The amazing story of creating wallpaper (14 photos). What wallpapers are, where it is better to use them How to make the right choice

Speaking today about what wallpapers are, we recall luxurious designer coatings or paper materials with a simple print. And we don’t think at all about what the very first wallpapers were and who invented them. It is worth filling the gap in knowledge and rewinding the film of history a little.
Here are the cavemen - of course, they did not know the wallpaper, but they tried to decorate the walls of their dwellings using the skin and rock art. For several thousand years, it was these “interior ideas” that were considered the best - until the first wallpaper appeared.

How did the wallpaper on a woven basis

A thousand years before the advent of our era, the first fabric wallpapers appeared. It is believed that the birthplace of this material is Assyria and Babylon. The coatings of that time could only be called wallpaper conditionally - they were canvases made of coarse threads with primitive black and white patterns.
And only in the 11th century AD, it was already invented to decorate the walls with colored canvases, decorated with elaborate ornaments and biblical scenes. Wallpaper production technologies developed extremely slowly - only two centuries after the appearance of the first samples of textile coatings, it was decided to organize factory production. And then - the wallpaper was literally woven on certain artistic canvases and made only to order.

Textile wallpaper in a modern interior

For example, at the beginning of the 16th century in Flanders, wallpaper was woven on the canvases of Raphael, which he specially prepared to decorate the Sistine Chapel. The Dutch artist Bernhard Van Oley was responsible for the "production process". Fabric wall decorations were fabulously expensive, and soon they found an alternative method of production - the artist of the Flemish school of painting Van Eyck will offer not to weave a patterned canvas, but to paint ready-made matter. It was this invention that initiated the process of producing "printed" wallpapers.
Soon the European market was conquered, and after another 100 years, Peter the Great paid attention to the wallpaper and ordered to urgently introduce "innovation". In 1716, they founded the "Russian Tapestry Manufactory", where at first they invited craftsmen from France. But in just 6 years, the production of wallpaper in Russia was fully established, and it was already supervised by local craftsmen.

The history of the appearance of paper wallpaper

The history of paper wallpapers began in China, during the reign of Emperor Hoti. At this time, the Chinese invented paper (it was made from thread and bark). Walls were pasted over with paper sheets, and pictures and hieroglyphs were painted on them. The secret of making paper was guarded by the Chinese for six centuries - it was impossible to buy or learn it by cunning.
The world learned about how to make paper only in the seventh century - several military defeats of the Chinese forced them to reveal the secret, first to the Japanese, and then to the Arabs. And the Arabs sold the technology to Andalusia, and the first paper mills started operating in Spain.
As for the "original" Chinese wallpapers, they were first imported by the British. And enterprising wallpaper manufacturers from Foggy Albion for a long time did not yield to anyone. But the coatings were still too expensive - it was all about how the wallpaper was made: paper was printed first, and then it was hand-painted using specially made stencils.
And in the 17th century, a subject of the English crown, Tsaner, came up with new types of wallpaper for walls - paper, imitating fabric. It was the so-called "fake silk". To obtain it, the paper was primed and the surface was sprinkled with scraps of silk threads. It turned out "noble matter" - similar samples adorned the Louvre and the Richelieu castle.

Paper wallpaper in the interior of a French castle

Tsaner also suggested printing the design on the surface using a wooden stamp covered with paint. However, it can hardly be called his personal invention - the Chinese learned to stamp drawings on wallpaper back in the 10th century.
The first guild of upholsterers appeared in France at the beginning of the 17th century. But then they didn’t even think about the mass production of rolls - the material was produced in pieces and was not glued to the wall, but was attached to a wooden frame. Popular drawings in those days were the textures of plaster and brick, imitation of architectural elements. And in the 18th century, pastoral motifs with shepherdesses and landscapes won the palm. After that, the era of flora and natural stone began - floral ornaments became the most popular, and malachite, lapis lazuli, and marble were especially popular among imitations.

Modern technologies, vinyl and interlining

Technical possibilities for the production of wallpaper in rolls appeared only in the 17th century - at first, the engraver from France, Papillon, came up with matrices for continuous printing of a pattern, then (again in France) a machine for making rolls appeared. And only in 1839 a printer from England, Preston, installed cylindrical rollers in a printing machine - the prototype of modern printing presses learned.
And the history of vinyl and non-woven coatings belongs to the 20th century. Thus, the commercial use of vinyl began after 1933, when the product was patented by the B. F. Goodrich Company. And the first vinyl wallpaper appeared in the USA in 1947 - initially it was a dense "polyethylene" coating, and today the vinyl layer is microporous.

