• application not only on smooth, but also on textured wall surfaces.

TO shortcomings include the previously mentioned need for thorough surface preparation before the first painting.

Comparative analysis

To determine which is better, painting the walls or gluing wallpaper, it is enough to compare the performance characteristics of paints and wallpaper according to 6 main indicators:

• durability;
• price;
• environmental cleanliness;
• surface requirements;
• finishing technology;
• heat and sound insulation properties;
• resistance to external influences.

Durability

The service life of paper and non-woven wallpaper is 2-3 times less than that of a painted surface. Vinyl and glass wallpaper, on the contrary, have a slightly longer service life than paint.

However, simpler surface care makes the use of water-based paints more economically profitable due to a longer repair period.

Price

Of course, each of us would like to use only the highest quality materials for repairs. But, unfortunately, this is not available to everyone and therefore the cost in the question of what is better - paint or wallpaper for walls, sometimes comes to the fore for many. The most inexpensive paints will cost 10-18 rubles/m2 (at prices for summer 2019). Cheap paper wallpaper, taking into account the cost of glue, is 30-45 rubles/m2.

The average cost of water-based compositions is in the range of 80-150 rubles/m2, and for wallpaper you will have to pay 80-120 rubles/m2. The most expensive and best paints can cost more than 300 rubles/m2, the price of elite wallpaper is more than 400 rubles/m2.

From the above we can conclude that wallpapering is much more expensive than using paints. In terms of this parameter, clear preference should be given to water-based emulsion.

Ecological cleanliness

All wallpaper and water-based paints are made from environmentally friendly materials. The only exception is vinyl-based trellises, which emit toxic substances when exposed to strong heat or fire. Consequently, both materials can be used without restrictions for finishing rooms with constant occupancy.

Surface preparation quality

An important advantage of wallpaper is its ability to hide small defects in the walls. Thanks to this property, lower requirements are set for the quality of preparation of the base for gluing trellises.

Paints, on the contrary, clearly highlight all, even the most insignificant, errors. Therefore, when painting, you have to spend a lot of time and effort to achieve a good result. However, it should be noted that this is usually not necessary for repeated cosmetic repairs.

Finishing technology

The main difficulty when gluing wallpaper arises in the case of a complex pattern and the need to combine the canvases.

In addition, it is more difficult to glue trellises in corners, near windows and doors. Therefore, the painting technology is simpler, especially if you use a spray gun or another type of sprayer.

Thermal and sound insulation properties

Neither water-based paint nor trellises are inherently insulating materials. However, wallpaper has slight sound and heat insulation properties, which paint completely lacks.

Resistance to external influences

Most types of trellises are easily damaged by mechanical stress. The exception is glass wallpaper for painting.

Resistant to fading

Both types of materials from the budget price segment are susceptible to fading under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. More expensive paints and wallpapers fade slowly and retain their color for a long time. So there is parity between the finishing materials under consideration.

The analysis of the technical and operational characteristics of wallpaper and water-based paints allows us to summarize the information received:

• using water-based emulsion is much cheaper, it has a longer service life and therefore, with modest financial resources, it is better to opt for painting;
• paint will be the best option for lovers of strict finishing and is therefore recommended for use in corridors, kitchens, offices, public and commercial premises;
• to reduce noise levels, you can glue thick embossed or embossed wallpaper;
• If you have pets, it is recommended to give preference to painting.

If there are defects and unevenness on the surface of the walls, and you do not have the skills to perform construction work, then it would be best to contact a specialized company, especially if painting is planned.

Which is better - wallpaper or paintable wallpaper?

Using trellises for painting is an alternative finishing method that combines 2 technologies. This material perfectly hides wall surface defects and allows you to use all the advantages of water-based paints.

In terms of service life, practicality and technology, tapestries for painting significantly exceed the characteristics of conventional wallpaper, since they are based on fiberglass. In general, here we can note 4 main advantages of trellises for painting:

• easier surface preparation;
• the material does not tear if the building shrinks and cracks form;
• the structural surface and fabric of different thicknesses create beautiful patterns on the surface;
• a wide variety of surface textures, which expands the choice and possibilities.

However, it should be said that the use of trellises for painting will increase the financial costs of purchasing materials.