There is no better satisfaction than decorating your home. These days with so many decorations and interior options in the market we generally get confused that what will be better for our home from aesthetics to functionality and durability we have to make sure we invest our money with the best possible option. Having the perfect walls in our home is the first thing as everything else can come in place with it simultaneously.
Decorating our walls is not just about adding more aesthetics to your interior but it is also about having fun with any space, as walls are one thing that we have throughout the house, so it depends on us how fun dramatic, or minimalistic we want to keep them according to our choices. We can do it by many methods like adding additional fixtures, light; decorating elements to the wall but two modern, simple and functional ways today are adding a beautiful texture (an extension of paint) or wallpaper.
Now, comes the question of texture or Wallpaper? which is the better option? Both have their how appealing, functionality, durability, and cost. So let us see what these two Hype in the interior world are and what is better. All these points below will surely sway away your confusion.
Wallpaper
Wallpapers are printed paper with different finishes like fabric finish, PVC finish, or just simple paper finish depending on a different quality. They come in usually paper rolls of different sizes as per walls in numerous colors, patterns, and designs.
Advantages of Going with Wallpaper for Walls
- If applied on a wall that is moisture free, with a smooth finish the wallpapers can last for more than even 10 years.
- It can help in hiding those imperfections beautifully in the wall while building.
- If you are just bored of having simple painted walls or you cannot decide the color you can simply, choose a wallpaper of your favorite design.
- It can make your home’s interior look beautiful and clean without much effort.
- The designs, textures, and quality are very wide so you have a lot to choose from, the best part is you can even customize your favorite design or picture into wallpaper.
Disadvantages of Going With Wallpaper
- If the wall surface has any kind of moisture so it is very uneven the wallpaper would not last more than 3-4 years depending on the levels of moisture.
- It takes a lot of time and professional help to properly stick the wallpaper to the wall with a good adhesive.
- You cannot do anything over the wallpaper like painting or sticking another one if you get bored, even if you have to hang a painting on wallpaper wall you need to be very careful or the wear and tear as it is delicate.
- Removing the wallpaper from the wall can be again a very tedious job, the adhesive might leave some spots on the wall and also there are changes of plaster getting wear and tear from the wall.
- Wallpapers are generally very high in cost depending on the designs, size, and quality but in general, also they are considered luxurious decorating pieces.
- Cannot be used in dust-prone areas like a kitchen as the cooking of oily stuff and even the steam might damage the wallpaper.
Texture Paints
The textures which we are referring to here are textures made by different paints and not the ones done by tiles or exterior 3D materials.
These paints are different from the usual paints in terms of quality; they come as oil-based or water-based. They are available in distemper, emulsion or, enamel paints depending on the thickness and appearance one wants they can select accordingly.
These can be applied to the wall directly or with the help of a stencil to create a design in the form of 2D, the 3D textures are either created with the help of POP and an equipment to give the design or with the very thick consistency of these paints to create a design.
Advantages of Texture Paints
- It adds volume and drama to a space.
- It is relatively cheaper than wallpaper including supplies and labor costs.
- More durable than wallpaper as it is made out of very thick paint.
- Can be used in a variety of areas be it exterior, interior or, even areas like a kitchen.
- Some 2d roll-on textures requires no expert help you can buy the stencil of your choice and do it yourself, so it reduces labor cost at the same time makes your interior beautiful.
Disadvantages of Texture Paints
- The textures with gradients or a lot of 3D effects require very skilled labor who can understand the design, this increases labor cost.
- The Process of installation is more time-consuming than wallpapers.
- The process can be messy as it can give stain to your floors, furniture and, other areas, which will require special cleaning after the installation.
- Textures cannot be easily removed, as to remove than you need equipment and new paints to cover the wall after that as they can damage the wall.
- Not a very good fit for the smaller areas as the volume of texture can make it look smaller.
- It might crack or chip so you need to do touch-ups from time to time.
Though texture and paint both are a good option for giving that extra drama to your wall, both have their benefits. Some similarities between the two that need to be seen before making sure which one to use for your space.
- In both wall finishes the range of designs and colors is unlimited.
- Both can add drama to any space by creating patterns and textures.
- Both are almost equally durable as both need to be sensitively taken care of from time to time.
- Both require some prior preparation on the wall before the installation process begins.
Comparitive Analysis between Wallpaper and Texture
|
FACTORS |
WALLPAPER |
TEXTURE |
|
PREPARATION TIME |
Usually, it is equal or even less than texture if the wall surface has a smooth finish. |
If the wall surface is uneven or has some old paint it can take up to almost 24 hours before the texturing process. |
|
INSTALLATION |
Wallpapers are usually very easy to apply, you only have to stick the roll with adhesive to the wall, it gets dry up within 24 hours. |
Installation depends on the complexity of the design, sometimes 2-3 coats are required to get the right finish, it can take up to 2-3 days to complete a room. |
|
DURABILITY |
Durability level is moderate if you apply in areas that are more prone to exteriors, children, pets or, moisture otherwise it’s pretty good. |
Durability depends on the type of finish like glossy, oil or, matte. But in general, in the interior, they have high durability while in exteriors it is moderate. |
|
COST |
These are expensive than texture paints. In India wallpaper roll comes in 2 types 57sq.ft and 75 sq. ft. both can range from 1k/roll to 10k/roll depending on the quality and design. |
These are affordable than wallpapers as the overall cost including equipment and labor is around 2k for a normal-sized wall. |
|
MAINTENANCE |
Usually easy to maintain for an interior wall without any exposure to moisture they can last up to 8-10 years. |
These are also easy to maintain until some part gets chip off or scratched, touch up needs to be done again. |
NOTE: Whether it is wallpaper or a texture whatever you are going for just make sure you prime the wall properly before doing it. As it looks aesthetically more pleasing and takes less time in the whole process as well as it increases its sustainability, durability and, longevity.
– Asmita Madan