Non-woven wallpaper in a modern interior

And interlining or canvas made of cellulose fibers began to be produced in Germany - there was even the Vliseline trademark of Freudenberg Vliesstoffe KG, which at first specialized in the production of non-woven material for workwear.

Wallpaper is one of the types of building finishing materials designed for interior walls and ceilings. In appearance, the wallpaper is a canvas that is tightly rolled up.

The main dimensions of the wallpaper can be: length - 10 m, width - 0.53 - 1.06 m.

This is what the wallpaper now looks like, exhibited in the hardware store

Initially, the word "wallpaper" was applied to the skins or fabrics that were used to upholster the walls of the dwelling from the inside. Now there are a huge number of types of wallpapers, so each person can choose any to his taste.

When the first wallpaper appeared - a digression into history

Approximately a thousand years BC, the first type appeared - this is woven wallpaper. At first they were black and white, and only at the end of the 11th century AD did they acquire color.

In the Middle Ages, instead of wallpaper, there were tapestries that occupied the entire wall from ceiling to floor. Tapestries were large canvases of fabric depicting historical events and ancient battles.
Ancient English tapestry with coats of arms of knights of that era

Tapestries were only available to the wealthy because they were made of high quality fabric and were expensive. A beautiful and decorated dwelling was in vogue, so people covered the walls with cheap patterned fabrics.

Cloths of fabric were usually attached to the wall with special brackets, but they were not glued in any way. So, slowly, woven wallpaper became more elegant and thinner, images of plants, animals, scenes from the Bible appeared on them.
The use of tapestry in the interior

Gradually, the production of wallpaper began to take place in Europe. We built several factories that made wallpaper to order. The best artists were invited to create woven wallpapers.

Such wallpapers turned out to be very expensive, and then there was a need to find ways to reduce production costs. The famous artist Jan Van Eyck suggested drawing drawings on the finished fabric, because it is cheaper and easier. This method gave rise to a new direction in the production of, now, printed wallpapers, which significantly helped to reduce their cost.

And already at the beginning of the 16th century, France and England began to produce new wallpaper industrially. The first machine for the production of fabric wallpaper was invented in England. This also helped to reduce the cost of wallpaper.
This is how luxurious the wallpaper on the walls used to look

Ancient China is considered the birthplace of paper wallpapers, from there they came to us along with many useful items, such as paper, which appeared at the beginning of the 2nd century AD, porcelain, compass and silk. The Chinese were decorating their walls with paper as soon as it was invented. They hung thick paper over the passages in the room, as if dividing it.

For many years, the wise Chinese kept the paper-making process a closely guarded secret. In the 6th century, the Japanese were able to develop their technology for making wallpaper.
A room decorated with Chinese painted paper canvases

Further, already in the 8th century, the production of paper wallpapers passed to Europe. People had become accustomed to the strength and beauty of woven wallpaper, they wanted paper wallpaper to be of the same excellent quality. But the methods of making paper wallpapers would not allow this to be achieved. And the drawings were generally applied by hand, which increased the cost several times.

One day, an Englishman, distinguished by an inventive mindset, by the name of Tsaner, came up with an original way to make wallpaper so that they look like matter.

The method was as follows: pre-primed the paper, and then pour a lot of scraps of silk threads on it. These silk threads dried out and stuck firmly to the paper.
Blue wallpaper is a great backdrop for pictures.

Enough time passed, and in the 14th century, another new method appeared for drawing a picture on paper. Workers made a printing plate out of wood, on which layers of paint were applied, after which the paper was carefully applied to it and finally rolled with a roller.

Wallpapers with drawings from China have always been highly valued around the world, they were not even influenced by the vagaries and variety of fashion. In Europe, for the production of paper wallpaper for a long time, England was considered the recognized leader.
The idea of ​​our ancestors about the interior and wallpaper

Currently, there are various technologies for the production of wallpaper, a variety of materials. And only the ways of using such inventions have remained the same to this day - to decorate your home, make it more comfortable and beautiful.

