Wallpaper for painting: which is better

Recommendation points

• Characteristics and types of wallpaper for painting
• Fiberglass Wallpaper
• Non-woven wallpaper
• Paper wallpaper

Wallpaper for painting not only gives the walls an interesting relief, but also provides space for design imagination – they can be repainted many times. How to understand the types of such wall covering and choose the right wallpaper for you, we will tell you in our article.

Wallpaper for painting (textured or smooth) is very functional: you just need to select and stick them once, and you can change the design of the room many times without much hassle. This type of wall covering can be repainted several times using different types and shades of paints. Their main difference from ordinary wallpaper is increased moisture resistance and strength. Wallpaper intended for subsequent painting is usually white or beige. Some manufacturers also produce models with a pattern..

Store shelves offer a fairly large selection of textured wallpapers. For the most part, these are imported products:

1. German brands AS CREATION, Erfurt, Marburg, Erismann.
2. Swedish wallpaper by Tasso Glass and Mitex.
3. French company Mermet.
4. Belgian company ARTE.

The Russian factories “Palitra”, “Art” and the Ukrainian wallpaper “Versailles” are also well known. As a rule, prices for wallpaper of domestic production are lower than those of imported counterparts. However, this practically does not affect the quality – most factories use imported equipment and modern technologies for the manufacture of wallpaper.

Characteristics and types of wallpaper for painting

As a rule, wallpapers intended for coloring are produced in white. By the type of base, the following types are distinguished:

1. Fiberglass (cobweb).
2. Non-woven.
3. Paper (duplex and triplex).

Let’s consider in detail the features of each type.

Fiberglass Wallpaper

Glass fiber is an improved and modernized version of the painting canvas (“cobwebs”). They are based on the finest fiberglass strands stretched at a temperature of about 1200 ° C. Wallpaper is made by the weaving method: in the case of fiberglass, the surface remains smooth, for fiberglass, a certain texture or decor in kiper or linen is chosen. The composition of such a wall covering is dolomite, quartz sand, lime and soda. All components are completely environmentally friendly and safe for human health.

The absence of harmful chemical additives is just one of the list of advantages of fiberglass, which also includes:

1. High biological stability – there is no nutrient medium on the surface suitable for the growth of mold or mildew.
2. Resistance to mechanical damage – the density of the material does not allow tearing or scratching the wall covering.
3. Chemical resistance – wallpaper can be washed with any disinfectant, not to mention standard detergents.
4. Lack of static electricity – fiberglass does not attract dust, which means that they will not have to be cleaned so often.
5. Increased vapor permeability – the structure of the fibers resembles weaving in a sweater, the loop cells let water vapor pass well, improving the microclimate.
6. Non-flammability, confirmed by certificates, and the absence of poisonous fumes in contact with fire.
7. Long service life – fiberglass wallpaper can be repainted up to 20 times, and the lifespan is up to 30 years.

Of course, there were some drawbacks: the smallest particles of glass fibers can get on the skin and respiratory tract, causing irritation, therefore, when working with such wallpaper, you must use protective equipment.

Important: it can be very difficult to remove old glass wallpaper from the walls, so they are most often used to decorate office premises. Can be washed using a brush and special solutions.

The American concern GLASSTEX GROUP CORP, which produces coatings under various brands, is rightfully considered the leader in the world glass wallpaper market. The price for the Wellton brand starts at 900 rubles per roll of 25 meters and reaches the astronomical figure of 11,000 rubles for a fifty-meter roll. The BauTex brand (joint production with Germany) is more democratic: here the price tag ranges from 1,400 to 2,600 rubles per 50 m.

Brand / manufacturer	Roll length, m	Roll width, m	Approximate cost, rub.
Wellton decor	12.5	1	from 1650
Wellton optima	25	1	from 1150
Wellton classika	25	1	from 3000
Wellton classika	50	1	from 5000
Painting glass canvas (spider web) WELLTON OSCAR	50	1	from 490
BauTex LUXURY	25	1	from 2100
“Bautex” Profitex	25	1	from 875
“Bautex” Walltex	25	1	from 1200

For thrifty buyers, many manufacturers can offer second-class wallpaper – rolls of non-standard sizes with small defects. Intersperses of defects in such rolls are quite insignificant, and the price is much lower than standard rolls.

