How to choose between vinyl and non-woven wallpaper?

What about moisture resistance?

Non-woven base consists of cellulose, which is known to swell when in contact with water. Therefore, they cannot be used in all rooms of the house. Non-woven is suitable for living rooms, bedrooms, studies – rooms with dry air.

The exception is paintable wallpaper covered with moisture-resistant paint. The application of paint and varnish creates a protective layer on the surface, providing protection from moisture. There are also moisture-resistant rolls that eliminate the need for painting – but even they should not be used in the bathroom or in close proximity to water.

Vinyl wallpaper is covered with polyvinyl chloride, which ensures the absence of hygroscopicity and moisture permeability – water simply will not get on the non-woven base. Suitable for finishing in the hallway, kitchen and bathroom. Due to the special features of hot stamping technology, the surface is washable – it is not afraid even of brushing.

Polyvinyl chloride gives a significant advantage to wallpaper, allows you to use it in damp and even wet areas.

Which wallpaper is wear-resistant?

Redoing repairs every 2-3 years has a negative effect not only on the state of the wallet, but also on the nervous system. In addition, it takes a lot of time and effort. To hang wallpaper less often, choose options with the longest service life.

Durability is determined primarily by resistance to mechanical impacts and abrasion, but service life is also affected by lightfastness.

Non-woven wallpaper is slightly more reliable than paper wallpaper: but in places of increased load (hallway, kitchen) it quickly becomes unusable. The degree of protection from ultraviolet radiation varies from model to model, but since wallpaper for walls made of this material is usually light, it does not threaten fading.

Vinyl wallpaper, especially produced using hot stamping technology, is afraid of almost nothing: in fact, this type of wallpaper can be called plastic. It does not wear off from contact with furniture or constant touching, and dirt can be cleaned with clean water or detergent. Vinyl colors are brighter, designs are more interesting – and it is not afraid of the sun at all.

For the kitchen and bathroom, there is so-called “kitchen vinyl” – such wallpaper differs from ordinary wallpaper by an additional rubberized layer that resists water ingress and facilitates easy cleaning.

If the operating conditions are met (no mechanical stress, high humidity), non-woven fabric will last up to 8 years. High-quality vinyl sheets are highly durable and retain their original appearance for up to 20 years.

Which wallpaper is heavier?

It is unlikely that this factor will be decisive when choosing a material, but it cannot be ignored. Because heavy weight can be a disadvantage when ordering repair products online and arranging intercity transportation.

Although non-woven wallpaper differs from paper wallpaper in composition, it still weighs a little: the average weight of a wide 10-meter roll is ~2 kg. This is comparable to a narrow 10-meter roll of hot stamping vinyl. Its weight is ~1.7 kg.

This fact determines the use of a special adhesive composition for vinyl wallpaper – it must be viscous to hold heavy canvases.

Which are more environmentally friendly?

To figure out which finishing material is less dangerous, you should analyze the composition of each.

Non-woven wallpaper

Considered a practical analogue of paper wallpaper. Made from a mixture of natural (cellulose) and synthetic (polyester) fibers. At the same time, synthetics are environmentally friendly, do not emit harmful substances and are suitable even for use in children’s rooms.

In fact, all the advantages of paper-based material are preserved: wallpaper allows steam to pass through, breathes, and does not emit harmful substances. But at the same time they are resistant to moisture and have high strength.

Vinyl wallpaper

Depending on the type, the base is made of cellulose (paper) or a mixture of cellulose and polyester (non-woven). The main difference from non-woven fabric is in the composition of the top layer: in vinyl it is polyvinyl chloride. Moreover, there is foamed vinyl or hot stamping (includes silk-screen printing – sealing silk threads under a film using high temperature).

The danger comes from PVC: if an unscrupulous manufacturer has saved money, the sheets can emit caustic volatile substances – including the dangerous compound vinyl chloride.

Another disadvantage is that vinyl wall coverings do not allow air to pass through, which can cause mold and mildew. To avoid this, be sure to prime the walls, and use glue for vinyl wallpaper – it also contains antiseptic additives.

The above does not apply to evaporated vinyl – thanks to a special process, harmful substances are removed from it during production and the coating becomes absolutely safe. However, such a roll costs 1.5-2 times more than usual.

Non-woven fabric is more environmentally friendly and safer for health. Even high-quality PVC wallpaper should not be used in children’s rooms and bedrooms.

Which ones are more difficult to glue?

For those who have ever dealt with paper, the process of working with non-woven fabric will seem almost trivial. It is enough to apply glue only to the wall, and then apply dry paper on top.

It is certainly easier to work with unsoaked material. Considering that polyester does not allow the base to stretch and tear, it is not difficult to work with them. The only nuance is the foamed surface. When smoothing with a spatula, it is easy to damage it, so you should level the sheets with extreme caution.

The width is also important: non-woven fabrics are usually produced in 106 cm rolls. On the one hand, the repair goes faster. In addition, with fewer joints, it is easier to assemble the pattern and get a neat wall. On the other hand, it is more difficult to level a bulky wide sheet without waves and bubbles from floor to ceiling, especially if you have to glue it alone.

Important! Some types of non-woven fabric are not completely removed from the walls. The smooth backing left over from the old coating significantly simplifies preparation for final finishing in the future – it will be easy enough to prime it and you can glue new strips. In addition, the visibility of the joints eliminates the need for marking before pasting.

Heavy vinyl wallpaper necessarily requires special glue – it contains substances that prevent the canvas from sliding off the wall until it is completely dry. The second nuance that affects the ease of gluing the strips is the base. With non-woven wallpaper, the glue is applied to the wall, while with paper wallpaper you have to spread it yourself and wait for it to swell – this makes the process more difficult.

But joining dense, heavy canvases is much easier: the edges will not fray during transportation or improper storage, they will remain dense and even – which means they will fit evenly against each other.

It is easier to glue dense vinyl wallpaper on a non-woven backing or non-woven wallpaper without a fragile foam layer.

Which has more design options?

When choosing between vinyl and non-woven wallpaper, you should pay attention not only to service life and smoothing out the unevenness of the walls, but also on the appearance. After all, the color affects the final result of the finishing work.

Non-woven canvases do not differ in a variety of design finds. Most of the canvases are monochromatic and smooth. The relief structure is achieved by foaming, but it is not very convenient to work with such a texture. But the patterns are deep: after all, they are not applied to the surface, but are obtained by mixing colored fibers.

Vinyl wallpaper, due to the manufacturing method, is considered more diverse. They can be covered with an ornament, have a relief on the surface or imitate various textures (leather, wood, brick, concrete). The color palette is also extensive: from monochrome or pastel to bright, deep, saturated shades.

Of the two options (vinyl or non-woven), the first has more design options.

Which ones are cheaper?

The price issue is one of the main ones when renovating. Pricing policies vary, but average vinyl ones will cost more, non-woven ones will cost less. At the same time, some types of cellulose can be comparable in price to vinyl of medium or low quality: especially if we are talking about a designer collection or a limited series.

Both types can cost the same: but with the same quality, vinyl will cost much more.

What is the difference: comparative table of characteristics

The summary table will demonstrate the difference between vinyl and non-woven wallpaper:

Design

No material is perfect: vinyl canvases serve for a long time, but are not suitable for bedrooms and children’s rooms. Non-woven ones are not very dense, but they are absolutely safe. Which one to choose depends on the place of use, the budget for repairs and many other factors.