Types of modern wallpaper

Consider briefly all types of popular wallpapers, their pros and cons:

Today, this type of wallpaper is very popular. This can be explained by many factors, for example, the fact that the material from which the wallpaper is made is natural, which means it is natural. In the manufacture of wallpaper, the materials are never painted, even with a colorless varnish. Therefore, a distinctive feature of bamboo wallpaper has become the natural color and naturalness of the surface itself.
An example of an interior made on the basis of bamboo and wood combinations

can be a great decoration for your walls, natural and eco-friendly.

Pros of bamboo wallpaper: can be used indoors and outdoors; long service life (can reach up to 10 years); wallpaper has excellent heat and sound insulation properties; do not lose color under the influence of sunlight; resistant to mechanical stress; Because of the large width, you can stick them both horizontally and vertically and so on.

Cons of bamboo wallpaper: difficult to hide junctions; having docked the pattern, it is also difficult to make a cross section, because it often has irregularities; For the sticker, you need a special organic glue with an unpleasant odor.

Ordinary paper wallpapers have excellent breathability and moisture permeability. Such wallpapers are not recommended for use in rooms where there is constantly high humidity and strong odors. The material is able to perform both decorative and hygienic functions. Paper wallpaper can give the walls a beautiful look, mask the bumps, cracks and pores that are on the surface.
The use of paper wallpaper in high-tech style, modern minimalism

- a section of the site dedicated to wallpaper made of paper. Here it is recommended to search for more complete information on this topic.

Pros of paper wallpaper: simple manufacturing technology; low price and a huge range of proposed patterns and patterns.

Disadvantages of paper wallpaper: wallpaper quickly loses its freshness, darkens; can not be cleaned with detergents (wet) products, only dry cleaning; fast abrasion.

Vinyl wallpapers consist of two layers - the top one is made of polyvinyl chloride, which can withstand mechanical stress and pollution, and the bottom one is of paper or non-woven quality. The top layer of vinyl wallpaper is decorated with illustrations or embossing. Finishing materials of this class always come out very reliable, strong and durable.
The texture of bright red vinyl wallpaper is visible to the naked eye.

- a separate range of articles in the context of PVC wallpaper. More detailed information on this type of wallpaper.

Pros of vinyl wallpaper: vinyl wallpaper is elastic and dense; moisture resistant (they clean and wash well), can be washed with a brush or wiped with a damp cloth; do not fade in the sun; durable; rich decorative structure.

Cons of vinyl wallpaper: Vinyl wallpaper has one, but a serious drawback - it is airtight. Some versions have special micropores that allow the wallpaper to "breathe", but such wallpapers are in the most expensive segment of the market.

Wood is one of the best finishing and building materials. Although the abundance of new building and finishing materials goes off scale, the tree does not lose its relevance. More recently, the usual lining for interior work was replaced by wooden wallpapers, which can give style and personality to the house. Wallpapers are wooden planks, small in size and rather thin.
Bedroom design made using wooden finishing materials

Wallpapers made of wood have great decorative possibilities, and they also allow the walls to "breathe". These wallpapers themselves do not require much care for them. But the disadvantage of wooden wallpapers is that they do not tolerate moisture, because of it the joints can swell, which will spoil the design with a sloppy look.

Metallic wallpaper is a relatively new type of wallpaper. They differ from others in their interesting properties and features that other wallpapers do not have. The main function of such wallpapers is, of course, the beauty and unusual appearance. But the uniqueness lies in the ability to extinguish the electrical radiation that comes from the TV, refrigerator, computer and other electrical appliances in the house.
The interior, which absorbed, in addition to wallpaper using metal, objects of different styles

Pros of metallic wallpaper: easy to clean (you can just wipe it with a cloth); very beautiful appearance, since such wallpapers are mainly made in silver or gold, they have a shine; easy to install (they are glued in the same way as paper wallpapers) and carry out climate control in the room.

Cons of metal wallpaper: the surface on which such wallpaper will be glued must be perfect, the walls suffer greatly from mechanical damage and do not “breathe” at all.

Cork wallpapers are gaining more and more popularity among a huge number of different wallpapers today. The most important feature is that such wallpapers are made from natural wood, or rather from the bark of a cork tree, they have energy-saving and soundproofing properties. Cork wallpaper is fireproof, durable and repels dust.
The use of cork wallpaper in the interior of an ordinary room

— environmentally friendly and natural finishing material, besides soft and durable.

