Decorating the walls in the bathroom with wallpaper is a non-standard solution. Usually, the classics are ceramic tiles or wall panels, less often decorative plaster, but sometimes the design of the room simply requires the presence of wallpaper. They not only allow you to choose any pattern, but also significantly save money. Wallpaper is cheaper than other finishing materials and easy to apply, anyone can handle it. Let’s analyze which wallpaper to choose for the bathroom.
“For” and “against”
If we talk about wallpaper for the bathroom, the first thing that comes to mind is why you shouldn’t stick them there. The reason is hygroscopicity and water permeability of the material. They absorb drops of water, moisture from the air, as a result, they swell, lag behind the wall, lose the brightness of colors. Also, under the influence of moisture, the glue loses its properties, does not hold well, and, dissolving, also begins to show through the treatment, spoiling the appearance with red spots.
All these shortcomings can be easily compensated for by choosing moisture-proof wallpaper specially designed for decorating the walls in the bathroom. In this case, many advantages of such a choice immediately appear.
- Saving. This finishing material is quite affordable. Renovation in the bathroom is expensive, and if you are looking for something to save on, then wallpapering is just that.
- Wallpaper is easy to glue. You can do it yourself, without the need to spend on a team of repairmen (again savings), unlike the same ceramic tile, which requires special skills.
- Easy to dismantle. You can easily remove the wallpaper from the wall without damaging the wall. In fact, in a day, by repasting the wallpaper, you can transform the bathroom by changing the boring design.
- Wallpapers are presented in a huge variety of styles, designs, textures and shades. With them, it is not difficult to implement any design idea.
If you decide to finish your bathroom with wallpaper, it is important not to forget that no matter how moisture-proof they are, they are significantly inferior to ceramic tiles in this respect.
It is undesirable to use wallpaper for pasting areas of the shower, bathtub or sink. Direct contact with water can spoil them.
The problem is solved easily – two finishing materials are combined in the bathroom. The main part of the wall is pasted over with wallpaper, and areas of high humidity – with tiles, plaster or panels. This solution is practical and will allow you to visually demarcate the functional zones of the room.
Why stop your choice?
Paper-based wallpaper is definitely a bad idea. It is absolutely impossible to stick them in the bathroom. It is important to choose wallpaper either based on water-repellent materials or impregnated with means to increase moisture protection. It is easy to identify them by looking at the packaging, where there will be a mark with “three waves”.
In addition, it is important to choose the right glue. It should contain antifungal additives, be moisture-resistant, provide high adhesion and withstand temperature changes.
Washable wallpaper
The most obvious solution for the bathroom is washable wallpaper. They are made with a special coating that prevents contact of the base with moisture. They are able to withstand even direct contact with water, but only for a short time, so it is not necessary to pour them specially. They differ in that they can be washed, but with ordinary water without solvents.
The downside is that due to the protective coating, they have poor vapor permeability, which increases the risk of mold formation on the wall. Additional antifungal treatment will be required.
Vinyl
This decision is the most reasonable. The basis of vinyl wallpaper is a polymer that has low hygroscopicity, so it perfectly withstands humidity, moisture and water. And by choosing the option marked “superwash”, you can not worry at all about the possible deterioration of the finish due to increased humidity.
Vinyl-based wallpapers are quite heavy, so they need to choose a special glue. Ordinary glue may not create adequate adhesion.
There is a self-adhesive type of vinyl wallpaper that will greatly facilitate the installation process. In this case, there is an adhesive base on the reverse side, which works according to the principle of a postage stamp – wet with water and stick.
The disadvantage of vinyl wallpaper is the high cost, but this is more than compensated by high-quality finishing of the walls in the bathroom.
Liquid wallpaper
This is a special type of wallpaper that is strikingly different from others. The basis of wallpaper is plaster with the addition of silk and cotton fibers, various mineral or decorative additives to provide the necessary structure. The dry mixture must be diluted with water according to the instructions, and then applied to the wall as a plaster or with a sprayer. At the end, liquid wallpapers are covered with acrylic varnish, which will protect them from moisture, thereby allowing them to be used for decorating the walls of the bathroom.
Glass wallpaper
They are a rolled fabric woven from fiberglass threads and impregnated with special compositions to maintain the shape. They are glued to the wall with glue for heavy wallpaper, and after complete drying, they are painted with latex or water-based paints.
They differ in fire safety (they do not burn and do not support burning), high strength, durability. Antistatic, dust does not settle on them. They have an open fabric structure, which ensures their vapor permeability, thereby protecting the walls from the appearance of fungus and mold. They do not absorb moisture, so they are perfect for pasting rooms with high humidity.
Photo wallpapers
By choosing waterproof photo wallpapers, you can create a special atmosphere in the bathroom. While relaxing in the bath, you can enjoy the view of the green forest, endless sea, city streets, cascading waterfalls. The choice of pattern depends on personal preferences and associations with the comfort that you try to create during the reception of soothing water procedures.
Wallpaper in the interior of the bathroom
It is important not only to choose the type of wallpaper, but also their design, so that they are perfectly combined with the style of the interior. So, liquid wallpaper with a plaster effect, vinyl or glass wallpaper under brick will suit the loft style. A bathroom in the style of Provence will look good with light wallpaper in pastel colors with floral ornaments. Hi-tech style is either a combination of white, black and gray wallpaper, or wallpaper with a pattern, the base of which is white, and the pattern is geometric or abstract in white, black, red or blue shades with metal inserts. Each style has its own color scheme, so wallpaper should be chosen to match.
Also consider the size of the room. Dark wallpaper or with a large pattern will visually reduce the room, and horizontal wallpapers will lower the ceilings, which is undesirable, since the ceiling and walls will press, which will not contribute to morning cheerfulness or evening relaxation from water procedures.
Decide where you will glue the wallpaper in the bathroom, how you will combine them. For example, only one wall opposite the bathtub or shower can be plastered. Another option is a horizontal division, when the lower part of the wall is finished with tiles or panels, and the upper part is covered with wallpaper. If the bath stands away from the wall, for example, this technique is used in a classic style or a loft style, then you can stick the wallpaper on all the walls, as in this case the risk of water getting on them is reduced.