Non-woven wallpaper

Non-woven fabric is familiar to many – a dense fibrous fabric is widely used in the clothing industry for the manufacture of wear-resistant collars and armbands. In wallpaper production, foam spraying is applied to the non-woven base through a stencil, which forms a texture pattern.

Non-woven wallpaper has undoubted advantages:

1. Masking effect – thanks to the slightly stretching base and vinyl spraying, the wallpaper perfectly hides small irregularities and defects in the walls. Experts recommend this coating for new shrinking houses..
2. Protective functions – sprayed vinyl provides additional noise and heat insulation.
3. Ease of use and the most accurate fit.
4. No harmful vapors.
5. Service life reaches 10 years.

Non-woven wallpaper is quite capricious in the process of sticker and operation – the foam cover is quite easily damaged by careless movements, therefore, such wallpaper is advised to be painted immediately after gluing.

Manufacturers offer several types of non-woven wallpaper:

1. Smooth (used as a base for other coatings).
2. Structural vinyl-coated.
3. Non-woven paper.

Wallpapers of this type can be either white or colored (with a pattern). Both types can be repainted many times.

Prices for these paintable wallpapers can be very different, for example, the German brand “Marburg” offers wallpapers on a non-woven base: standard sizes – from 630 rubles per roll, designer – at a price of several tens of thousands of rubles. The Russian manufacturer ART and the Ukrainian “Versal” supply wallpaper collections in the middle price niche – from 600 to 1500 rubles per roll.

Brand / manufacturer	Roll length, m	Roll width, m	Approximate cost, rub.
Marburg Gloockler Children’s Paradis	five	0.18	from 790
Marburg andante pria	10.05	0.53	from 890
Marburg Light Story Chateau	10.05	0.53	from 990
Marburg Domotex	10.05	0.75	from 6230
Marburg cuvee prestige	9.90	0.7	from 14100
ART Damasko	ten	1.06	from 1350
ART Swirl	ten	1.06	from 680
ART Peonia	ten	1.06	from 700
ART Economy	ten	1.06	from 400
Versailles Eden	ten	1.06	from 890
“Versailles” for children	10.05	0.053	from 650

Important: when choosing non-woven wallpaper, be sure to pay attention to the size of the rolls. For the same manufacturer, these data may differ depending on the collection.

Paper wallpaper

Wallpaper on a paper basis is considered the most inexpensive option, however, with proper care, they will last at least 5-10 years. During the production process, the base is treated with special waterproof impregnations, so that it can be repainted several times.

Particularly popular are coarse-fiber wallpapers interspersed with natural sawdust. This coating is optimal for children’s rooms..

Classic Soviet version: single-layer simplex (not produced by foreign factories). The only plus: the low cost of the coating is more than offset by its fragility and unreliability. For finishing it is better to choose duplex (double layer) or triplex (triple layer). In such wallpapers, the top coat has good performance and excellent appearance..

Important: if you plan to paint paper wallpaper, it is better to give preference to products with vinyl covering..

The choice of paper wallpaper on the market is simply huge – from budget narrow-band options (50-60 cm wide) at 80-100 rubles per roll, ending with wide (from 1 m) rolls of 1,500-2,000 thousand and more. The variety of manufacturers, wallpaper models and the spread in the price range does not allow structuring the information in a table. Any online catalog gives you a choice from several dozen to several hundred options.

When choosing wallpaper for painting, you first need to solve three questions for yourself:

1. For how long do you plan to glue wallpaper – for temporary options, inexpensive paper-based wallpaper that will last from 3 to 5 years is quite suitable.
2. How much are you willing to spend – almost any manufacturer has economy lines and designer collections.
3. Whether you will do the work yourself or hire specialists – if you do not have experience in finishing work, it is better to give preference to narrow, high-density wallpaper. It is easier to dock them, and the probability of breaking a dense base is much lower.

The best option in terms of price / service life is, of course, the fiberglass coating. If you are planning redecoration, you can opt for paper wallpaper, which can be easily glued on your own. Non-woven coating is the most expensive and time consuming option that may require hiring a finisher.