Pros of cork wallpaper: incombustibility; high level of noise reduction; resistance to mechanical damage; the possibility of combining colors and textures in one room; resistance to detergents; the ability not to absorb odors; the ability not to be electrified, not to fade over time.

Cons of cork wallpaper: Vulnerable to excess moisture (may swell a lot if the coatings are poorly processed) and relatively high prices, since the wallpaper is made of natural material.

Textile wallpapers always look expensive and beautiful, because they pay tribute to the past. The basis of such wallpaper is the usual interlining, and a layer of another material is superimposed on top, for example, it can be viscose, linen, silk or cotton. The cost remains at an average level.
Luxurious interior in retro style using textile wallpaper

- a modern idea of ​​\u200b\u200bfabric wallpaper, popular types of finishing material.

Pros of textile wallpaper: resistance to ultraviolet; high aesthetic quality; environmental friendliness; sound absorption; high thermal insulation.

Cons of textile wallpaper: complexity of installation; easily and quickly get dirty; reduced strength; absorb odors; dry cleaning.

non-woven

For pasting the walls of any premises, a diverse selection of materials is now offered, and among them, non-woven wallpaper has received particular popularity. After all, one of the elements of the interior is wallpaper, they help in every room, be it an apartment or an office, to create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere. The basis of non-woven wallpaper is cellulose fibers and various additives to them.
You can use non-woven wallpaper in any room, and even in the kitchen

- modern wallpaper of great length, high-quality sticking to the walls, wear-resistant and environmentally friendly.

Advantages of non-woven wallpaper: resistance to ignition; dense structure; do not interfere with air circulation; convenient installation, ease of sticking; you can repaint the wallpaper; do not absorb dust; ease of care.

Cons of non-woven wallpaper: subject to mechanical damage; relief places of wallpaper can collect dust; the price is quite high.

Recently, photo wallpapers have become increasingly popular as an element of interior decor. There is just a huge selection of photo wallpapers with various images, you can also make such wallpapers to order with the photo that you would like to see on your wall. Such non-standard wallpapers can easily decorate your interior, make the design of this room original and unique.
The successful use of photo wallpaper, allows you to qualitatively transform the situation in the room

- are able to enliven any interior with their presence, they are beautiful, elegant, easy to use.

Pros of photo wallpaper: very interesting and beautiful appearance; smooth texture; durable and easy to apply; You can choose from options, or you can make and order.

Cons of photo wallpaper: the wall must be perfectly smooth and even, so that the wallpaper looks good; the image can get boring after a while; some wallpapers are made of poor quality and from cheap material, after a certain time they can exfoliate.

If you started a renovation and your soul desires something creative and new, then you definitely need to pay attention to liquid wallpaper. In the CIS countries and Europe, many people actively use them, so construction stores very often offer this type of wallpaper to customers.
The interior of the children's room, made with liquid wallpaper

- modern decorative plaster is called "liquid wallpaper", it is applied easily and looks great.

Pros of liquid wallpaper: dry quickly; consist of natural materials, such as silk, cotton and textile fibers; help to hide irregularities, seams and roughness; are elastic and allow the walls to "breathe".

Cons of liquid wallpaper: do not use in rooms where there is very high humidity, for example, in a bathroom or hallway; subject to mechanical damage.

Everyone remembers from childhood that you can’t draw on the walls, because it’s hard to fix it. In our time, wallpaper for painting has appeared, and everything has become much easier. The choice of such wallpapers is very large, they can be both with drawings and without. Wallpaper for painting is painted well and dries quickly.
Modern interior, made using wallpaper for painting

- what are the wallpapers for painting, what are they good for and why are they universal, all the answers are in a special section.

Advantages of wallpaper for painting: before wallpapering, it is not necessary to level the walls; economical; you can zone the room and change the color of the walls at any time, without changing the wallpaper.

Cons of wallpaper for painting: you still need to prepare the walls before gluing, you can paint the wallpaper only 12 hours after gluing; do not tolerate chemicals when cleaning, detergents are prohibited; Do not use in rooms with very high humidity.

From year to year, the modern market expands its range of building materials to satisfy consumers, take into account their taste and material capabilities, thereby offering them a variety of wall coverings. These new wall coverings include fiberglass. Very often they can be found in hotels in Turkey, pay attention to them when traveling.
Glass fiber allows you to create a simple and understandable design

Advantages of glass fiber: strength, resistance to any impact; moisture resistance; the possibility of accumulating electric charges (dust does not accumulate); easy to clean; allow the walls to "breathe".

