Which wallpaper is better: vinyl or non-woven?

A large selection of a wide variety of types of wallpaper is often confusing. Finishing material is not only different in color and texture, but also has completely different properties and performance. Vinyl and non-woven wallpaper, which replaced paper, are of particular interest to the buyer and the greatest number of questions. We will try to understand the difference between these two types of finishing material and find out which wallpaper is better: vinyl or non-woven.

We consider both types of wallpaper separately and determine their most significant differences, pluses and minuses, and then compare them with each other and find out which material is more preferable for decorating the apartment.

Non-woven wallpaper

Flizelin is a material consisting of fibrous cellulose, impregnated with various bonding compounds, and synthetic additives. Sometimes non-woven is called improved paper. Due to the ordered arrangement of the compressed fibers, the non-woven fabric is a bit like fabric.

Pros of non-woven fabric:

• air and vapor permeability of the material, allowing the walls to "breathe" and maintain a favorable microclimate in the room;
• sufficient strength and density, not subject to deformation and stretching, making the material ideal for apartments in new buildings, the walls of which will shrink after a while;
• exceptional ease of gluing, which is ensured by the fact that the adhesive must be applied to the wall, and not to the canvas;
• the ability of the material to reinforce microcracks on the walls, preventing them from spreading and increasing;
• the possibility of reusable coloring, even if the roll does not have a corresponding mark on it - paint makes this type of material more resistant to external influences;
• during the next repair, non-woven wallpaper can be left on the wall without breaking, and glued new paintings directly on them;
• quite a long service life - up to 10 years.

Minuses:

• insufficient variety of colors, textures and design solutions;
• high price;
• low resistance to mechanical stress;
• the need for careful alignment of the walls;
• inadmissibility of wet cleaning.

The truth about the dangers of non-woven wallpaper

Recently, more and more often you can hear that non-woven wallpaper harmful to human health. This information is distributed by competing manufacturers, as well as deceived buyers who, under the guise of a non-woven wallpaper material, have acquired a low-quality fake.

This non-woven fabric is made from natural materials, it does not have an unpleasant odor and is comparable to paper in terms of “harmfulness”. Non-woven wallpaper can only be harmful if it is fake and unsafe materials were used in its manufacture. That is why experts recommend purchasing products of well-known brands in specialized stores and checking the quality certificate upon purchase. In addition, you need to carefully consider the choice of wallpaper glue. Harmful additives may be contained in it.

Vinyl wallpapers

So called vinyl wallpapers represent a two-layer material, where the bottom layer or base is non-woven or paper, the top is a polyvinyl chloride film. The top vinyl layer defines the properties, pros and cons of this type of material.

Depending on the manufacturing technology and appearance, the material with a vinyl coating is of several types:

• structural wallpaper, the top layer of which is foamed vinyl - they can not be washed, but can be cleaned with a damp cloth, so they are not very suitable for the kitchen;

• compact vinyl - imitates various natural materials;

• heavy vinyl - has an additional vinyl layer, has high strength;

• silk-screen printing - has a smooth texture and a beautiful sheen, suitable for carefully level surfaces;

• washable vinyl wallpaper with chemical embossing - perfectly tolerate cleaning with aggressive agents, ideal for bathroom and kitchen.

Non-woven vinyl wallpaper they are often confused with ordinary non-woven ones, but in reality there is not much in common between them: they are united only by the gluing method.

Pros of vinyl wallpaper:

• a huge variety of colors, patterns and textures;
• the ability to hide bumps and surface defects;
• moisture resistance, the possibility of wet cleaning and use in rooms with high humidity, such as a kitchen;
• incombustibility;
• resistance to ultraviolet radiation, as well as to mechanical damage;
• impregnation with an antifungal composition eliminates the appearance of mold;
• the vinyl layer does not absorb dust;
• the non-woven fabric is easy to glue, the adhesive is applied only to the wall;
• some varieties can be painted;
• service life - 10 years.

Minuses:

• vinyl is impervious to air and steam;
• Some wallpapers may have an unpleasant odor;
• cheap material can release substances that are unhealthy.

Tip: if the unpleasant smell after wallpapering does not disappear for a long time, ammonia will help to get rid of it quickly. Add a small amount of ammonia to the water and wipe the pasted wall, remembering to open the windows at this time.

Which wallpaper is better?

Summing up, we can say that both types of material have an approximately equal number of pluses and minuses, therefore it cannot be said that one of them is better and the other worse. The right decision would be the choice of wallpaper depending on the purpose of the room in which they will be glued.

• From the point of view of environmental friendliness and safety, it is better to choose a non-woven wallpaper material for the bedroom and children's room.

• Washable vinyl material is ideal for the kitchen.

• It is advisable to cover the corridor and the hallway with vinyl-coated material in order to avoid damage to the surfaces and to be able to eliminate pollution.

• In the living room or hall, a colorful vinyl canvas will look very impressive. To combine business with pleasure, we recommend using a combination of two types in this room finishing material: as a base or background choose "breathable" non-woven wallpaper, as emphasis - vinyl material on paper or non-woven base with an interesting expressive pattern.