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Painting walls in the interior pros and cons. Painting walls or wallpaper for painting

In construction stores, a large selection of finishing materials is presented, allowing you to choose an option that will suit you in terms of price and quality. When planning a repair, you should decide what tasks need to be solved. Sometimes wallpaper is more suitable for the room, other times it is better to paint the walls in the room instead of wallpaper.

With the help of paint, you can set accents, highlight an area, or create a unique pattern.

Features and benefits of painting

You can paint a brick, log, plywood or plasterboard wall. Acrylic paint evenly lays down on both smooth and textured surfaces. Technologists do not advise applying painting in a new house - the foundation shrinks, causing the surface to become covered with cracks.

Before, it is important to carefully plaster them - all the flaws will be visible on a smooth surface. To perform such work, it is better to invite the master.

The benefits of painting include:

  • the possibility of individual selection of color;
  • durability - acrylic paint will last 6-8 years;
  • hygiene - the painted surface is easy to wash or wipe with a damp cloth;
  • simple repair - scuffs can be touched up;
  • if animals live in the house, painted walls attract them less.

Gradient paint on the wall.

Connoisseurs of minimalism in the interior prefer to use paintwork. In the assortment of Russian or foreign manufacturers, you can choose any color.

If you couldn’t find the right shade, you can experiment by mixing dyes of different tones.

Paint is indispensable if you need to update decorations in the form of stucco or other decorative elements. If the room is small, you can cover the walls, wardrobe, chairs with one paint - this way the room looks larger.

For different rooms, special paint and varnish coatings are used. In the kitchen or in the bathroom glossy are practical; in the living room or hallway, a finish with a velvety or satin texture looks better.

To prevent the walls from looking boring and monotonous, you can apply art painting or stencil ornament to the surface.

Advantages and disadvantages of wallpaper

Wallpaper can quickly transform a room. A variety of textures and colors allows you to choose a classic or original design option.

To stick paper canvases, you do not need professional knowledge and skills, you should only follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Careful surface preparation is not needed - small defects will hide under the canvases.

The best option is two-layer with a high density. The porous structure of the material allows the walls to "breathe", preventing the appearance of mold or fungi. In addition, sound insulation improves and heat is retained.

Paper and interlining are safe for people prone to allergic reactions. An interesting interior can be created with the help of photo wallpapers.

The disadvantages include the price - high-quality wallpapers are not cheap.

Besides:


If the pasting technology is violated, the wallpaper will quickly peel off.
  • wallpaper cannot be glued in damp rooms - the canvas is deformed, then peeled off;
  • under the influence of sunlight, the colors fade;
  • the glued surface attracts pets;
  • when repairing, sometimes the removal of old wallpaper becomes a problem;
  • if the pattern requires adjustment, the consumption increases (you have to buy an additional roll);
  • scuffs often appear on the paper cover (places behind furniture, around sockets and switches).

Paint or glue - which is better?

Before starting the repair, you need to plan and calculate all the work:

  • how much you plan to spend, taking into account the cost of materials, tools and wages of invited workers;
  • the quality of the surface on which you are going to apply paint or wallpaper;
  • after what time the next repair is planned (the colorful coating is more durable).

If you do the painting work yourself, the repair will be cheaper. However, this requires some skills.

The preparation includes the following steps: leveling the surface, finishing puttying, sanding, drying and priming (you need to apply at least 1 layer of latex primer).

This will require building mixtures and tools: a plaster hammer, a rack level, a square, spatulas, etc. Preparing walls and painting can be more expensive than wallpapering.

To work with wallpaper, you need to purchase special glue and a minimum set of tools: a roller, brush, knife and scissors. It is easier to glue canvases with a pattern that does not require adjustment. It is easy to work with paper wallpaper on your own. Heavy vinyl rolls are best glued with an assistant. When deciding which is better: paint the walls or glue the wallpaper, you need to take into account your own tastes.

Compromise solutions

In the design of the premises, textured wallpapers are sometimes combined with the coloring of decorative elements (artistic paint is selected to match). An alternative option is paintable wallpaper. They are available in 3 varieties: paper-based, non-woven, and glass-based (made from fiberglass fabrics).

For coloring, latex or acrylic water dispersion is used. Such a wall can be repainted every year, keeping the original color or changing from light to dark. When the surface is repainted many times (5-6), the texture becomes less pronounced. You can combine different types of finishes on one wall: paste over the upper part with wallpaper, and cover the lower part with resistant paint.

For children's rooms, special wallpapers are sold that can be painted. The surface of the partition can be made with the effect of a blackboard, you can draw on it with chalk.

Any dwelling should be finished attractively and beautifully. But this can be difficult to achieve, even choosing the right design option is difficult. Often there is a choice between painting the walls and pasting them with wallpaper, and the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe advantages and disadvantages of both options is vague, incomplete for most people.

Wallpaper pros and cons

A wall that is not covered with wallpaper seems uncomfortable, abandoned and poorly maintained. If you can choose the optimal type of wallpaper material, you can transform any room you like. There are a lot of materials created, each of them has its own unique parameters. Even the most demanding and demanding aesthetes will be able to please. 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, the general style (from plain classics to custom-made design compositions) will please you.