Cons of fiberglass wallpaper: can be glued only on perfectly flat surfaces that need to be carefully prepared before gluing; can only be glued to special and expensive glue; when sticking, it is necessary to apply increased security measures: wear gloves and a respirator, because glass particles can get into the respiratory tract, after painting, the wallpaper ceases to be dangerous to humans.

On the modern construction market there is a very large number of different interesting wallpapers, both in structure and in appearance, but everyone should choose the wallpapers that he likes, suits and likes. Banal thesis, but devilishly correct.

Wallpaper is a popular wall covering. They are so diverse that they are suitable for finishing both budget rooms and expensive interiors. But when it comes to choosing the right look, many people just take the material at random, focusing on external characteristics. In this article, we will talk in detail about the types of wallpaper, how they differ from each other and which one is better to choose.

• paper;
• non-woven;
• vinyl;
• acrylic;
• natural;
• fiberglass;
• textile;
• metal;
• liquid.

Some of them can be used as a base for painting. These are paper, vinyl with a non-woven base and glass.

Any of the types has a wide selection of designs, many patterns and colors. To enhance the effect, you can try. Let's talk specifically about each of them.

When choosing wallpaper, buy rolls from the same batch: the shades of colors in different batches may differ slightly.

Paper

The cheapest and most common type of wallpaper, completely made of paper. There are both single-layer (simplex) and two-layer (duplex). Most often the surface is smooth, but sometimes they are also produced with a relief.


Advantages:

• low price - from 50-100 rubles. per roll;
• environmental friendliness - can be used in the nursery and bedroom;
• let air through, so the walls can "breathe";
• the easiest gluing process.

Disadvantages:

• fragility: light spots appear quickly, the maximum period of use is 5 years;
• fear of moisture (if pollution appears, they cannot be washed);
• drawings fade in the sun;
• absorb odors.

The quality of the paper roll depends on the density of the material. Good quality wallpaper should weigh 110-140gsm. m.

Fleeceline

Their base is made of interlining, a non-woven material with a high density. In fact, this is the same paper, only with the addition of fabric fibers.


Advantages of non-woven wallpaper:

• high strength, unlike paper types;
• pass air;
• do not shrink after drying;
• when wet, the material does not swell;
• hide small cracks on the surface;
• environmentally friendly, durable and wear-resistant;
• easy to glue: only the wall is covered with glue;
• well suited for wall and ceiling decoration.

Such wallpapers are used for painting if foamed vinyl is applied to the non-woven base.

Non-woven wallpaper without a vinyl layer is considered harmless. They are usually harder to find and more expensive. Also, safe wallpaper must be certified in accordance with GOST 6810-2002 "Wallpaper".

Vinyl is a type of wallpaper coated with foamed vinyl. Base material - paper or interlining. The surface is smooth and embossed, as well as in the style of silk-screen printing.

• moisture resistant, they can be washed and cleaned (should be indicated on the packaging, ideal for the hallway);
• retain color for a long time, almost do not fade;
• relief drawings visually hide small irregularities of the walls;
• There are types for painting that can be repainted up to ten times.

The disadvantages include airtightness, so it is better not to use them in the children's room and bedroom.


Read more in a separate article.

Acrylic wallpaper

Acrylic wallpaper looks very similar to vinyl. Foamed acrylic is used here as the front layer.

Due to the thinner layer of acrylic, they are not as durable. Spraying is applied in a dotted way, so acrylic wallpaper is able to pass air.

natural wallpaper

Elite types of wallpaper for the hall are made from natural materials. Cork, jute, straw, veneer, bamboo, reed, algae are used as the top layer; as the basis - most often paper. Some of them have a non-woven base.


In most cases, natural material rolls are 91 cm wide and 5.5 or 10 m long.

For gluing this type, ordinary wallpaper glue is used, depending on the base. For a paper base, it is applied only to the canvas, for a non-woven base - to the wall, and if the canvases are heavy - both there and there.

• Natural materials create a cozy interior, very warm to the touch;
• the material is completely environmentally friendly;
• to protect against dust, they are coated with special impregnations.

