WALLPAPER: INTRODUCTION
The house says a lot about who we are. In fact, to make it unique and original, we take care of it down to the smallest details so as to transform it into the home of our dreams. If you are looking for something that can make you customize your home with style, there is nothing better than wallpaper.
Wallpaper is a real style element. Used with creativity, in fact, it is able to make an exclusive environment. In addition, the merits of wallpaper are different: it is a versatile, practical and inexpensive product.
Also, if you’re a DIY lover, applying wall paper the right way won’t be a problem.
Indeed, it will prove to be a fun activity that will give you the opportunity to choose from countless patterns and materials to give that personal touch to your home.
By choosing the right coating you will have the opportunity to enclose the whole world in your room. In fact, the wallpaper, with its many fantasies, it manages to make the difference.
Finally, the wallpaper can be of three types: natural cellulose, vinyl, non-woven fabric (TNT), paper and 3D.
MATERIALS
NATURAL CELLULOSE WALLPAPER
Each wallpaper has its own peculiarity. We begin our journey to discover this product starting from natural fiber or cellulose.
This type of wallpaper is widespread on the market and is appreciated for its resistance and durability.
Furthermore, cellulose paper is a green solution as it is not plasticized. It is in fact a material deriving from wood processing which is subsequently colored in plain colors or with patterns.
VINYL WALLPAPER
Vinyl wallpapers stand out for their robust structure, high resistance to humidity and, moreover, ease of maintenance.
The wall covering owes these properties to the special PVC surface. The latter, in fact, is applied on a supporting layer of paper or pile
In addition, the quality of the vinyl wallpaper depends on the number of layers.
Obviously the more layers we have, higher is the quality. For more particular designs or for depth effects, plastic foam is also often used.
Vinyl wallpapers have a high solidity of color, enormous scratch resistance and flexible application on various supports.
However, it should not be forgotten that this material is plastic and therefore not very breathable, so its application in humid environments must be avoided to decrease the risk of mold formation.
NON-WOVEN WALLPAPER
Compared to other wallpapers, however, non-woven (non-woven) wallpapers are relatively new on the market.
They consist of stable, high quality textile and cellulosic fibers, which are mixed with colored pigments or foams to obtain the corresponding color and structure.
These wallpapers owe their high tensile strength and breathability of the support material.
Thanks to the excellent air and vapor permeability and to the excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties, these wallpapers help to create a healthy living climate. Since they are made in fabric – non-woven, they are flame retardant and can be used in any environment.
WALLPAPER IN PAPER
The classic wall coverings are of course paper wallpapers.
They are often seen as a combination of printed and embossed paper on the outside and recycled paper on the inside.
While the reason depends only on your personal taste, the weight of the wallpaper determines its actual quality. Again, the higher the weight, the higher the quality.
Finally, paper wallpapers are available in numerous shapes and colors. With subtle wallpapers, the irregularities of the wall surface often emerge clearly. During installation, the paper often expands with glue.
Unlike the vinyl and non-woven backgrounds described above, it must be assumed that if you want to remove the wallpaper again, it is really difficult and is likely to tear.
ADVANTAGES
The advantages of wallpaper make this technique a very interesting alternative, beyond the aesthetic aspect.
First of all we have a wide choice in the scenic composition, being able to choose from many subjects and effects available. For unique and personalized furnishing solutions.
Of course, we can also apply it only to certain rooms in the house, or even just some walls.
Wallpaper has a longer shelf life than traditional painting, which makes it particularly advantageous. There are also other technical aspects for which the wallpaper is more practical, such as its washability.
Therefore, for small damages, it can be remedied in an absolutely economic and non-accident way.
In addition, its hiding action allows you to make some defect of the walls is invisible, thus offering a solution for many imperfections.
DISADVANTAGES
The disadvantages of the wallpaper are mainly identified in the price, in reverse than you can imagine the wallpaper is not very cheap.
Clearly there are also low-cost variants, but the risk is to buy a substandard product destined to come unstuck in a short time.
Another disadvantage lies in the fact that, unlike painting, the material tends to discolour if excessively exposed to the sun.
COST
It is not easy to estimate the cost universal of a product such as wallpaper, since it depends on the square footage of the house. We can say though that for a good wallpaper product wallpaper the cost is about 40 euro/sqm.
Being a not really cheap solution, in case you need to cover a very large surface, it is preferable to paint the wall.
MAINTENANCE
There are several ways and different situations in which it will become necessary having to do “maintenance” to keep your wallpaper in good condition.
- First, glue stains during the application phase: tap with a very clean sponge soaked in water;
- Dust: dust with a clean cloth placed on top of a broom or, better, clean the entire surface with a vacuum cleaner;
- Fingerprint: remove them by working from top to bottom with a clean and very soft rubber or with breadcrumbs, taking great care not to damage the underlying design;
- Grease stains: magnesia paste and trichlorethylene. Leave to dry, then brush with a very soft brush;
- Rips defined: easily resolved by applying vinyl glue;
- Undefined rips or lacerations: in these cases it is often possible to ask the dealer for a piece of new paper relating to the area to be repaired in order to replace the torn part.
Furthermore, it should be remembered that vinyl papers are washable with soapy water to which chlorate and other modern diluted detergents can be added if necessary.
INSTALLATION
Laying wallpaper requires precision and care. Indeed, if you are do-it-yourselfers, you can try yourself in this activity. In case you weren’t, then the advice is to contact specialized technicians.
In the event that you decide to carry out the installation yourself, the first phase is that relating to the preparation of the walls.
In fact, the wall must be smoothed to eliminate any type of imperfection so as to allow the perfect application of the wallpaper.
In fact, it is necessary to pay close attention to the installation of wallpaper. The lines must match perfectly to avoid annoying discontinuities.
After doing this you can proceed to cutting the paper and passing the glue on the back of the paper. Make sure that the glue is spread in a fluid way avoiding the formation of lumps.
In this case, choose the glue suitable for the chosen wallpaper and to the support where it will be applied to ensure an excellent performance.
The last steps involve the use of the upholsterer’s brush to make the paper adhere well and any trim to cut away the excess parts.
CONCLUSIONS
Since ancient times, man has felt the need of adorn the walls of buildings. In all civilizations the most wealthy classes they decorated the walls of their homes with curtains, frescoes, wood, stucco or leather coverings.
During the Middle Ages, the Arab tradition of tapestries spread in Europe, that is, particular carpets that adorned the walls of the palaces and castles of all the most important European courts.
The tapestry, therefore, can be considered as the closest relative of the wallpaper.
The wallpaper, therefore, is not a concept born in the modern era, it is something that man has felt the need for from time immemorial. In fact, how to blame him if we think that the house is the mirror of ourselves.
We all want our home to be built just as we dream it; down to the smallest detail.
Applying wallpaper can be a fun and simple DIY activity if you have a little practicality mixed with the right amount of imagination.
In case you lack practicality and desire, there are several professional firms able to do the job for you, in a precise and reliable way.
LEAVE A COMMENT
So what are you waiting for? If you want advice on choosing the wallpaper to be applied to your walls, leave a comment at the end of the article, or send an email to valeriadesign@casaomnia.it for more detailed advice.
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