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Can You Use Wallpaper in the Bathroom?
Gone are the days when wallpaper was considered pretentious and not a practical bathroom decor. Thanks to modern technologies, they are not afraid of moisture, mould and temperature changes. They are actively used for expressive accents in the bathroom interior and combined with other finishing materials. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such solutions? What nuances of choosing wallpaper for the bathroom should be taken into account?
What kind of wallpaper can be glued in the bathroom?
Washable Wallpaper
This type of wallpaper is made on different bases, protected by a special moisture-resistant composition. The reverse side of the canvas has good adhesion, which simplifies installation even on concrete, paint and plaster. The wallpaper is durable and wear-resistant. They are easy to clean from dirt with a damp cloth or brush.
Tip: three wavy lines and a brush are indicated on the packaging of the most resistant to mechanical impact and moisture.
The disadvantages of washable wallpaper include low steam permeability, so it is necessary to provide high-quality ventilation and ventilation in the bathroom. With frequent washing, the wallpaper surface loses its original appearance. The optimal solution is to choose canvases with a neutral color scheme.
Vinyl Wallpaper
The advantage is polyvinyl chloride, which covers their outer layer and protects them from high temperatures and moisture. It is an environmentally friendly and safe material with antifungal components in the composition. Wallpapers are available on paper and non-woven bases. The durable vinyl structure is easy to glue, serves for a long time and adequately withstands mechanical influences, including washing with cleaning agents.
Tip: with slightly uneven walls, choose foamed or embossed vinyl – silkscreen wallpaper will only highlight the shortcomings.
Especially wear–resistant and durable are multilayer polypropylene, foamed and hard vinyls. The latter type is able to remove harmful substances from the walls. Among the disadvantages of this type of finish is the high price and the need to use a special adhesive composition for vinyl wallpaper. But our team uses all modern and technological means, so it will not be a difficulty.
After applying the usual glue, the vinyl sheets stretch, and after drying, they shrink. Specialized glue prevents this deformation.
Peel & Stick / Self-adhesive wallpaper
Their peculiarity is the presence of an adhesive layer on the reverse side. Additional adhesive means are not needed for installation. But at the same time, the wall surface should be perfectly smooth – self-adhesive wallpaper exposes all its defects. It is important to stick them slowly and carefully, avoiding voids and folds, otherwise they will come off with a temperature drop. In order not to spoil this kind of wallpaper, it is necessary to apply a special solution to the wallpaper so that the wallpaper does not stick together and it is easy to move it on the wall for alignment.
Models with imitation of natural stone, stained glass windows, fluorescent and mirror canvases, prints with 3D effect expand the horizons of design in the bathroom. However, not all self-adhesive wallpaper is waterproof. This should be indicated on the product packaging.
Pros and cons of finishing bathroom walls with wallpaper
A small bathroom is an ideal place to experiment with wallpaper. With them, it is easy and quick to bring color, texture and unique character to the interior. Here are a few more of their advantages:
- a wide choice of colors, prints, textures and patterns
- the possibility of combining with other materials and saving money on finishing (you can reduce the number of tiles or panels)
- ease of disassembly (unlike, for example, tiles), which makes it easy to change the decor in the bathroom
- the ability to simulate expensive finishing materials (granite, marble, wood)
Disadvantages of installing wallpaper in the bathroom:
- the usual wallpaper glue for water–repellent wallpaper will not work – you need to purchase a special waterproof
- the complexity of the installation, it is difficult to install wallpaper without specialists, since many decorative details require curly cutting.
