Wallpaper vs. Paint Part 2 – A Contractor’s Perspective

Wallpaper vs. Paint

From a Contractor’s Perspective

Wallpaper

Paint

In our last blog article, Wallpaper vs Paint: Part 1, we gave some straightforward dry information from several experts on the difference or “VS” between wallpaper and painting. This time, we get a little more down-to-earth from the perspective of the wallpaper installers who install the wallpaper and the painters who paint.

The time has come to decorate for the first time. Maybe the wallpaper in your home or office is older than the Maytag man still waiting to fix your dishwasher. You may just be tired of the Miami Vice pastel collection. Are you looking to have the work done in a home or commercial office? (and does that even matter?)

So once again, we discuss Wallpaper vs Paint.

• Where will you be painting or wallpapering?
• What colors, design, or style are you looking for?
• How long do you want either the paint or wallpaper?
• Budget-the cost to paint vs wallpapering?

Location

Are you painting or wallpapering your home or a commercial space?

• Contractors who paint and or wallpaper in homes are usually more available than those who work commercial jobs. Schedules for commercial jobs can be more demanding with starting and completion time frames. Insurance requirements for home or commercial are very different, so home paint and wallpaper installers may not be properly insured for commercial work.
• The lifespan of paint in a home differs from that of a commercial environment. Commercial spaces have decidedly more wear and tear than in a home. On average 3-4 years paint is in need of a touch up or repainting. A commercial-grade wallpaper has a lifespan of 15 years.
• You can check out a short video that we did on YouTube with some commercial wallpaper for residential buildings.

Color, design, style

What color, design, or style do you want?

Commercial wallpaper (digital mural)

• The great thing about paint is you can change it often, quickly, and in radically different colors. You can even create your own colors!
• If you start looking at decorating TV shows or magazines, you can see a great degree of design styles. Textures, shapes, designs, prints, and patterns are all part of the overall feel you are looking for. Some of these you cannot achieve simply by using paint.
• However, the world of Faux finishing can bridge that gap. (this will be a future blog post; too much detail to discuss here) Faux finishes use different types of paints, substrates, stencils, tools, and materials to duplicate some wallpaper patterns/styles. Wallpaper comes off the wall when you want a change, faux finishes are a little more tricky to remove (unless they have been installed over a removable wallpaper-you can say it is ok-what? Why bother doing a Faux then?)
• Faux finishes and paint have no seams on the wall. Wallpaper will always have seams or edges.
• Murals painted or wallpapered is another style that can be a separate blog in itself. Have it hand-painted on-site, as you want it seamless. Then you can also have it printed on wallpaper and installed, removed, and reinstalled somewhere else.
• Texture fabrics on your walls or ceilings change your home’s feel. If you get into acoustic wallpaper, you get into a whole new level of noise and feel of a room. There are some manufacturers of acoustic wallcoverings that are in use for special needs of people sensitive to sound in a given space.

Lifespan

“What if I want to change the color or wallpaper? How long will it last?”

Some of this section is stated on the blog already but just worded differently.

Faux Finished Wallpaper

• How long do you want the paint or paper? Paint should be looked at in 3-4 years. Wallpaper will last as long as it is cared for and not abused.
• If you are tired of paint, you just paint again
• If you are tired of the wallpaper, you have to remove it from the wall, wash the walls, then start with either new wallpaper or paint
• Anything you paint on your wall is usually part of the wall. Wallpapers can be removed and made to relocate.

Budget

What will this cost me?

At the end of the day, what you want and how much you want to spend is what it comes down to. Know your budget ahead of time. Read some of the blog posts on our website for costs, and then you can make the right decision.

• Paint is about .95 (to start) per square foot plus materials for two coats.
• Faux finishing is going to be $2.50 per square foot plus materials to start (and it will go up). Color, texture, and layers all affect cost.
• The wallpaper will cost you the wallpaper, materials to install it (primers and adhesive), and labor. For an average room to be completed in a day, it will cost you about $550 to install it.

So wallpaper vs. paint? Not easy to answer. It really comes down to personal preference and what you are looking for. There is no wrong answer; it is all about what you want. what do you think? We would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call or ask us about your upcoming project. Chicagoland- we are here to help!