Wallpaper is a way to change everything in a room. Yet, wallpaper does not require a permanent commitment to it. On the weekend you might be looking at plain white walls that are not especially helpful for your space.
Yet, the following weekend you might have wallpaper throughout the entire room, and it is wallpaper that makes your home feel like it belongs to you. This is the benefit of removable wallpaper. Not only is removable wallpaper a great way to change the look of a room, it also dont create any mess in the process.
Additionally, removable wallpaper does not require a permanent commitment to the pattern, and will not cause any problem in the future if you decide that you would like to change the wallpaper in your room in two years. The options for removable wallpaper have greatly increased in the last decade. Once there were limited to the plastic adhesive sheets that stuck to walls, there is a variety of other options available today.
Understanding each of the different types of wallpaper will allow you to pick the perfect wallpaper for your room for that first day, as well as when you decide to take it down. The differences between wallpaper designs are more important than many people realize, especially regarding the impact that the different types of wallpaper have on the room and on removable wallpaper choices.
Common Types of Removable Wallpaper to Consider
1. Peel and Stick Vinyl Wallpaper
One of the most common types of wallpaper that those who sell wallpaper recommend is peel and stick vinyl wallpaper.
People recommend this type of wallpaper so often due to its adhesive backing, which acts similarly to high quality contact paper. Yet, the print quality of the wallpaper is much better than contact paper. To install the wallpaper, individuals must simply peel the liner away from the wallpaper, line up the first drop of the wallpaper with the wall, and smooth it out.
This type of wallpaper is waterproof enough to be used in the bathrooms and kitchens of homes. Additionally, due to its waterproof design, it is also popular among those who rent homes with landlords who will not permit any permanent changes to the walls. Many individuals who purchase peel and stick wallpaper for the first time is surprised by the forgiving nature of the wallpaper.
Older versions of this type of wallpaper would show every bubble that formed between the wallpaper and the wall. Additionally, older versions of the wallpaper were often not willing to be repositioned once they touched the wall. Modern peel and stick wallpaper, however, allows individuals to install the wallpaper up to several times before the wallpaper loses its adhesive properties.
This type of wallpaper is useful in situations where individuals must position the wallpaper around electrical outlets or other elements in the room that are difficult to avoid. However, any texture on the wall will make it more difficult for the wallpaper to adhere to the wall. To install this type of wallpaper individuals will have to prepare the wall by sanding it down and applying a coat of primer to seal any holes that may be present on the drywall.
2. Woven Fabric Wallpaper
Wallpapers that are made from woven fabric with repositionable adhesive offer individuals an alternative to vinyl wallpaper. These types of wallpapers have a feel to them that is more similar to the actual fabric of clothing than to plastic wallpaper. These types of wallpapers have a soft feel to them and they catch the light differently from vinyl wallpaper.
The backing of these wallpapers contains a thin layer of adhesive dots or gel that adhere to the wall without permanently sealing to the paint on the wall. You can pull entire strips of wallpaper off of the wall after being installed for months or years. Additionally, if individuals should move into a new home, those strips of wallpaper can be rehung in the new home.
The fabric construction of these wallpapers hides any imperfections in the wall. Additionally, because fabric wallpapers will breathe differently from vinyl wallpaper, these types of wallpapers do not lead to the development of mildew in humid climate regions. These wallpapers can be purchased at a higher price than vinyl wallpaper, but the fabric is more delicate.
It will scuff more easily than vinyl wallpaper and will not stand up to the steam that can be created in a daily shower. These wallpapers are best used in bedrooms, living rooms, and powder rooms. Those looking for options that are not as moddern as peel and stick vinyl wallpaper may want to peruse the options for traditional paste the paper options.
3. Traditional Paste the Paper
These types of wallpaper come without adhesive on the back of the wallpaper roll. To install these wallpapers, individuals will apply a special paste that is removable from the wall, and then hang the wallpaper as they would any other wallpaper in the home. These types of wallpaper provide an additional benefit of the crispness of the wallpaper when it is first applied to the wall.
Additionally, the individual can remove the wallpaper from the wall, and it will leave the wall in its original state. Warm water and a sponge will remove the paste when the wallpaper is ready to be taken down from the wall. The advantage of the traditional paste the paper wallpaper is the quality of the wallpaper.
Many of these wallpapers are printed on thick paper stock, as well as contain genuine metallic inks and textures that the manufacturing of peel and stick wallpaper cannot replicated. While these types of wallpapers will take more time to install, as well as require more tools to install than vinyl wallpaper, the end result will look as if it cost three times as much as the wallpaper originally did. These types of wallpapers is best for individuals who plan on staying in their homes for five years or longer.
Not only will the paper wear beautifully over time, but it can also be removed without leaving any damage upon the walls of the room. Grasscloth and natural fiber wallpaper options are another alternative for those looking for wallpaper that provides an organic texture to the room. Each of these wallpapers is made from woven sisal, jute, hemp, or raffia fibers, as well as comes with a removable adhesive system for the wallpaper to adhere to the wall.