In the same dwelling, you can use different tones and types of wallpaper for each room, fully express its spirit and withstand everything in the same way (or, on the contrary, emphasize the features).

The paper base effectively resists the appearance of mold and other fungi, and the typographic drawing completely safe for people and pets. In an apartment building, wallpaper materials are attractive with an excellent level of sound insulation and thermal insulation, and applying them is quite simple if you know some subtleties.

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

Pros and cons of painting

Staining 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 dirt and use detergents. The choice of color is no less than that of wallpaper, and the texture is also quite diverse.

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

What is better to choose?

You still have to make the final decision - wallpaper or painting the walls in the apartment. For staining and preparation 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 want to finish the walls not from scratch, but thoroughly leveled during previous repairs, it is financially more profitable to use paint.

Environmental friendliness

Using modern wallpaper in the room, you can not be afraid for the sanitary situation. The paper coating easily passes air, and synthetic materials are trying to use the same. Anyway wallpapers used in everyday life are hypoallergenic.

With ecological characteristics, however, the situation is not so unambiguous. Fully meet all the requirements of either extremely expensive textile or paper wallpaper that is not very attractive in appearance.

What is more expensive?

Even the most experienced specialists will not give an unequivocal 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 more time to prepare for painting than on preparations for wallpapering. The ideal base for both design options is drywall.

What is fashionable now?

If you turn to the collections of various designers, both middle-class and top-class, you can find examples of rooms decorated with wallpaper and paint. Paint coatings are of tremendous variety, some manufacturers have such colors in stock that even a simple description of them requires a whole phrase. But wallpaper manufacturers are also trying to keep up and are also constantly improving their coatings:

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

In the last year and a half, design experts recommend using wide wallpapers that form only a minimum number of joints.

  • To dilute excessive monotony is not only possible, but even necessary. For this purpose, unusual patterns are used. Or seemingly ordinary, but with thin dark contours of the figures. European and Asian motifs are consistently in demand, such solutions can be safely chosen without fear of their 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 look like natural greenery, clear water (in the ocean or in a waterfall), ornaments with bright wild flowers. The tonality of Kale is meant to be the backdrop for more catchy and vibrant elements. When you want something light, but practical and not pushy, it makes sense to choose the color of hazelnuts.

  • In the event that you need to revive and invigorate the room as much as possible, we can recommend the coloring of lapis lazuli. Do you want extreme brightness, flashiness, do you like radical experiments? Then the red-orange tonality “flame” is suitable for you - the most intense and 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, a very popular solution has been the use of blue tones. By varying the warm and cold shades of this color, you can easily express your unique mood. You should not go beyond the warm and cold groups, choose different tones in each room, but close color temperatures.

  • The tonality of "Marsala" 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 juicy cherry color concentrates attention, and therefore is only suitable for accent walls.

What is more practical?

Wallpaper, which are produced today, can last longer than any paint and varnish materials. But if you decide to change the look, use a different concept, it will be easier and easier to paint the walls.

The combined version - wallpaper for painting - allows you to apply an additional coating up to ten times, as the manufacturers assure. The only problem is that the texture is saved 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 to separate them by height, take different walls of the main room under 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 paintwork.

Coloring is more suitable for those who like frequent changes.; it is also the only option that allows you to decorate a log cabin. Theoretically, wallpaper can also be glued on it, but the preparation of an intermediate layer will definitely be required, which will destroy the decorative advantages of the log house.

Alternative Solutions

It should be noted that in some cases it is easier to abandon paint, wallpaper and use alternative material. Which one depends on your priority quality. So, naturalness and environmental friendliness will be best for wood and all coatings based on it (lining, laminate, blockhouse and decorative panels). The plastic panels are moderately strong, very hygienic and have excellent anti-static properties. But these advantages are crossed out by high toxicity during combustion, susceptibility to high temperature, a tendency to warp and the impossibility of cleaning with abrasive products.

When planning repairs in a house or apartment, you need to immediately decide on the type of wall decoration, because it plays a decisive role in the interior. Some prefer to paint the walls, others - to glue wallpaper. Which is better, wallpaper or wall painting? Each type of finishing work has its advantages and disadvantages, so you will have to choose on an individual basis.

Types, advantages and disadvantages of wallpapering

Beautiful wallpapers in the living room, bedroom not only look expensive and stylish, they give the room a special comfort and warmth. Wall murals do serve as the main element of the decor of the room, its "highlight". Thick wallpaper sheets act as a way of heat and sound insulation of the room.

For wall decoration, ordinary paper wallpapers are often chosen - they are the cheapest, glued with any wallpaper glue, and environmentally friendly. Paper-based canvases can be thin or "triplex" - triple with a layer of wood in the middle. Also, you can be 100% sure of the safety of glass fiber (fiberglass). They contain fiberglass and other harmless components. Usually glass wall papers are white and are used for subsequent painting. They are ideal for offices and wet areas.

