Washable wallpaper: photo, features selection and installation

Rarely anyone remembers that even 30-50 years ago only one type of wallpaper - paper ones - could be purchased on sale. They cost literally a penny, easily glued, held on for a relatively long time. There were a lot of such drawbacks, including the fact that they could not be pasted in rooms with high humidity. In the kitchen, in the hallway, toilet and bathroom, these wallpapers served a maximum of 3-6 months, and then they had to be removed and glued new ones. Now everything is different and the modern construction market offers us a large selection of washable wallpaper.

Washable wallpaper is a modern lookcovering walls and ceilings in the kitchen, in the bathroom and the hallway. These wallpapers are very durable, have high durability, and a wide range of colors allows you to choose the right option for the above premises.

Why the wallpaper is called "washable" and what features they have

The very name of this decorative material for the decoration of walls and ceilings speaks for itself. The main purpose of such wallpapers - use in rooms where the humidity level is high, and the temperature is not always stable. Such wallpaper can be wiped with a damp cloth to clean the surface.

If the material is classified as "high abrasion resistance", the dense base of the wallpaper will not let in air, which means that the walls can not "breathe".In this room, condensation accumulates and as a result, mold and fungus form first in the corners of the room, spreading farther and farther. Now you know the reverse side of the washable wallpaper. To prevent this, in the room where you want to paste a wear-resistant wallpaper, you must take care of proper ventilation in advance.

What are the features of washable wallpaper:

• the versatility of the material, which means the possibility of gluing to any surface. Wallpaper can be glued directly to the plaster, concrete wall or plasterboard;
• special care is not required, it is sufficient to periodically wipe the surface with a damp cloth or clean with a soft brush. If the wallpaper is pasted in the kitchen and accidentally they have got drops of juice and other products, then it is enough to wipe this place with a damp sponge;
• long service life. Inexpensive washable wallpaper will last 5-7 years, and more quality and durable - from 10 to 20 years;
• wallpaper is very simple and easy to paste and just as easy to remove them from the wall or ceiling.

To make it easier for you to choose a cover for the kitchen and bathroom, you can buy washable wallpaper in any construction supermarket. A single international marking system will facilitate the selection process. On the label of each product you will see an image in the form of one or more twisting lines and brushes, which means that the wallpaper is resistant to moisture and can be washed.

In order not to get confused in the store and choose the appropriate option for gluing the walls in the kitchen or in the bathroom, we suggest familiarizing yourself with the markings( symbols available on each roll):

1. If the label draws 1 line, it means that the wallpaper is not allowed to wash. During the coating, it is necessary to remove the excess adhesive from the wallpaper immediately, which absorbs moisture well with a cloth or a sponge.
2. 2 lines are washable wallpaper that will withstand wet cleaning, but only without the use of aggressive detergents.
3. 3 lines are durable washable wallpaper that can withstand even a saturated soap solution. You can wash them with a sponge or a rag.
4. Winding line and brush. This is also a washable wallpaper, which can be washed with a soft brush.
5. 3 twisty lines and a brush - very strong wallpaper, which can often be washed, they have a high resistance to abrasion.

Naturally, for each type of room are selected and the corresponding wallpaper. For example, for kitchen and bathroom you can use wallpaper with 2 or 3 lines. Before you buy a favorite product, you need to think carefully and assess the degree of contamination of the coating. If the wallpaper has to be washed often, it is better to buy rolls with a smooth texture, but embossed and relief wallpaper will not withstand such a load and quickly lose its pristine beauty.

To date, there are 5 types of washable wallpaper, they differ in the composition of the material, lifetime and other additional characteristics.

Types of washable wallpaper:

• acrylic. The service life is 5 years, it is applied in a "point" method, so that the surface breathes. Such wallpaper will not bear brushing;
• vinyl washable wallpaper - up to 20 years. The top layer of the coating consists of a durable PVC material, the bottom layer - paper. Wallpaper can be painted several times and washed;
• fiberglass consists of fiberglass with the addition of other components( sand, dolomite, soda).There are single and double layers, the bottom layer is thick paper. The service life is more than 20 years. They are characterized by high stability, environmentally friendly material, you can change the color of wallpaper several times;
• wallpaper with metallized spraying consist of aluminum foil, resistant paint and porous paper. The life of this coating is more than 20 years. They differ in vapor tightness, but they are easily scratched. When sticking it is necessary to observe safety measures - to cut off electricity. Lay the electric wire in a special box so that the material does not come into contact with the wires during operation;
• paper washable wallpaper consists of a lower paper layer and an upper - unstable coating. Such wallpaper will last several years with careful handling. They can not be washed, it is allowed to wipe the surface with a slightly damp foam rubber sponge;
• cork wallpaper with wax consist of cork cork oak and wax impregnation. The service life is about 15 years. When applying, you must adhere to certain rules: the surface must be perfectly even. Such wallpaper will withstand cleaning even with a vacuum cleaner, they are harmless and do not accumulate static charges.

Washable wallpaper variants can be seen on the photo:

Washable wallpaper lerua merlen:

The choice of washable wallpaper for the kitchen

The kitchen wallpaper is not always practical. To finish the walls in the kitchen is best suited tile, but from it many owners of apartments and houses in recent years are trying to leave - the coldness of tiles not everyone likes. With tiles it is impossible to change the interior every 2-3 years. Just for these purposes, washable wallpaper. They will serve as a reliable protection of the walls, as well as the ceiling( if necessary) from contamination and facilitate cleaning several times. In addition, properly selected wallpaper for the kitchen will fit into the design and will always please the owners.

Huge selection of decorative wallpaper for the kitchen and good performance characteristics allow you to beautifully decorate the interior of the room and avoid problems such as high soiling and humidity.

