The colours of your walls play a vital part in the interiors of your room. Your walls decide the type of furnishings you can use in that space. So, it comes as no wonder that wall fashion plays an important role in planning a room’s decor.
This is what makes paints and wallpapers so popular. No one likes to look at bare walls. Whenever the job of a home renovation comes up, the first question we always ask is: “What to do with the walls?” Traditionally, paint has always been the preferred choice for most home owners. Wallpapers have typically been limited to hotel lobbies, offices and commercial spaces. But the scenario is changing gradually. Wallpaper sellers are seeing an increase in demand as more home owners are now opting to use wallpaper on their home walls. While paints give you a wide choice of colours, wall-coverings offer you a variety of patterns and styles. They are also more practical and convenient. Both options come with their own pros and cons.
So, which is better – Paints or Wallpaper?
Variety
Wall paint companies offer you multiple shades of colours and different hues. If someone wants a pink room, they can choose from more than 20 shades of pink available. But unfortunately, paints do not give any textures or finishes.
Wallpaper sellers, on the other hand, offer a wide variety of patterns, textures, colours and styles. Wallpaper designs vary between classical motifs to contemporary patterns. They also come in different kinds of materials such as vinyl, fabric, foil, embossed textures, suede, and more. Wallpapers give home owners more freedom to play around with the interiors of a space thanks to the different styles and patterns available. You can also get customized wallpapers to create a personalized look for your room. So in the end, wallpapers give us a lot more decorating options than paints.
Installation process
Paint jobs are time-consuming and labour-intensive. The whole process involves several steps like smoothing the walls, applying base coat of primer, and then applying minimum two coats of paint. Moreover, after each step is done, one has to wait for a day to give the walls drying time. Thus, even a small painting job takes at least take 3-4 days.
Hanging wallpapers on the walls is much more hassle-free. Depending on the size of the room and the number of technicians working, wallpaper can be installed in a span of an hour to eight hours. It is a quick and swift process. Putting up wallpapers is one of the easiest and most practical means of covering up your home walls. If and when required, wallpaper can also be easily removed.
Durability
Even the most high quality paints start fading after 5-6 years. Exposure to moisture and sunlight may cause discoloration or damp stains on the walls. Most paint jobs require a re-touching in every 3 years to maintain the best appearance, especially for lighter shades.
Wallpaper sellers in the market give assurances that wallpaper will easily last for 10-12 years. Most of the high-performance wall-coverings are designed to withstand any wear-and-tear inflicted by little kids or pets. There are also wallpapers available with washable and scrubbable properties. Any crayon marks by children or cooking stains in the kitchen can be easily cleaned. They are easy to maintain, thus, remain in a good condition for a longer period of time.
Cost
If we consider installation cost, wallpapers are costlier. Paint is easily available in the local shops. It can be applied on the walls by unskilled labour. Wallpaper, on the other hand, is available only at select few stores or via online portals. It needs to be installed by skilled professionals. Thus, painting a room is cheaper than wallpapering a room.
But if seen in the long run, wallpapers prove to be more cost-effective. Paint jobs have to be repeated after every 3-4 years. Wallpapers being durable enough for almost 10-12 years, they are more like a one-time investment.
Eco-friendly
Paint is usually made of chemical substances. They typically have a high rate of VOC emissions, which can adversely affect the indoor air quality of a room.
Wallpapers are made of paper which is renewable and biodegradable. Wallpaper sellers also offer other Eco-friendly alternatives like wall-coverings made of bamboo, cork, textile, or sea grass. The designs are also printed digitally with water-based inks.
In conclusion, wallpapers seem like the better choice for your home walls. In terms of design, budget, time, durability and Eco-friendliness, wallpapers are superior in all aspects.