Things You Need To Know About Painting & Wallpaper

Home refurbishing is one very serious undertaking. The reason for this is that you get stuck with the results for a long time that is if you are not willing to go through the whole process yet again! It is therefore always advisable that you do enough research and planning before making any decisions. The design, beauty and elegance of your home reflect both the sophistication and personality you possess. All these will be projected in your wallpaper artwork or paintwork. So is it wallpaper or paint? Here’s all you need to know:

Paint
Advantages
·Economical value
Paint comes very cheaply and is also fairly easier to accomplish. In fact, given the right tools and supplies, most people do the job themselves. Additionally, if you get tired of your original color, it is easier to paint over compared to wallpaper. Paint also hides walls that are in poor condition while the imperfections are exaggerated when it comes to wallpaper. Also, when compared to wallpaper, paint is more versatile; it is necessary for the feel of a light, airy or bigger room.

·Variety
Paint comes in two types; the oil based and the water based. The water based ones are easily washable and dry out quickly. The oil based ones however take much longer to dry but are durable and very rich in color. Both of these are available in a number of finishes ranging from matte, flat, shiny, eggshell, satin to high gloss.

·With paint also you can match and mix paint colors and textures easily to come up with your own color wash, finishes, faux, smooshing, bagging, ragging and more.

Disadvantages
.Hard to dry-
The oil based paints are slow when it comes to drying and need a longer drying time in between coats. They also should be applied by a professional only as they tend to curtain, run etc. Additionally, high oil content in paint renders it less resistant to heat. Paint also releases VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that are harmful to your body.

·Limited spectrum finishes
Paint compared to wallpaper provides limited spectrum finishes. Wallpaper however comes in an array of designs ranging from pearl, glitter, suede, beads etc. Over time, paint also chips and cracks so you might be required to redo your paint job quite often. Applying paint to walls is also very messy and ceilings, floors, furniture etc. are easily stained.

Wallpaper
Advantages
·It is economical
Wallpaper is an economical choice. Painting might be easier to do than wallpaper but wallpaper sure lasts longer. Many types of wallpaper in fact last longer than a decade. Unlike with paint where depending on your house, repainting is done for every couple of years, wallpaper lasts 5 times longer under normal conditions. You will find yourself saving up to 30% of your costs of repainting by simply choosing wallpaper.

·Aesthetic value
The aesthetic value that wallpaper brings to a room is unmatched. Besides creating a variety of astonishing effects, it contributes to addition of character, warmth and beauty. The entire look and feel of your room is changed. Some of the effects available include custom wallpaper which is printed with your choice of pattern, timber look, leather look, texture etc. These kinds of effects can never be accomplished with paint.

·Ease of removal
With new systems of removal, wallpaper is not difficult to remove anymore. This means that you can remove paper from walls in long strips. Taking your quality time to apply wallpaper and using a very good primer eases removal in the long run.

·Defects are easily covered
Wallpaper is great when it comes to covering holes and blemishes in the plaster. This is accomplished without having to sacrifice on the stylish décor. If your wall is slightly out of angle or uneven then wallpaper is the way to go. These defects are efficiently corrected and covered with wallpaper. It is simply the best way of hiding imperfections.

·Ease of installation
Unlike before where installation proved to be extremely hard, these days it is not as complicated. One day is enough for you to install the whole house fully with wallpapers! The wallpapers are also of better durability and quality. Besides being eco-friendly and with 3D designs, they are also water resistant. This is the reason why with proper attention and care, they last more than a decade.

·Fashion statement
Wallpapers are also highly fashionable nowadays. It is a sure thing that with them, you never run out of fashion. What’s more, painting can at times prove to be rather boring. They are also very cheap nowadays and come at affordable prices. Compared to painting the whole of your house, the price is almost the same or just slightly higher.

Disadvantages
·Time consuming
You will find that the correct application of wallpaper is as time consuming as it comes. If you have never done it before, you will find it to be one very long and tedious process. This is the reason why you will need to hire a professional decorator which is an economic disadvantage rather.

·Removal is not easy
In a few years, you will probably start having the feeling that your wallpapers are old fashioned. You might therefore require a makeover but one major disadvantage of wallpaper is that removing it is quite difficult. Stripping a room obviously takes longer that redecorating it!

·Expensive
You might also find wallpaper to be quite expensive especially where you prefer a natural wall hanging or a brand new textured one. This is the reason why you find people wallpapering only one wall or choosing only one with decorative paper while the rest stay with plain paper.

·The humidity factor
In humid conditions also, the glue might loosen up and cause the wallpaper to actually peel from the wall. Over time the wallpaper is also easily damaged and soiled. It also gets harder to match the pattern or color of your wallpaper in case it needs replacing.

Now that you have learnt everything you need to know about wallpaper and paint, you are only left with considering how long you would like your décor to last and your budget as well. Whichever option you decide to go with however, your home should have the sophistication, personality and desired character.