The disadvantages of natural wallpaper include:

• fear of moisture (the paint is made on a water basis, and when wet it can easily lose color);
• difficult gluing process;
• high price (because of this, they are rarely glued to all walls, only for zoning and highlighting;
• due to the characteristics of the natural material, joints remain visible between the canvases.
• bright colors can lose color under the influence of the sun in just one season.

When erasing dust from natural types of wallpaper, you can not use wet cleaning. Use of a vacuum cleaner or dusting with a long-bristled brush is acceptable.

Glass fiber

Fiberglass wallpaper is optimal for use in a new building, which shrinks. They are also often used in offices.

They are produced by weaving from glass fibers, so they have increased tensile strength and are environmentally friendly. Unlike glass wool, they do not splinter when touched. After gluing them, it is recommended to paint the walls with latex or water-based paints.

Among the advantages of glass fiber:

• great durability and wear resistance;
• service life of about 30 years, if necessary, you can repaint the top layer up to 15 times;
• protection of walls from cracks;
• fiberglass does not burn, is not afraid of water or smoke;
• the material does not create a breeding ground for microorganisms, fungi and mold, therefore it eliminates the most common causes of allergies;

The disadvantages include a small selection of patterns, the most popular of them: matting, herringbone, rhombus. The walls look pretty boring.

Textile wallpapers

The front part is made of natural materials: silk, linen, cotton, jute, velor. The base is made of paper or non-woven fabric. In production, they are treated with an antistatic and fire-fighting solution. Sometimes the coating is made of synthetic fabrics, it is easier to take care of such material, if necessary, it can be vacuumed.


Advantages:

• First of all, the fabric finish looks expensive and exclusive.
• completely environmentally friendly material;
• some flax-based species have antiseptic properties;
• resistant to the effects of the sun, additionally have heat and sound insulation.
• there are types with an increased roll width, which allows you to make a seamless coating.

The disadvantages include low resistance to dust, dirt, odors, moisture and pets. Since this is a designer type of finish, it has a high price. For gluing, an experienced specialist is required.

metallic wallpaper

Metallic varieties of wallpaper are perfect for a high-tech interior. They cast beautiful highlights in the sun, and additional lighting will only embellish them and show all their advantages. The interior will be filled with golden, silver or bronze lights.

• metal wallpaper is attractive due to its beautiful appearance;
• the decorative layer consists of thin aluminum foil, which gives high wear resistance;
• are not afraid of exposure to sunlight and do not lose color over time;
• easy to wash;
• have good sound insulation;

Of course, the price per roll remains high. And before gluing it is required ideally, otherwise the thin foil will wrinkle.

Liquid wallpaper

One of the most unusual types is liquid wallpaper. They combine the best qualities of roll coatings and.

Without experience, it is easy to confuse them in appearance with structural plaster. However, liquid wallpapers differ in composition: sand is not used in the production, cellulose, a harmless adhesive, is used as the main component. To give a pleasant look, they contain decorative fibers, sparkles, natural dyes.


Liquid wallpaper is sold as a dry powder, which is diluted with water before use. The price for one package weighing 1 kg with a simple structure starts from 360 rubles, it is enough for 4-5 square meters. m. when applied in a thin layer (1 mm). Usually the price depends on the number of decorative particles in the mixture, the brighter it is, the more expensive.

A master class on applying liquid wallpaper is shown in the video:

They are seriously different from ordinary wallpapers and have the following number of advantages:

• when applied there are no joints;
• create an unusual relief structure;
• can level the walls, so the finishing time is reduced;
• environmentally friendly material;
• have antistatic properties, do not attract dust;
• service life 6-8 years.

Drying time after applying the mixture is up to 48 hours. It is not recommended to use liquid wallpaper in damp areas due to their high hygroscopicity.

Wall mural

Separately, it is worth mentioning the wallpaper. They allow you to get almost any pattern on the entire wall: flowers, cities, nature, the ocean. Most often, a self-adhesive base is used for their application.



We have considered almost all types of wallpaper for walls. Now it is easy to choose the best option for your room, depending on the conditions, requirements and financial capabilities.

Wallpaper used for interior decoration also has its own amazing history. There is evidence that wallpapers were first used in the 2nd century BC. e. in China. They were far from the wallpaper that we now have in rolls. The oldest examples were hand-painted and were large pieces of paper.

The first printed wallpapers date back to 1509. They were made in England, but were also still "lumpy", not rolled. The year 1675 marked the beginning of the manufacture of wooden printing plates, which, thanks to repeating patterns, significantly accelerated the process of drawing a picture.