The following types of wallpaper are much more expensive:

  • vinyl;
  • tissue;
  • 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, while the advantages of using this type of finishing material are indisputable:

  • preparation is carried out to a minimum, since small wall defects will be perfectly hidden by thick canvases;
  • wallpapers perfectly adhere to most types of substrates, even to 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 a “visual warmth”;
  • wallpapers are practically not capable of causing allergies (we are talking about paper, non-woven materials), modern canvases are safe for humans;
  • the finishing layer will enhance the effect of noise isolation, reduce heat loss in corner apartments;
  • paper wallpaper is a vapor-permeable material, they do not disturb the microclimate in the room;
  • even a non-professional can glue new wallpapers, the method is simple and affordable - you just need to learn how to combine the pattern and smooth the canvases on the wall;
  • the service life of the wallpaper is long, many can be washed with household chemicals.

There are also disadvantages to this type of finish:

  • to tear off firmly glued canvases from the wall, you need to try - first you have to moisten them with water, then scrape them off with a spatula (usually problems arise when replacing paper wallpaper, dense ones are removed more easily);
  • dirt, stains from paper strips are difficult to remove, scuffs may remain on the surface (washable wallpapers easily tolerate such manipulations);
  • animals often spoil the wallpaper, tear them 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 - bathroom, kitchen, they can peel off or lose their appearance;
  • under the influence of mechanical factors, the material is easily torn, and thin paper wallpapers can be deformed even with a fingernail.

Varieties of paints, pros and cons of painting walls

Paint is an alternative to wallpapering, it can be chosen instead of traditional wall pasting. When choosing a paint and varnish product, you need to take into account the function of the room in which the repair is supposed to be. Materials can be:

  • acrylic and latex - used in rooms with high humidity, give a very beautiful, silky finish (matte or glossy);
  • water-based (based on PVA) - suitable only for dry rooms, upon contact with water and steam, they lose their properties and beautiful appearance;
  • silicone - used by allergy sufferers, since they 100% exclude the appearance of a reaction, but are expensive in cost.

Oil paints, acrylates and nitro-enamels are practically not used for walls. They contain many harmful substances, therefore in recent years they have been replaced by more modern formulations.

The advantages of painting the walls in the room are as follows:

  • surface preparation necessarily includes priming with antiseptics, which significantly “heals” the room;
  • in the presence of spots, small defects, local repairs can be easily carried out - this will not lead to high costs;
  • painted walls can be washed, their appearance will not be affected, it is easy to wash off dirt, traces of markers, food residues, drink stains from the paint;
  • animals do not tear painted walls, do not sharpen their claws on them;
  • the colors of the paints are varied, you can order tinting in any, even the rarest shade, in a hardware store.

There are also paint flaws. Preparing the walls is always laborious, because otherwise even the smallest defects will be perfectly noticeable. If a non-professional takes up the case, the result may not be good enough. It is also difficult to carry out the initial painting, as opposed to a small update of the coating. It is better to study the application technique so that ugly strokes are not visible on the wall. Matte coatings have another drawback - their pores become clogged with dust that penetrates from the air, so you will need to wash the walls regularly.

The most spectacular paints are expensive, and repairs will cost a decent amount. It will be very laborious work on applying stencils, textured drawings. If you leave the walls plain, it may seem boring for an apartment, although it is ideal for an office.

Criteria Comparison

Painting walls or wallpapering is a matter of taste. To choose an option, you need to compare all the parameters, choosing for yourself the solution that is suitable for the price and labor costs.

Cost of materials

Such a comparison is correct only when considering materials of similar quality. So, there are very expensive wallpapers (for example, from natural fabric, bamboo) and no less expensive paints (calculated per square meter). The budget options for water emulsion and paper wallpaper will be approximately the same in price. If we compare high-quality latex paint and non-woven wallpaper, the cost of work will also be approximately equivalent.

At the cost of additional tools, coloring loses. You will need to buy a roller, brush, paint tray, paint container, and also pay for tinting. For wallpapering, you only need a regular bucket, glue and a roller.

Surface cost calculation

All wall finishing work begins with surface preparation. This is often the largest and most expensive stage, which takes a lot of time and effort.

Before staining

If you decide to paint the walls of a living space or office, you can’t do without preliminary preparation. In the absence of wall alignment, defects will be very noticeable, which will spoil the quality of the repair. In addition, without preparation, the adhesion of the substrate will remain low, so cracks, dents or bulges will quickly appear on the walls. The main stages of preparing walls for painting:

  1. Dismantling of the old coating. This stage is skipped only in new houses, where the walls are concrete or have minimal thin plaster.
  2. Wall alignment. The use of putties (cement, gypsum and others) helps to get rid of cracks, holes and chips. Depending on the quality of the initial coating, it is sometimes necessary to make several layers of putty and apply reinforcing meshes.
  3. Finishing putty. Must be performed before subsequent staining, allows you to achieve a smooth surface of snow-white color. Finishing is especially important for painting with light paints and varnishes.
  4. Grinding. This stage of work is needed to give the base perfect evenness.
  5. Priming in 1-3 layers. The primer helps to reduce the absorbency of the surface, improves the adhesion of the finish to the wall.

The preparation of a drywall surface is much faster. Here, only the seams (joints) of the GKL sheets are puttied, after which the material is primed 2 times. This will greatly reduce the cost of time and money.

