Paper wallpaper - time-tested classic

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Huge selection of colors, patterns, textures, sizes.

The world of finishing materials is constantly replenished with new products that are more and more superior to their predecessors in technical and operational characteristics. But paper wallpapers will be out of competition for a long time, as the variety of types, sizes, colors, textures allows you to create interesting, original interiors.

In addition, with the advent of modern unique technologies, manufacturers produce wallpapers that are practically not inferior in strength, durability and attractiveness to other facing materials. In the article we will try to answer the most common questions about wallpapers: what they are, what are good or bad, what you need to know in order not to make a mistake when choosing and to acquire high-quality and reliable material.

Varieties of paper wallpaper

Types of paper wallpaper.

To begin with, we note the positive qualities of wallpaper, because of which they will be in demand in the market of finishing materials for a long time:

1. Environmental friendliness - The main factor that attracts buyers. Walls glued with wallpaper have high breathability, they “breathe”. The air in the room is always fresh and clean, and mold and fungus do not develop under the canvases.

Paper wallpaper is easy and fun to work with.

2. Simplicity in work. Wallpaper is easily glued and removed from the walls (seeHow to remove old paper wallpapers without problems), even one person can cope with such work without the use of any special tools.
3. Affordable price makes it possible to create a unique interior, as well as to update or change it with your own hands as necessary and without any special burden on the family budget.

According to the manufacturing method, wallpapers are divided into several types. Let's consider each separately.

Single-layer wallpaper (simplex)

Single layer wallpaper.

This most inexpensive and common type is produced on single-layer paper. The front side of the simplex wallpaper can be smooth or embossed, the ink is applied in a printing way, and the embossing is double-sided. Because of this, the canvas stretches when wet, and after drying it shrinks, therefore it is recommended to glue such wallpaper with an overlap in order to avoid the appearance of gaps between the strips.

The simplex is used mainly in dry rooms, since in a humid environment the paper warps, waves, distortions, voids, gusts appear on the wallpaper. The service life does not exceed 5 years, and then under gentle operating conditions.

Simplex has a short life.

Such wallpaper is not resistant to ultraviolet, prone to fading and abrasion, after a while the picture fades and the canvas changes its original color. In addition, thin paper does not allow to hide existing wall defects, therefore it is recommended to glue simplex on a perfectly flat surface.

Now single-layer wallpapers with a light-resistant primer are available, which for a long time preserves the paint from fading. But their price is higher than that of ordinary ones.

Single-layer wallpapers require a quick sticker.

When applying glue, the wallpaper is very soft, you need to work with them quickly, otherwise the canvas may break when smoothing.

Important! But we must pay tribute to the single-layer wallpaper - the material is easily glued, unpretentious to any type of glue, and the affordable price allows you to change the interior of the room at least every year.

As a budget option, wallpapers are used for pasting walls where special quality is not needed, or often they have to be re-glued - in cottages, in pantries, in children's rooms.

The interior of the children's room.

In general, for children, single-layer wallpapers are the most successful option, and they will draw it, it is not a pity, and you can update it every six months. It is always fresh and beautiful, especially since the variety and huge selection of colors, patterns, simplex patterns allows you to create an inexpensive, cozy and interesting design in a children's room.

Multilayer Wallpaper (Duplex)

Such wallpapers are made by combining two or more layers of paper. Drawing, relief or embossing are applied only to the top layer, so they are more durable, do not get wet, do not break when glued, and are also easily removed.

Wallpaper high-quality paper duplex does not fade, weakly abrasion, have high strength, they can be washed with a soft sponge. And if single-layer wallpapers serve 3-5 years, then two-three-layer paintings do not lose their attractiveness for 8-10 years.

According to the method of applying the picture, duplex wallpapers are divided into several categories:

• Smooth.

Smooth duplex wallpaper.

The method of letterpress printing is applied to the front layer with durable light-resistant paint, some types are coated with a water-repellent primer, then wallpaper can be used indoors in high humidity (kitchens (see.What is the best wallpaper for the kitchen: make a choice), bathrooms), and also wash with neutral detergents.

• Embossed.

Stamping on paper wallpaper.

