Wallpaper Vs. Paint: Which Is Right For Your Home?
If you've just moved into a new home, or if you are sick of your current wall colors/schemes, you may be thinking about putting up some wallpaper or a fresh coat of paint. While many people may love the benefits of wallpaper, others prefer paint. Before you make a choice, learn a little about the different pros and cons of both wallpaper and paint.
Cost
There are many different types of wallpaper, and those with a higher quality tend to cost more. For basic wallpaper, you will usually spend about $25 to $50 for a single roll. However, one roll only covers a small amount of wall space, so for a small room, you may end up spending $400 to $1,000 on wallpaper. Higher-quality paper costs closer to $60 to $250 per roll. Having someone do it professionally increases the price by about $30 to $60 per roll. If you choose to do it yourself, however, you may need to pay for additional supplies, such as glue.
The cost of painting your home also varies in price because there are so many different types of paints. The paint alone may cost you $12 to $50 per gallon, and you'll likely need multiple gallons per room. If you choose to have a smaller room professionally painted, you'll pay about $200 to $400. Other costs to consider with paint include primer, paintbrushes, and pans.
Ease
If you choose to paint or wallpaper the room yourself, you likely want to know which option is the easiest. Wallpaper has a notorious reputation for being hard to hang, with jokes of wallpaper and glue getting stuck to people. As long as you have the right tools, hanging wallpaper can be easy, but you'll need to prep the wall by repairing any damage before placing the wallpaper. The hard part, however, is removing wallpaper. Trying to remove old wallpaper yourself can damage the drywall, which increases the cost of the project.
Painting, however, can also be time consuming, depending on the quality of the drywall. If you are painting over clean, damage-free white or light-colored walls, you may not need to worry about priming the walls or repairing any damage. However, if the walls are damaged, dirty from nicotine, dark in color, etc., you'll need to make any necessary repairs, apply primer (possibly multiple layers) and then actually paint the wall. Between each step, you'll need to wait for everything to dry.
Lifespan
Wallpaper can last a long time. In fact, many people may never need to replace it. However, this is only true if you apply the wallpaper correctly. On average, your wallpaper may last 15 to 25 years or longer. If you do choose wallpaper, it may be best to choose a more neutral design. This ensures you won't get sick of it, and if you decide to sell your home, it won't deter potential buyers. Therefore, you won't have to waste money to replace it.
Paint doesn't last as long as wallpaper, but how often you need to repaint depends on the room. Rooms that see a lot of wear and tear like hallways may need to be painted about once every 2-3 years. On the other hand, your dining room may only need to be painted once every seven years because, while you may use it frequently, people tend to be focused on other activities while in there, so they aren't touching the walls or roughhousing.
If you need to redo some of the walls in your home, both paint and wallpaper are excellent choices, but only one may be the right choice for you. Regardless of which you choose, however, consider hiring a professional to handle all the headaches for you. For more information or to get a quote, contact a company like JPS Painting Specialists.