Particular attention should be paid to the preparation of walls in the bathroom and kitchen. Such premises are subject to regular exposure to moisture, so wall materials often deteriorate. In such rooms, only special moisture-resistant antiseptic primers, putties, which are much more expensive, should be used.

Before wallpapering

The cost of preparing walls for subsequent wallpapering can vary greatly depending on the initial smoothness of the walls and the type of canvas. If the walls are even, and the wallpaper is thick, embossed, it will only be enough to dismantle the old coating and prime the walls. Such preparation is quick, not expensive, it is easy to do it yourself.

The standard version is the most common. It includes dismantling, applying putty in one layer to seal cracks, holes and chips in existing plaster. After the wall is primed. The “from scratch” option is used in the presence of bare concrete walls or a very uneven surface with many defects. The walls have to be completely cleaned of the coating, primed the surface 2 times, then puttied, sanded and primed again. The cost of such preparation is approximately the same as the price of preliminary measures before staining.

Is thorough preparation necessary?

In general, preparing walls for wallpaper is much easier than preparing them for painting. In the first case, small defects do not matter much; they will be covered with dense canvases. Even more serious differences will not be evident. Before staining, careful preparation is of the utmost importance. All defects will be at a glance, therefore, to seal them, it is necessary to use gypsum and acrylic putty, followed by priming.

The complexity of the work

Difficulties in pasting wallpaper can only arise when buying low-quality material, which, after the glue dries, will shrink or deform when applied to the wall. It is also somewhat more difficult to work with colored wallpaper with a pattern or original details - they must be correctly combined. In addition, the consumption of paintings will be large.

Coloring also has its own difficulties: inaccurate application of strokes, slow work can lead to a negative result - the appearance of spots, stripes. When finishing putty, the slightest scratch will also drastically reduce the quality of the coating, which will greatly complicate the repair.

Environmental friendliness

Ecological cleanliness can boast of wallpaper made from natural materials - glass, wood, paper, fabric. Many of them, unfortunately, are impractical or have insufficient beauty and are used only in offices. Vinyl wallpaper in the development include the use of formaldehyde. Despite the assurances of the manufacturers that the substance is released only with strong heating, an unpleasant odor will be present in the apartment for several months.

Wall paints are, for the most part, eco-friendly. This applies to latex, acrylic, water-based materials. Only alkyd enamels are dangerous for the body, but they are almost never used for finishing residential premises.

Practicality

The safest paper and textile wallpapers do not last long. They quickly get dirty, while not subject to washing, unstable to abrasion. Normal scratching may cause a hole to appear on the paper. Vinyl wallpapers, like fiberglass, interlining, last an order of magnitude longer, are easy to clean, you can remove any stains from them without losing their external gloss.

Paint gets dirty faster and harder than durable wallpaper, but painted walls are much easier to clean. But we must remember that intense friction will lighten the area against the general background, so the wall will have to be tinted.

Aesthetics

Having become acquainted with various design projects, we can conclude that there are rooms in the rooms with both wallpaper and painted walls. Both types of finishing materials are presented in the widest range, colors and types. Nevertheless, experts advise using wallpaper for the bedroom - they are more comfortable, provide a sense of calm, peace. Paints are considered more boring, but they can be greatly spruced up with beautiful prints.

If it is difficult to make a choice in favor of paint or wallpaper, you can make a compromise - perform both types of finishes in different rooms. There are also alternative options - liquid wallpaper, decorative plaster, panels or even wood trim. They will allow you to diversify the design of the room, completing it to your taste.

In the world of construction and repair, with the release of new materials, more and more new pairs of irreconcilable rivals appear. So, with the advent of a new type of water-based paint on sale, the struggle for leadership between wallpaper and paint flared up again (oil paint began to slowly but steadily yield in all positions). As a result, the consumer has a dilemma: what is better - wallpaper or wall painting?

The complexity of the choice is confirmed by practice. For example, in Russia, in most cases, they still prefer to wallpaper the walls, and in Europe and, especially, the USA, where water-based emulsion wins with a significant advantage, they paint.

Both finishing materials have strengths and weaknesses, knowledge of which allows you to make an informed choice. This will be discussed in our material.

Wallpaper pros and cons

It is very difficult to assess the advantages and disadvantages of tapestries due to the fact that they are made from completely different materials with their own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, we first give the general pros and cons for wallpaper, as a class of finishing materials, and then consider each of their types separately.

The dominance of wallpaper on the building materials market in Russia and the CIS countries is explained by the fact that many buyers do not see paints as a competitor to tapestries when decorating walls. And that's why:

  • advances in the development of new technologies have made it possible to apply a variety of patterns to the wallpaper. Their choice is truly colossal: from a relief surface with a small pattern, to 3D printed optical illusions that visually expand the apartment, creating additional space. Such images emphasize the style of the room, form a cozy and comfortable environment (you can see options for using 3D images when decorating the interior of a room in the photo below).

Only a talented artist can paint walls with a similar effect, but it will cost a lot of money.