Along with paper wallpaper in France in the 17th-18th centuries, fabric, silk-imitating finishing materials were popular. Moisture resistant wallpaper is also an old invention. It was patented back in 1858.



In America, the beginning of the use of wallpaper falls on 1739. And in 1778, Louis XVI issued a decree that the length of a roll of wallpaper should be approximately 34 feet (10.4 m). And only in 1799 a machine was invented that allows you to get rolls of paper wallpaper. The release was arranged far from immediately. Only about half a century later did a roll appear in France, and the drawing was applied already in a typographical way. Perhaps only they can be considered the first wallpaper.

In Russia, wallpaper began to be used in the first half of the 19th century. The first factory was built near St. Petersburg. Currently, we are seeing an abundance of different types of wallpaper, but paper wallpapers have not lost their relevance.

But the first fashionable wave of wallpaper came to our country about twenty years ago. Such "improved" wallpapers won the hearts and homes of many residents of cities and towns. Digital abundance did not yet exist, so the choice of images for photo wallpapers was very small. Today the situation has changed radically - a lot of smart specialists have appeared who are able to create a certain image on the wall for a specific person. Wall murals surprisingly fit into any interior, women mostly choose photo wallpapers with flowers.

In the middle of the 19th century, the French artist and lithographer Jules Cheret became one of the founders of poster art, printing art, the creator of a distant ancestor of modern photo wallpapers ... Cheret had his own lithographic workshop and throughout his life created at least one and a half thousand posters and posters for theater platforms, circus venues and Cafe. We will correctly highlight the name of another person, the French aristocrat and artist Henri Lautrec. Both were graphic artists and decorators and had a beneficial effect on each other's work. Shere proposed a prototype of a modern poster, becoming the first to sign his works. It was he who determined the basic principles of successful advertising on the poster. This state of affairs lasted until the second half of the 19th century. The subsequent development of printing on large-format paper canvases reached the level of a real art, especially after the Count of Toulouse-Lautrec added rich, catchy colors to lithographs. Thanks to these people, today we enjoy high-contrast large-format images. yellow rose on the wall

Historical facts. Numerous attempts

Long before Jules Cheret and Count Lautrec, another French miniaturist, Jean Bourdichon, painted 50 rolls of paper. He painted angels on the blue wallpaper. This work was used to decorate the residence of King Louis XI. Soon, elite houses in aristocratic circles began to be decorated in this way. This episode in history gave birth to either a fresco or photo wallpaper ...! In the mid-18th century, Philadelphia printer Fleason Plunkett conducted a small experiment. With the help of wooden blanks, he applied a pattern to paper canvases, and then painted it by hand. So there was another attempt, and, probably, quite successful, to invent paper wall decor.

Many people know that modern photo wallpapers have water-repellent properties. For the first time, wallpaper was “endowed” with such a feature after the Second World War. Technology made it possible to produce more durable wallpaper patterns that could be gently wiped with a damp sponge. This has significantly advanced the new type of wallpaper into the consumer decorative coatings market. picture of Venice on the wall in the dining room

Today, photo wallpapers have again become fashionable and popular. Long gone are the days when prints on photo wallpapers were boring and monotonous. Production technologies have changed for the better and now many lovers of picturesque images have a real opportunity to update their home with high-quality and realistic photo wallpapers.

Despite the huge variety of decorative wall coverings, wallpaper is still the most popular finishing material. But the technologies for their manufacture do not stand still, and manufacturers offer many types of wallpaper that are different in appearance and properties. To understand which of the options to choose for decorating your home, it's a good idea to figure out what modern types of wallpaper exist.

paper wallpaper

Single-layer paper wallpapers - the cheapest and most environmentally friendly, allow the walls to "breathe". However, they are not very durable and strong, they quickly lose their appearance, get dirty, fade in the sun and absorb odors.

There are improved versions of paper wallpaper - a two-layer duplex (smooth and embossed) and structured wallpaper, which are two layers of paper, between which compressed sawdust is randomly located. Such wallpapers are more durable, withstand wet wiping, help hide small wall roughness and can be used for painting.

