Gotcha Covered
18, Aug
Paint vs. Wallpaper for Home Renovation

Paint vs. Wallpaper for Home Renovation – The opinions expressed by the author in this and all guest blogs are not necessarily those of Gotcha Covered

Paint vs. Wallpaper

Paint vs. Wallpaper for Home Renovation

Choosing between paint and wallpaper is something many DIY home renovators struggle with, since both have their advantages and drawbacks. The purpose of either is to beautify your walls and bring your home décor together, and they both serve it well. At the end of the day, it all depends upon your unique needs and aspirations. If you cannot decide on one, you can always use a bit of both in combination. If a mix and match approach is not your thing, compare different aspects and then see what option you lean towards more.

1.     General Aesthetics

Contemporary wallpapers are glamorous and lifelike, which allows them to add a whole new dimension to the room. You can even order personalized wallpaper that is exclusive and tailored to your particular instructions.  Themed wallpapers can be used to transform your living space into a new world, or you can opt for more subtle designs to keep it classy. Paint makes more sense if you like your walls to be a solid color; you can get creative by using multiple tones or shades, but not have too much going on with complex patterns and sceneries. Many people feel that wallpaper makes a room look smaller, whereas paint is easier on the eyes.

2.     Prep and Installation

If you think putting up wallpaper is fast and easy, you’re in for a surprise (and not the good kind). Prepping walls for wallpaper involved several steps and the installation procedure is a lot of work, so you could say it’s comparable to estate planning in terms of complexity. Wallpaper will not stick well, unless the walls are smooth, dry, and even. If you need to strip old wallpaper first, you should probably call in a professional to do it for you. In contrast, prepping the walls for paint needs less work and errors are easier to fix.

To attain an immaculate finish, get rid of flaking paint and apply spackle to the imperfections. Although painting walls is simpler, it does require extra labor or helping hands to complete.  Wallpaper installation requires technique and precision, but the task can be finished within a single session.

3.     Resilience and Longevity

Compared to conventional wall paint, high-quality wallpaper tends to be more durable. Wallpaper is highly recommended to families having children, pets, or both in the house. Cleaning a wallpaper surface is easier than cleaning a painted wall because modern wallpapers are water proof and stain-resistant. Paints loses its freshness and luster pretty quickly, and peeling walls are never a welcome sight. Although relatively heavy-duty, wallpaper is not recommended for rooms with a lot of moisture, such as the kitchen and bathroom.

4.     The total Costs involved

The quality of the paint or wallpaper you use will determine the cost of renovation. Both categories are equipped with cheap and expensive options, so it’s all about priorities. If money is not a problem and you want the renovation to last long, choose the pricier options. If your budget is limited and you like to change your home’s interior frequently, go cheap. Nevertheless, one bucket of paint covers a lot more surface area than one roll of wallpaper, thus we conclude that paint is more cost-effective. Paint is the obvious choice if you’re going the DIY route; wallpaper is great if you can afford to hire professional help.  One of the least expensive methods to improve the appearance and market value of real estate is to add a fresh coat of paint or replace existing wallpaper.

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