  • before pasting with tapestries, careful preparation of the walls is not required, unlike paints, where the slightest defect is not only visible, but also protrudes with a paint layer;
  • wallpaper fabric does not conduct heat energy well. As a result, there are two pluses at once: although a little, the wallpaper warms the room; tactile material is warm, which is pleasant to the touch, especially at night in the bedroom when you accidentally touch the wall with your naked body;
  • despite the small thickness, the wallpaper absorbs sounds well, which is important for budget housing, where the life of neighbors is clearly audible;
  • all types and types of tapestries are environmentally friendly, do not harm either humans or pets;
  • simple finishing technology - all work can be done independently.

In addition to advantages, tapestries also have disadvantages. Among them:

  • short service life: 5-8 years;
  • low level of strength: easily damaged by sharp objects;
  • difficult care: dirt is poorly washed off even from washable wallpaper;
  • difficulties encountered when joining drawings;
  • high degree of damage by cats and dogs.

If we consider wallpaper by the type of base, then they also have their own pros and cons.

Paper based wallpaper:

  • allow the walls to breathe;
  • well hide wall defects;
  • environmentally friendly.
  • upon contact with water or its vapors, they lose their consumer properties, which excludes the use of this type of trellis in rooms with high humidity (bathroom, kitchen);
  • fragile - easily torn from sharp objects and claws of pets;
  • short-lived.

Non-woven wallpaper:

  • are easily stretched, which allows you to dock with the previous sheet without much effort. In addition, due to the elasticity during the drying process, various folds and air pockets are smoothed out;
  • well mask various surface flaws;
  • serve as a good sound insulator;
  • are easily removed.

The disadvantages include:

  • transparency, which requires a monochromatic, while light colors, coloring of the walls. Otherwise, colored spots will shine through;
  • complexity of care: can not be washed.

Vinyl trellis very durable, mask any unevenness of the wall, resistant to water and sunlight (do not fade). The service life, especially if they are paintable, is at least 20 years (with regular painting in a different color).

Among the minuses, we note the high toxicity in case of fire and the release of harmful substances into the air when heated above 30 o C.

Glass fiber the most durable of all types of tapestries, which allows the owners not to change them for 30 years or more. Can be washed with chemically active detergents and a brush with hard bristles. Therefore, it can be glued in places where the likelihood of contamination is highest: a children's room, an entrance hall and a corridor. The material does not burn.

The disadvantage of fiberglass experts include:

  • release only in the version for painting;
  • Difficulty in removal during repair.

Pros and cons of coloring

Painting also has its proponents, who believe that decorating the walls with paint removes the problems of cleanliness and beauty. Therefore, they do not have a dilemma: paint the walls or glue the wallpaper. However, those who have not made their choice should carefully study the strengths and weaknesses of wall painting.

Pros:

  • long service life;
  • cosmetic repairs are carried out easily and quickly, without significant financial costs and the involvement of specialists: the color is simply repainted with paint with a different, more fashionable color scheme, and the damage is repaired with putty and painted over in a new way;
  • easy care - any type of pollution is washed with water with the addition of special products;
  • do not give in to the claws of pets;
  • a huge selection of colors and shades, allowing you to find the option you need for the interior;
  • ideal for those who like to frequently change the interior of the premises - repainting the walls is carried out without dust and in a short time;
  • the color of the walls is easily corrected in case of an error in choosing a color scheme for the existing design style;
  • can be applied to almost any surface, including textured, such as, for example, a lamb;
  • sometimes the only option for wall decoration. A vivid example is houses made of logs;
  • simple finishing technology: complex mechanisms are not needed (a brush or roller is enough) and work experience.

TO weaknesses painted walls include the following points:

  • a very flat wall surface is required, which requires complex preparatory work, which is often beyond the power of a novice builder. In addition, it is costly in financial terms;
  • paints from the budget price segment quickly burn out;
  • needs constant care.

Having studied all the pros and cons, everyone decides for himself what is better, paint or wallpaper for the walls. For those who are still undecided, we will conduct a comparative analysis.

Comparison of wallpaper and painting

Comparing the parameters of wallpaper and paint will allow you to choose the most optimal option for wall decoration. We will analyze the most important indicators:

  • the price of the material in terms of 1 m 2 of the wall;
  • the cost of finishing 1 m 2;
  • technology complexity;
  • requirements for the wall surface;
  • the difficulty of removal;
  • fire safety;
  • resistance to fading;
  • resistance to mechanical stress;
  • service life;
  • water resistance;
  • appearance (design);
  • environmental cleanliness;
  • heat and noise insulation properties;
  • which is more practical.

What is more expensive

An important criterion when choosing a finishing material is the price factor. After all, repairs can be carried out for a different amount, and family income often requires a budget option. Therefore, buy what is cheaper. To have an idea of ​​the cost of materials for people with different income levels, let's compare the cost of finishing 1 m 2 with wallpaper and paint in the budget, middle and elite segments (prices are taken as of the winter of 2020 in St. Petersburg).

A budget option. Pasting the walls with paper wallpaper will cost 33-45 rubles / m 2. Painting - from 10 rubles. per 1 m 2 ("Bauproffe") up to 18 rubles / m 2 ("Profilux").