The outer layer is driven through special rollers with a relief pattern, then connected to a smooth base, as a result, a strong, stable relief is obtained that does not disappear and does not smooth out when wet. Embossing can be simple and complex, the latter method allows you to create incredibly beautiful, three-dimensional panels.

• Structural.

Structural wallpaper.

A layer of thickened ink is applied to the front layer by screen printing, then the relief is coated with water-repellent impregnation. Another method is wood chips, nutshells or other natural waste pressed between two layers of paper.

• Acrylic

Acrylic Wallpaper.

This type is made by spot application of foamed acrylic to the paper surface. Acrylic paper-based wallpapers have a clear relief pattern, have good vapor permeability, high strength, practicality. They can be used in rooms with high humidity or high traffic.

• Vinyl.

Paper-based vinyl wallpapers.

Most vinyl wallpapers are made on a paper basis. PVC film gives the wallpaper increased strength, it is difficult to tear, scratch, but such a coating has low breathability, but it can be washed even with aggressive detergents.

• Textured.

The texture of flax is in great demand.

They are produced with a volumetric pattern that imitates natural materials, such as linen, bamboo, straw weaving, mat and others. Wallpaper on a paper basis textured "linen" fireproof, wear-resistant, have a bright pattern and good print quality. Of particular interest is the linen texture looks on the photo wallpaper.

Manufacturers offer wallpaper with a chaotic pattern made by sawdust or shavings pressed into paper.

Wallpaper textured by waste wood.

Important! I must say that the expensive duplex is covered with a special strong protective film, for example, paper Swedish wallpapers, which after 15 years look like new. Therefore, if you create an interior for more than one year, then experts recommend that you do not save on wallpaper.

• Photowall-paper.

Wall mural room.

High-quality photo printing is applied to a two-layer web; the picture is assembled from several segments.

Wallpaper for painting

Structural wallpaper.

A separate position is the wallpaper for painting.They are produced by gluing two or three layers of paper, the cost, strength and the number of possible repaints depend on the quality of glue and paper.

Manufacturers produce two types of wallpaper for painting:

• Structural, when a filler (sawdust, shell, etc.) is laid between the layers, giving the surface a chaotic relief.
• An embossed, in this case, a convex pattern is extruded on paper by sweeping the canvases between the rollers with a relief pattern. In this way, a clear volume and harmonious pattern are created on the wallpaper.

Embossed Wallpaper.

Wallpaper can be white or tinted, but color does not matter for subsequent coloring. Moisture-resistant impregnation protects the relief from erosion, and the canvas itself from getting wet.

Typically, wallpaper for painting is used for monotonous coloring, which with high quality material can be produced up to 5 times without replacing the canvas. Such wallpapers are used both for walls and for ceilings, only for the latter they usually take white paintings with a smooth or slightly corrugated structure.

Wallpaper glue

The choice of glue is an important point that should not be neglected, otherwise an improperly selected glue can spoil not only the mood, but also expensive wallpaper.

Wallpaper glue.

If for simplex you can take the composition cheaper, then for duplex you need to purchase high-quality glue designed for heavy wallpaper.

Often manufacturers for the wallpaper of a particular company offer the appropriate glue, but before buying, you need to look if there is an instruction for its preparation, whether it is translated into Russian, and whether it is understandable. If all this is present, then glue must be prepared strictly according to the instructions.

When another brand of glue is purchased, it must meet the requirements on the wallpaper packaging, which indicates the thickness, weight, quadrature, etc. The consumption of the adhesive is indicated on its packaging, this should also be strictly carried out, since saving glue on the canvas will lead to its detachment from the wall, and a larger amount threatens with bubbles, skewing, excessive stretching of the wallpaper and uneven drying.

In addition, it is necessary to take into account the structure of the wall surface, humidity and temperature in the room, if these factors are alarming, then it is better to take glue with special additives that increase the adhesive ability of the composition.

Gallery

We offer a small selection of photos with original in our opinion interior styles, in which paper wallpapers look the most advantageous.

Conclusion

So, we talked about different types of paper wallpaper, their pros and cons. We hope you will agree with us that the beauty of the interior mainly depends on the material chosen. And it doesn’t matter if you decide to use high-quality or simpler paper wallpapers, the main thing is how correctly they are chosen for the design of the apartment. We also recommend watching a thematic video in this article.