Waterproof or washable? This question is not everyone will give the correct answer. First you need to understand that not all washable wallpaper will be resistant to moisture, and not all waterproof wallpaper is allowed to wash. Therefore, our task is to choose wallpaper taking into account all the characteristics of the room: the area of ​​the kitchen, the humidity in the room( high or low level), whether it is often necessary to use the kitchen, whether there is an extract and what is its capacity, the presence of a ventilation duct. All this can affect the degree of wall contamination and the frequency of wet cleaning.

What kind of wallpaper can I choose for the kitchen? The answer is extremely simple: any washable wallpaper, acrylic, vinyl or fiberglass wallpaper. The main thing that you need to pay attention to when choosing a cover is that the wallpaper with a relief and complex pattern is not suitable for the kitchen, as dirt can accumulate in them, which will be very difficult to remove from the surface.

How to choose washable wallpaper for bathroom

Quickly update the interior in any room will help wallpaper. For the bathroom you can choose washable wallpaper. Of course, moist air is harmful to any wallpaper, so you need to take care of the ventilation system in advance and install additional sources of dehumidification of the room( fans, heaters).

With the help of washable wallpaper, you can save money and do not purchase expensive building materials( ceramic tiles and other finishing materials).The price of washable wallpaper, depending on their kind, will be available for everyone. In addition, you can save money and paste wallpaper yourself.

Many believe that glue wallpaper in the bathroom is undesirable. Our task is to find out the strengths and weaknesses of washable wallpaper.

Advantages of coating for walls in the bathroom:

• low cost plus time savings. In just a few hours you can update the bathroom and paste new wallpaper;
• a variety of coating options allow you to choose wallpaper for every taste, considering not only the structure of the finishing, but also the shade, as well as the presence of a picture.

What are the disadvantages of wallpapers:

• not all wallpapers are equally resistant to moisture. In each room a certain temperature and humidity are maintained. Wallpaper on paper basis will not last long in a humid environment;
• for gluing wallpaper in the bathroom you need to use special glue;
• wallpaper on paper basis with high humidity can gradually absorb moisture. As a result, they can simply fall away.

For wallpapering walls in the bathroom, washable wallpaper or vinyl( washable with 2-3 twisting lines) is suitable. It is very important not only to observe the technology of gluing wallpaper, but also to use the glue suitable for this purpose. It should not swell in a moist environment, be resistant to moisture and prevent the appearance of fungus.

Washable wallpaper for the room

If you decide to wallpaper the hallway, living room, bedroom or children's room, you can choose washable wallpaper. They will be resistant to sunlight. Cheap and common option - paper wallpaper. They just stick and just as easy to care for. A cover is made of one or more layers of paper( the back side) with a relief pattern, a polymer film or a metallized foil. Both layers are glued together by glue, which does not allow the penetration of moisture from one layer to another.

You can allocate a certain amount from the family budget and buy vinyl wallpaper that will last for many years. They do not pass moisture, they can be wiped with a damp sponge, so for rooms with high traffic( living room, hallway and nursery), such wallpapers just will be appropriate.

How to stick washable wallpaper

What you need to prepare tools and materials:

• wallpaper;
• glue;
• primer;
• glue tray;
• cushion;
• rubber seam for joints;
• ruler and pencil;
• construction knife;
• clean rags.

Even if you have never glued wallpaper yourself, we will teach you how to do it correctly.

Vinyl Washable Wallcovering:

1. Cut a strip of wallpaper of the desired length, leave 0.5 cm on each side.
2. If you bought a wallpaper with a picture, try to combine it with the accuracy of a millimeter. Do not discard the remains, they can be glued in invisible places( for the bathroom behind the toilet or sink).
3. No need to hurry to cut a lot of stripes of wallpaper. After you paste one strip, attach a roll of wallpaper to the wall to cut off the strip of the desired length. Not all rooms, especially in apartment buildings, are perfectly flat, so we will save construction material.
4. Cut the strip with a sharp knife.
5. Glue spread on the wall with a roller and apply a strip of wallpaper.
6. If the strip is stuck unevenly, carefully detach it from the wall and attach it again.
7. So paste the strip behind the strip. In the place where the socket and switch is located, it is necessary to cut a hole with a knife, but that its dimensions are larger. When you paste a strip, you can cut off excess.

These tips will help you easily paste the wallpaper:

1. During work, do not forget about the joints - this is the most vulnerable place. They need to be carefully treated with glue and pressed several times with a rubber roller.
2. Do not neglect the golden rule of preparation: the walls must first be leveled and treated with a waterproof primer. If there are even slight irregularities on the surface, the appearance will be spoiled.
3. Begin to glue the first cloth from the window in the kitchen and from the door in the bathroom.
4. If the canvas has laid down crookedly, it can be removed and pasted again( this is only possible when working with vinyl wallpaper).
5. Use special glue and dilute it as described in the instructions. Do not skimp!
6. You do not need to glue the wallpaper overlap, such seams look sloppy and spoil the appearance of the room.
7. You can glue wallpaper only on a dry surface, so you need to take care in advance to ensure that, for example, the bathroom was dry.
8. The surface can only be operated after the adhesive has dried well. Best of all - a day after wallpapering.

How to care for wallpaper

Even if you have pasted on the walls washable wallpaper, do not rush to wet them strongly. First try in a barely visible place to wipe a small section of wallpaper with a damp sponge and see what will happen. If everything is in order, you can get rid of pollution.

Do not wet the wallpaper strongly, from excess moisture, they can become covered with ugly stains and stains when dried.

Do not often wash the wallpaper, it's not the floors. Use your chance only when the surface is really polluted, then the wallpaper will serve for a long time.