Vinyl wallpapers

Vinyl wallpaper is the most interesting material for wall decoration, since the technology of their manufacture allows you to imitate almost any coating. They have two layers: the bottom one is paper or a fabric base, the top one is polyvinyl, on the surface of which an embossing or pattern is applied. Such wallpapers are easy to clean, do not fade in the sun, are durable, elastic, do not absorb moisture, but practically do not let air through. They are flat (silkscreen and acrylic), foamed, dense and embossed, for painting.

Foamed vinyl is a fairly thick wallpaper with a pronounced relief that successfully hides bumps on the walls. In silkscreen printing, silk threads are sewn into the top layer, which give the canvas a shine and an original look. Thick vinyl wallpaper has a smooth surface and is often used for kitchens.

Embossed wallpaper - the thickest and heaviest, imitate ceramic tiles, natural stone, Venetian plaster.

The main difficulty when sticking vinyl wallpaper is that they are very elastic. When glue is applied, they stretch strongly, and when dried, they shrink, as a result of which the seams can open.

Non-woven wallpaper

Interlining is a non-woven fabric, which is a mixture of cellulose and textile fibers. The use of this material expands the operational and decorative possibilities, allows you to achieve. On a non-woven basis in rolls of great length, wallpaper for painting is produced.

Non-woven wallpaper perfectly masks cracks on the surface of the plaster and is suitable for almost any type of surface. When gluing such wallpapers, the glue is applied directly to the wall, and the canvases are applied to it in a dry form, which greatly simplifies and speeds up the fitting process. When choosing non-woven wallpaper, it is important to know how to glue non-woven wallpaper and what glue to choose. When pasted non-woven wallpaper is almost never deformed.

Non-woven wallpaper perfectly masks cracks on the surface of the plaster and is suitable for almost any type of surface.

Velor wallpaper

In the manufacture of velor wallpaper, special adhesive paints are applied to the paper base, on which the smallest nylon fibers are attached. These wallpapers look luxurious and are ideal for front rooms.

They shimmer in the light, perfectly absorb sounds, but attract dust, quickly wiped off from mechanical influences, do not withstand changes in humidity and absorb odors. For gluing velor fabrics, glue for heavy wallpaper is used.

Felt wallpaper

Felt wallpaper is made from acrylic, polyester and microfiber fibers and looks like soft pile on the wall. The canvases look like fabric, and the joints between them are completely invisible. They are breathable and clean well. To reduce waste, felt wallpaper is sold not in rolls, but in running meters. They have a porous structure, so the glue is not applied to the canvas, but to the wall.

Textile wallpapers

Textile wallpapers consist of two layers: the lower one is made of durable paper and the upper one is made of woven material or threads glued together. They look spectacular, perfectly absorb noise, do not fade, are environmentally friendly and fireproof, but require careful handling and are more suitable for bedrooms, offices and living rooms.

Wallpapers are made from cotton, viscose and linen threads, as well as threads containing natural and artificial fibers.

For gluing textile wallpapers, it is necessary to use adhesives for heavy wallpapers, impregnate the canvases for at least ten minutes, do not bend them after spreading, and also try to prevent the glue from flowing to the outside and leaving no stains.

Cork wallpaper

Cork wallpapers are made from cork oak bark and are the most environmentally friendly, since only natural products are used in their manufacture. During hot pressing, adhesive substances are released from the cork, and it sticks together by itself. The most common cork wallpapers are paper-based.

They are glued to heavy wallpaper glue and perfectly adhere to any substrate, are wear-resistant, and varnished or waxed are well protected from moisture and dust.

Cork wallpapers are made from cork oak bark and are the most environmentally friendly.

Liquid wallpaper

The so-called liquid wallpaper allows you to create smooth or embossed coatings with no seams and are decorative plasters based on natural cellulose, cotton or textile fibers. They are sold ready-made or in the form of a dry mix, which must be diluted with water-based paint and tinted.

Liquid wallpaper is waterproof, does not absorb odors, is easy to clean, masks wall imperfections, is suitable for application on any surface and allows you to create an arbitrary pattern.

Fiberglass wallpaper

The basis of the material is fibers from special glass based on quartz sand, soda, dolomite and lime. They are moisture-resistant, durable, fire-resistant, do not contain toxic components, do not collect dust, wash well, “breathe” perfectly, are applied to any surface and give any room an aesthetic and modern look. Fiberglass wallpapers are more often used for wall decoration in offices, shops, hotels, medical institutions, etc. They can be dyed and repainted many times.