4. Grasscloth and Natural Fiber Wallpaper
The natural fibers of these wallpapers provide an individual with the potential to touch the wallpaper. Each of the fibers of these natural materials come in different colors and thickness, leading to the creation of subtle movement in the direction of the light that enters the room throughout the day. Each lot of natural fiber wallpaper is going to have subtle differences to the next lot of natural fiber wallpaper to be manufactured.
This slight difference between lots is one of the benefits of natural fiber wallpaper. These types of wallpapers are more delicate than vinyl wallpaper. The natural fibers will stain when exposed to water.
These wallpapers are best used in areas of the home that do not receive as much traffic, as well as areas that contain low humidity. The fibers will pull away from the wall when the wallpaper is removed, but individuals may have to use their fingers to remove any adhesive that may have gotten onto the wall during installation. Yet, this slight effort by individuals when removing the wallpaper is provided as an additional benefit to the warmth that each of these natural materials can add to an individual’s space.
5. Metallic Wallpaper
Metallic wallpaper options come in a variety of designs and are among the thin wallpaper options for those who wish to add drama to specific areas of their homes. These types of wallpapers have a thin layer of foil or metallic ink printed or laminated onto a removable backing. Some metallic wallpapers include designs that appear as if they contain polished silver or gold finishes.
Other metallic wallpapers have a soft brushed look to their metallic ink that picks up the color of the other objects in the room. Metallic wallpaper can make an individual’s small room appear to be twice the size of the room when used on an accent wall. Yet, if used on shelving in the room, the same metallic wallpaper can highlight the items on the shelves and give them more visual interest.
The secret to successfully using metallic wallpaper is understanding the way that the wallpaper will interact with the light in the home. Metal finishes will reflect the light that enters the room. Bright metallic wallpaper will reflect the sun’s light when the wallpaper is placed in a south facing room.
The wallpaper could become almost blinding after a few hours of the sun beating down on the walls. Yet, the same metallic wallpaper in a north facing powder room will not reflect the sunlight as strongly, but will still allow the bathroom to look luxurius with wallpaper coverage. Most metallic wallpaper options use the peel and stick backing.
Yet, a few higher end types of metallic wallpaper are designed to be applied with removable paste. Regardless of the type of backing that the metallic wallpaper features the wallpaper must be smoothed out to avoid air bubbles between the wallpaper and the wall. Flocked wallpaper was once a popular wallpaper for homeowners in the Victorian era yet has not been as popular in the last few decades.
6. Flocked Wallpaper
Yet, flocked wallpaper is making a return with advancements in the manufacturing of these types of wallpapers. To make flocked wallpaper, an individual will print the desired wallpaper pattern onto a sheet of wallpaper that contains adhesive. Yet, after printing the wallpaper, an individual will blow fine fibers onto the printed wallpaper.
These fibers will stand up to form a texture to the wallpaper that feels like velvet. Most modern flocked wallpaper does not use the damask patterns that were used in the past. Instead modern flocked wallpaper features geometric designs, plants, and tone on tone strips to the wallpaper.
Since the flocked wallpaper features the same removable backing as most other wallpaper options, this wallpaper has returned after many decades as a popular wallpaper in homes. Flocked wallpaper is used especially in dining rooms or entryways where the look of the room is the focus for those entering the home. However, the flocking on the wallpaper can be crushed if furniture is pushed against the wallpaper.
The placement of the furniture in the room should therefore be considered before purchasing flocked wallpaper. Digital print wallpaper is the newest type of wallpaper available today. Due to the advancements in printing technology, individuals can order their own mural or pattern that will print on wallpaper that is specifically manufactured for the individual’s home.
7. Digital Print Wallpaper
The size of the wallpaper can be made to fit the dimensions of the individual’s wall. Digital print wallpaper can have vinyl, fabric, or thin nonwoven paper as its base material. Each of these different types of base materials can be manufactured to allow for the individual to order their own wallpaper with a specific pattern that they desire.
For instance, the individual can order a map of their hometown, a forest scene, or a pattern that is scaled appropriately for an odd angled nursery wall. The obvious benefit of digital print wallpaper is the ability to have the exact wallpaper that an individual desires in their home. Yet, the downside to digital print wallpaper is cost and lead time.
Since the factory will print the wallpaper to order according to the dimensions of the specified wall, the order cannot be refunded if the customer changes their mind. Additionally, the customer will have to provide their measurements in order for the wallpaper to be manufactured to their dimensions. Yet, for individuals who are purchasing a wallpaper for a feature wall in a room or for a child’s nursery that will grow over time, the flexibility that digital print wallpaper offers is hard to beat.
Each of the different types of wallpaper provide individuals with an alternative to choosing wallpaper that is permanent and irreversible. Yet, each of these wallpaper choices are temporary and can be easily removed from the wall at a later date. Additionally, the individuals that own these homes can easily repaint the walls if necessary, and begin again with a new type of wallpaper design.
This freedom that is provided to individuals by removable wallpaper choices is a benefit of wallpaper that is less about decorating and more about editing the lives of the individuals who live in these homes and decorate their homes with the wallpaper of their choosing.