In the middle price segment, you will have to spend 112-200 rubles / m 2 on wallpaper, and 80-150 rubles / m 2 on the purchase of paint (“Tikkurila”).

Elite option. For expensive wallpapers you will have to pay from 400 rubles. and above for 1 m 2. You need to pay less for the paint of the Elite series - from 310 rubles / m 2.

Conclusion. Despite the fact that all printed materials that compare wall finishing materials talk about parity between paint and wallpaper when comparing prices, in reality, paint has a significant advantage - its purchase costs are significantly lower.

Cost of work

When performing repairs on their own, this factor is not taken into account. However, not all homeowners want and can do repairs on their own. Therefore, let's see what is more profitable: to invite specialists for wallpapering or painting walls.

Among the offers of the masters, wallpapering starts from 125 rubles. per meter, painting from 140 rubles / m 2. There is a pitfall here: prices are for a prepared surface. Therefore, the difference in the cost of work will be even greater due to the higher requirements for the surface of the walls to be painted.

Conclusion: painting the walls with the involvement of specialists will cost more than hiring a brigade for wallpapering.

The complexities of technology

When gluing wallpaper without a pattern or for painting, there are no difficulties in work, as well as when painting walls. The appearance of patterns or drawings on the wallpaper violates equality. It is much more difficult to glue such wallpapers.

Conclusion. In terms of technology complexity, paint has a slight advantage. There are no problems during operation here.

wall surface requirements

One of the advantages of tapestries is that they hide small wall imperfections, unlike paint. Therefore, a perfectly flat surface must be prepared for painting.

Conclusion: under the wallpaper less stringent requirements for the surface of the walls. Therefore, the paint in this indicator has a significant lag behind the tapestries.

Difficulty of removal

Removing both wallpaper and paint from the walls is equally difficult. However, when removing the paint layer, you will have to spend more time and effort. At the same time, the work is very dusty and unhealthy (personal protective equipment is mandatory).

Conclusion: according to the complexity of removal, preference should be given to wallpaper.

fire resistance

Only cullet and silicate-based paint do not burn. But they are rarely used for wall decoration. Otherwise, complete equality: both materials burn well.

Conclusion: in terms of fire safety, finishing materials have complete equality.

Burnout resistance

Both materials burn out under the influence of UV rays in the budget price segment. More expensive materials withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight without changing color.

Conclusion: modern production technologies have eliminated the ability of tapestries and paint to fade under the sun, and therefore in this indicator there is complete parity.

Resistance to mechanical stress

Wallpaper is easily damaged by sharp objects, as well as the claws of pets, which is the most unpleasant. There are no such problems with paint.

Conclusion: in the presence of pets, the walls must be painted, and the paint itself is another plus.

Life time

In terms of service life, only glass and non-woven vinyl wallpapers for painting can be compared with paint. In other cases, the service life of tapestries is 2-3 times less.

Conclusion: in terms of service life, paint is more durable, which, in turn, increases the gap in the cost of finishing materials in favor of paint (and so more expensive wallpapers will have to be bought 2-3 times during the life of the paint).

Waterproof

Wall paint is completely waterproof, which allows you to paint walls in all areas of the apartment without any exceptions. Wallpaper can be glued in the bathroom and kitchen, where there is high humidity, only certain types that have a moisture-proof film (vinyl).

Conclusion: in terms of moisture resistance, the paint has a small, but an advantage.

Design

It makes no sense to evaluate the design of the walls after pasting or painting, since everyone has their own concept of beauty. Some people love beautifully painted walls in a classic style, others love the original, airy style of decoration that can be achieved using 3D printing.

Conclusion: In this situation, neither the author of the work nor the editors of the site undertake to evaluate or give any advice. Each buyer decides for himself what he needs for the walls.

Ecological cleanliness

Both finishing materials are made from environmentally friendly components. Only in vinyl wallpaper, in the event of force majeure (fire), combustion products harmful to health begin to be released. This point must be taken into account.

Conclusion: both materials can be used for wall decoration without restrictions. Therefore, they are completely equal.

Heat and sound insulation

Wallpaper thin in thickness has the ability to absorb sound, which at least a little, but reduces the noise level in the apartment and serves as a good heater. Paint has no such properties.

Conclusion: in terms of sound and heat insulation, trellises have an undeniable advantage.

What is more practical

Paper wallpapers quickly get dirty, do not tolerate moisture, quickly wear out. Non-woven and vinyl tapestries are less dirty, but also difficult to clean. The paint gets dirty faster than the trellis, but it is easier to wash.

Conclusion: paint is more practical.

Comparison results

Let's summarize the analysis.

  • Using paint for wall decoration will cost less than buying wallpaper. And given the life of the materials, this difference is significant. Therefore, if the financial factor is in the first place, an acrylic water-based emulsion is bought.
  • For lovers of strict shapes and colors, paint is ideal. A riot of color, lightness and optical illusions give only wallpaper.
  • If necessary, wallpaper, especially dense ones, will help to at least slightly reduce noise in budget new buildings.
  • If there are cats and dogs in an apartment or house, preference should still be given to painting the walls.

