Types of Wall Coverings

Wallpaper – There are many types of wallpaper from which to choose. You can find wallpaper made of satins, silks, solid vinyls and grass cloth finishes. There are also some new items on the market such as paintable wallpaper and nonwoven wallpaper. The type of material that you choose in your wallpaper should be determined by where your wallpaper will be located in your home.

Silks and satins are beautiful and elegant but less durable and harder to clean. Many of these are hand-screened. These types of wallpaper should be placed in areas of the home that have low traffic, such as a formal dining room or living room.

Solid vinyls are the most durable types of wall papers and can be easily cleaned. These types of wallpaper are recommended for areas that experience heavier traffic in your home, such as the kitchen, bathrooms or children’s rooms. This type of wall covering can even be scrubbed when cleaning.

Textured wallpapers include grass cloth finishes and paintable wallpaper. Grass cloth wall coverings are made of different types of fibers and add a textured look to your walls. Paintable wallpaper is usually a white wallpaper that has a raised texture to it. After this wallpaper is applied to the wall, it can then be painted with the desired color, giving a two-toned effect or faux look. Many different painting techniques can be utilized on paintable wallpaper to create a variety of effects.

Novelty designs are normally manufactured of vinyl but have specialty and novelty designs. Some wallpaper for bathrooms and kitchens reveal a faux look of tiled walls, creating a completely new look for your room.

Nonwoven wallpapers are environmentally friendly, vinyl free and breathable. They are supposed to resist mold and mildew.

Wallpaper borders are small strips of wallpaper that are normally placed at the top of the wall where it meets the ceiling, as an accent to the paint color or as a contrast to the rest of your wall covering. Others use wallpaper borders at the chair rail height and some use molding to offset the wallpaper borders. Wallpaper borders are normally vinyl.

Wall murals are decorative pictures that are attached to the wall to accentuate the décor of your room. It’s like having an original painting that covers your wall. They come in varying sizes and designs, depending on your desired look. You can choose children’s themes, outdoor scenery themes and any number of scenes to enhance your room’s design. Wall murals come in poster size (46in.x 26 in.), small mural size (5 ft. x 10 ft. ) and large mural size(8 ft. x 14.5 ft.). They are attached to the wall as you would hang wallpaper; and with the new techniques for application, they can now be easily removed.

Wainscoting is wood paneling added to the wall below the chair rail. Wainscoting is now easier than ever to install because each panel fits together with the next one in a special tongue and groove design. Wainscoting can be left natural or painted to best match your style.

Fabric coverings are an elegant way to adorn the walls of your home and are easy to remove in the event that you would like to change the look of your room. They are normally applied with liquid starch. The downside is that fabric coverings are slightly more difficult to care for because of dust and stains.