What are the different types of wallpaper?

Vinyl

Vinyl wallpaper is created by placing a layer of vinyl over printed paper. It is durable and can be washed with soap and water, so it works well in humid areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, or laundry rooms. If you wish to put wallpaper in a children’s room, vinyl wallpaper is a good option. It is long-lasting wallpaper, but often requires heavy-duty application which can be a disadvantage.

Grasscloth

Grasscloth wallpaper is made from natural plant fibers that are woven together and is more expensive than most wallpapers due to its difficult assembly process. It is also more difficult to install and may increase the overall cost of installation. Grasscloth wallpaper cannot be washed, so it is often used in bedrooms, offices, or low traffic areas, offering a natural feel to any room.

Peel and Stick

Peel and stick wallpaper is great for renters, since it can be removed without the walls sustaining any damage if it is removed properly. Application is not very time consuming or messy but can become difficult if there is a pattern that needs to be lined up since the wallpaper needs to be removed and placed again if the pattern does not match on the first try.

Flock

Flock wallpaper is generally a printed wallpaper with three dimensional accents that are velvety to the touch. It can become very expensive and cannot be washed, so it should be placed in bedrooms, offices, and other low traffic areas.

Foil

Foil wallpaper gives the room a shiny, metallic look and can help to brighten a room. However, it is fragile, expensive, and difficult to install. It also requires the wall to be prepped and smoothed prior to installation since its reflective qualities will show imperfections in the wall if it is not prepped properly.

Mylar

Mylar wallpaper is created by placing a polyester film over top of a printed wallpaper. Like foil paper, it can show imperfections, so the wall needs to be prepped first, but it is not as fragile. It can also be washed due to the polyester film.

Bamboo

Bamboo wallpaper is another great way to make your home feel more natural and is made by gluing thin bamboo rods onto paper. Like grasscloth wallpaper, it is a little more difficult to install and cannot be washed, so it should not be installed in humid or high traffic areas.

Printed

Printed wallpaper can either be hand printed or printed digitally and allows for a wide range of design choices or patterns that you can incorporate into your home. Most of the inks used for printed wallpapers are water based, so it should be installed in dry areas and kept away from kitchens and bathrooms.

Suggestions for making the most of your wallpaper project:

• Consider an accent wall. Placing wallpaper with a design or pattern on one of the walls will draw the focus of the room to that wall and add a creative flair without overwhelming the space. You could also try choosing one of the colors in the design of your wallpaper and painting the other three walls that color to create a cohesive aesthetic.


• Sample your space. If you are not sure exactly what kind of wallpaper you want in a room, purchase samples of different wallpapers that you like and attach them to the wall using poster tacks or putty. This will allow you to gain a better understanding of what the wallpaper would look like as a finished product and help you see what works best in your home.


• Combine wallpaper with art. This works well with peel and stick wallpaper, since it is easy to apply. Before applying the wallpaper, cut different shapes and arrange them in different ways. You can create multicolored stripes, arches, and custom patterns.