For those who, even after the analysis, have not decided, it is necessary to pay attention to an alternative option: wallpaper for painting.

Let's do one more little research and find out what is better, wallpaper or paintable wallpaper.

Immediately, we note that the wallpaper for painting is more of a basis for paint, and not a trellis. After all, this material hides the imperfections of the walls, especially the cracks that constantly appear on the painted walls when the building shrinks. At the same time, consumer characteristics are closer to paint than to wallpaper. For example, in terms of service life, practicality, ease of maintenance, the possibility of restoration or renewal, wallpaper for painting has the same parameters as paint. There are only two criteria where there are differences:

  • relationship with pets. Wallpaper for painting is easily damaged, but also easily tinted;
  • heat and sound insulation. In paint, these parameters are completely absent, unlike wallpaper for painting.

Conclusion: it makes no sense to conduct a separate comparison of wallpaper and trellis for painting, since the latter have the same characteristics as paint.

Another option to use wallpaper and paint at the same time are glass wall paper. Many consumers may ask a reasonable question: why glue fiberglass if the wall can simply be painted. However, everything is not so simple here. Glass fiber has 5 advantages over paint.

  • Preparing walls for painting. To apply paint, the walls must be even and smooth, like glass. Such a surface is achieved with a finishing putty, which needs to be sanded for a long time, swallowing dust. If you stick fiberglass, then you can refuse the finishing putty. It is enough to apply a layer of starting solution. And that saves money and time.
  • Protection of finishing against shrinkage of the building. The shrinkage of the building does not spare either the paint (cracks appear) or the wallpaper (the canvas breaks). Save from appearing cracks or liquid wallpaper, or fiberglass, which can withstand a tensile load of up to 3 tons.
  • Damage protection. It is almost impossible to damage glass wallpapers at home. They withstand pet claws, chair backs, childish pranks and more that can scratch or tear the finish.
  • Color quality. The paint applied to the wall emphasizes all the imperfections of the surface. This is explained by the laws of physics: a beam of light falling on an uneven surface is reflected in a different direction than light fluxes are scattered from a flat surface. The anomaly is immediately fixed by the eye. The textured surface of the fiberglass scatters light randomly. Therefore, it is impossible to catch the shortcomings in preparing the wall for painting after gluing the glass.
  • decorative effect. The woven base of fiberglass can imitate many types of decorative plaster, which allows you to use a variety of techniques and special effects when decorating the interior of an apartment.

What and in what rooms is better to prefer

Based on the characteristics of materials for the hallway, bathroom and kitchen paint looks like the preferred option: in the hallway, the walls quickly get dirty below, and there is high humidity in the bathroom and kitchen. For bedroom and children's room wallpaper is better. Here, walls that are pleasant to the touch create a special coziness and warmth.

In the rest of the premises, the choice of finishing material is influenced by many factors: the amount of the estimate for repairs, the design solution for interior design, the available furniture, the presence of pets, etc.

Conclusion

It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer which is better, paint or wallpaper when decorating walls. Here it is necessary to take into account the interweaving of various factors, ranging from the financial capabilities of the owners to the presence of a dog or cat in the house.

The only thing that can be said without fear of making a mistake: both paint and wallpaper allow you to create a uniquely beautiful interior in any style.

When planning repairs in an apartment, you need to correctly select the right materials for high-quality work. Many owners do not know what to give preference to, and therefore quite often they ask themselves the question of what is better - wallpaper or wall painting? By and large, both options have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the choice of type of finish must be approached wisely. What, in fact, we want to talk about in our review.

Benefits of wallpapering

Allows you to update any room and make it cozy just repair. The apartment after it, even if the most budget option is chosen, will in any case look fresher. Often wallpaper is used for this. New models with their own characteristics are constantly being released. The advantages of wallpaper include the fact that:

  • Before work, special preparation of the walls is not required. Small errors are hidden. The coating will serve the owners for a long time, if, of course, you choose the right glue.
  • The surface will be pleasant to the touch, it creates comfort and warmth.
  • Paper and interlining are non-allergenic and safe for people and animals.
  • A rich assortment of all kinds of wallpaper options allows you to purchase suitable material in full accordance with your own preferences and taste.
  • You can do the work yourself.
  • Because of the paper surface, the walls breathe, so the occurrence of fungus and mold is excluded.

To answer the question of which is better - wallpaper or wall painting, you should also familiarize yourself with the disadvantages of using paper material.

Disadvantages of using wallpaper

The disadvantages of wallpaper include:

  • Due to the high-quality adhesion of the material to the wall, it is difficult to remove it before new pasting.
  • Contaminants that appear on the surface are difficult to remove. Even if the wallpaper is washable, this is not so easy to do.
  • Many pets ruin the wallpaper. Although this does not harm them, the original appearance of the walls naturally suffers from this.

  • Paper-based material cannot be used for pasting walls in a bathroom or toilet due to high humidity in these rooms.
  • The cover is not durable. After a few years, it will have to be changed.
  • Walls are easily damaged by sharp objects.

Advantages of painting

Whichever option is chosen, it is necessary to carry out high-quality repairs. It will be wall painting or wallpaper, it all depends on the desire. Paint is often used. Various materials are used for this. Special reliable odorless paint mixtures are quite popular at the moment. The benefits of painting include:

  • In preparation for such work, according to technology, you need to process the room. Antiseptics, primers are applied to the walls, which eliminate mold and other microorganisms.
  • If you need to carry out cosmetic repairs, you do not need to paint the entire wall, you can only update a separate area. It is done quickly and is cheap.
  • Painted walls can then be washed.
  • Pets will not be able to spoil the appearance of the surface.
  • Many varieties of paints are produced to transform various interiors.

Puttying the walls for painting, the price of which depends on the material chosen, is a mandatory step. To level the surface, mixtures are used for 120-480 rubles per pack. Gypsum mixtures cost between 280-420 rubles per 18 kg. You will have to pay 860-1820 rubles for 10 kg for the trains. The price depends on the company. This, of course, requires additional material costs, but in the end you get a quality foundation that will facilitate the work during the next repair.

Painting disadvantages

To find out which is better, wallpaper or wall painting, familiarization with the disadvantages of the methods will help. The disadvantages of coloring include:

  • The preparatory work is lengthy. To do this, you need to be able to use the tools.
  • Qualitatively quite difficult for a non-professional. And the masters will have to pay a lot of money for this.
  • Even resistant paint has a tensile strength. She can't handle heavy blows.
  • Any pattern is applied to the walls today. But designer paints are used for this, so such work is not cheap.

Choice of finish

What is better - wallpaper or wall painting - everyone decides for himself. To make the right choice, you need to focus on several factors:

  • Wallpaper is glued simply and quickly, and the preparation of walls for painting takes a long time. For the second option, you need to have plastering skills. Usually a lot of tools and materials are required. For wallpaper, you need a knife or scissors, utensils for glue and a roller. Work can be done independently.
  • Even high-quality paper materials will cost less than painting walls.
  • Wallpaper can be changed often, updating the interior. But if you do not want to make a new repair in a few years, then it is advisable to choose a paint. With proper care, it will last for a long time.
  • Paint with the help of tinting is given any shade. It is difficult to do this with wallpaper.

Whatever is chosen, wallpapering or painting the walls, everything will look very beautiful, creating a cozy interior. Paper material may differ in texture, colors and shades. The walls can be painted not only in one tone, but also to apply a different pattern to their surface.

Price

Before you repair an apartment, you should calculate how much money is required for materials. Improving the appearance of a room can cost a different amount, it all depends on the quality and type of the upcoming finish. But remember: in any case, it is desirable to make high-quality repairs. After that, the apartment will look good for a long time, and the walls will not need to be updated.

If we compare high-quality, but inexpensive paint, and good (not paper) wallpaper, then the price for such repairs will be approximately the same. Pasting or painting a room of 20-30 square meters in price may differ only if you do not do the work yourself.

The complexity of the work

Preparing walls for wallpaper is easier than painting. After removing the old coating, of course, it is also desirable to putty and prime them. But this work is easier if the walls are even, and small defects do not matter. Thick wallpaper can hide even serious flaws.

Preparation for painting is carried out more carefully. Cracks, recesses, dents are treated with plaster or acrylic putty. When painting, it will not be possible to hide small irregularities. It will not lie flat if the surface is rough, over time it will begin to crack and flake off. There should be no scratches during the final grinding, and therefore the final stage before painting is very laborious and not everyone can afford it.

Environmental friendliness and practicality

Absolutely environmentally friendly wallpaper does not exist. Those options that are "breathable" are impractical. These include textile materials or ordinary paper. They get dirty, deteriorate from moisture and are subject to abrasion.

The painted surface gets dirty faster than the wallpaper, but it is easier to clean.

To determine what is more practical wallpaper or wall painting, you should consider a few professional tips:

  • When painting, the colors must be combined with the interior of the room.
  • Thick wallpaper hides the imperfections of the walls.
  • Non-woven wallpaper can be repainted up to 5 times.
  • If the walls are uneven, then it is better to choose fiberglass wallpaper for them. They are also suitable for rooms with high humidity.
  • Plain walls look great in small rooms. Images visually hide the volume of the room.
  • Water-based paint is considered environmentally friendly and safe, but it is not wear-resistant.

  • Acrylic and latex paints are durable and safe.
  • Vinyl emits toxic components.
  • Drywall is the best material for and pasting.
  • It is desirable to treat moisture-resistant drywall with a primer with water-based white paint. This will hide the green tint of the drywall.
  • For drywall, it is better to use acrylic primer GKL-1, and it is desirable to apply it with a brush, not with a roller.
  • The seams are glued with serpentine lavsan tape. Then they are puttied and leveled.
  • The paint is considered resistant to temperature changes compared to wallpaper.

Housing should be comfortable. With the help of modern materials and technologies, today you can make high-quality repairs and create an excellent interior. For decoration today, as a rule, various water-based or acrylic paints and wallpapers are used. Therefore, each owner decides for himself how the living room, bedroom and kitchen will be processed. Wallpaper or wall painting will, by and large, make any room cozier. Both methods allow you to perfectly update the room.