Before you get a liquid wallpaper, you need to find out what their advantages and disadvantages are. There are a great many liquid wallpapers on the market today. It is quite simple to restore them if the surface was damaged during operation, and after you decide to replace them, it will be easy to get rid of the finish.
Features of liquid wallpaper
Liquid wallpaper is, by and large, ordinary decorative plaster. Some consumers are wondering why this material got its name. Everything is explained by the fact that it is based on cellulose fiber, which is completely harmless, as it is natural. Among other ingredients, the wallpaper contains a binder, which is an adhesive composition - CMC. After hardening, liquid wallpaper does not look at all like traditional, but they can be represented by different coatings, among which one can distinguish silk, glossy, matte, etc.
Positive features of liquid wallpaper
When choosing which finish to purchase for the wall surface, it is necessary to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of liquid wallpaper. If we consider the pros, then you can immediately compare the liquid variety of wallpaper with traditional material. In the latter case, the masters have to work hard to evenly stick the canvas on the wall, combine the picture, and also overcome the corners and all the irregularities of the room. In addition, in order to apply glue to the sheet, it is necessary to have a large free space. In the case of liquid wallpaper, you should not be afraid of damaging or tearing them, since they are sold in powder form, and preparation for work involves only diluting the composition in water.
There is no need to think about which side of the room light falls on, because liquid wallpaper does not leave seams after application, and reviews about them confirm this. After preparation, it is possible to apply the composition not only to the walls, but also to the ceiling, and the work will not seem so laborious compared to the technology that is used when gluing ordinary wallpaper. In the process, you don’t even need the help of an outsider, you can handle the work yourself.
Plus in the absence of the need for surface preparation
Another advantage for which consumers love liquid wallpaper is that you don’t have to prepare the surface for too long, which cannot be said about traditional wallpaper, the base of which, after gluing, will give out all the surface irregularities. Even on the contrary, if there are minor irregularities on the walls, they can be eliminated by applying the composition. As a result, it will be possible to get a high-quality finish, which is completely devoid of flaws.
It is important to know the disadvantages of liquid wallpaper. Reviews will help you figure out which of them has coverage. But what exactly can not be attributed to them is the ability of such a coating to pass air. Some believe that when seamless, the surface does not breathe, which means that fungi and mold may appear under it. But cellulose perfectly passes air, which is why you should not be afraid that the walls will become damp. This will save you from the so-called greenhouse effect, which is characteristic of rooms with vinyl wallpaper.
Before acquiring the described coating, consumers think about what other disadvantages there are of liquid wallpaper. Reviews of a number of buyers indicate a relatively high cost. But this can be true only at first glance. Indeed, in this case there can be no overexpenditure of material, in addition, after the work there will be no waste, since it is possible to prepare just the amount of composition that will be used, and it is very simple to repair the coating after damage, which can not be said about ordinary wallpaper. All these circumstances make it argued that the price is many times more profitable.
The main advantage is in aesthetics
So what attracts consumers to liquid wallpaper? The reviews (we will consider the shortcomings below) indicate that they look very aesthetically pleasing on the wall, and this can be called one of their main advantages. Considering this feature of them, answer your question about whether you have met with neighbors, relatives, friends and acquaintances the same wallpaper that is pasted in one of the rooms of your house. This happens, admittedly, quite often. But using liquid wallpaper you can create unique interior solutions that will remain unique under any circumstances.
An even more impressive effect in this regard can be achieved by applying liquid wallpaper on the wall in several combinations of colors and textures.
Negative characteristics
The disadvantages of liquid wallpaper, reviews of which you should definitely study before purchasing the composition, are expressed in the fact that they do not tolerate the effects of moisture. In this regard, they lose the moisture-resistant type of wallpaper. If there are animals or small children in the house, then the surface of the walls cannot be washed after it is soiled. In order to correct the situation, you will only have to repair a separate area, which involves the use of dry powder. It has to be preliminarily prepared by diluting with water. The wall in the damaged area should also be pre-prepared, which involves cutting out the old coating. Next, you will have to apply the usual technology for applying the composition. The catch may consist in the fact that the dry composition for dilution may not remain after the first repair, and choosing an identical color several years after the completion of the work will be quite problematic. Yes, and the walls during operation could be a little wiped and burned out. Drawing a new layer in a separate area can be very noticeable.
Consumer Reviews
Once the flaws of liquid wallpaper have been studied, reviews can help make the right choice at the time of acquiring the material for wall decoration. Buyers claim that working with the application of the liquid mixture is very simple. And not only an experienced home master, but also a beginner can cope with this. The only thing to pay attention, according to customers, is the method of preparing the composition, which involves the initial filling of the mixture in a container or bucket and its subsequent pouring with liquid. Performing these manipulations in a different sequence is not recommended. After the mixture is thoroughly mixed, emphasize those who have already been involved in applying the composition to the walls, it should be left for half an hour, which will allow the wallpaper to brew, and the chemical components to interact.
Liquid wallpapers, reviews (flaws, advantages, etc.) about which you have been well studied can be applied in several ways. Experienced craftsmen advise doing this with a gun, which will greatly speed up the process. Regardless of which tool was used in the process of applying the mixture, it must be left on the surface alone for a period that can last up to 70 hours, because it is precisely this time that is necessary for the wallpaper to fully gain strength and dry.
Surface preparation recommendations
Liquid wallpapers, reviews, tips, recommendations about which you have been previously studied, will delight their owners for a long period. Despite the fact that the preparation of walls is not accompanied by special difficulties, such works still require compliance with certain rules. Among them, one can single out the need to remove old coatings from the base. After you have to put putty on the walls, which will get rid of errors. In addition, the smoother the wall is, the smaller the overspending of the material will be.
Application Tips
Liquid wallpapers, reviews, features, recommendations for applying which are familiar to any master, will look very aesthetically pleasing on the wall. And even if something does not work out in accordance with the instructions, there is always a way out of the situation. For example, if it was not possible to remove defects from the surface, then the wallpaper can be applied in two layers, the first of which will be a primer, and the second - decorative.
Calculation of material consumption
In order to calculate the consumption of material, it must be taken into account that 1 kg of the mixture will cover 5 m 2. Thus, if there is a need to finish walls with an area of 20 m 2, then 4 kg of dry composition will have to be prepared.
After the pros and cons of liquid wallpaper have become known to you, you have assessed your skills and abilities in carrying out repairs of this type, you can begin to improve the walls.
Let's start with the benefits.
- As mentioned above, applying liquid wallpaper is a simple process. It consists in the fact that the dry cellulosic material itself must be diluted with water in a percentage ratio: one kilogram of material per six liters of water. After which it is applied with a spatula with a thin layer on the wall.
- A huge variety of decorative filling. This is not only the widest range of colors. Various fillers can be added to the pulp, with which the outer side of the finish is changed. These are mica, stone chips, gloss, beads and so on. Hence, several styles.
- Anyone who already had experience in repairing knows that sticking classic wallpaper on the walls is to lay the rolls on the floor, cut them to size, apply glue to the back of the wallpaper, and then stick them on the walls. It’s hard for one person to handle this. In addition, all the time you have to step through rolls and strips of material, afraid to step on them. In general, this is troublesome business, and almost impossible for a beginner.
- From the purely constructive side of the process, liquid wallpaper, applied either to the walls or to the ceiling, is a smooth, even surface without seams. What can not be said about simple roll materials. This is especially true when finishing the corners of the room.
- It should be noted that liquid wallpaper is somewhat similar to a putty solution. That is, with their help it is possible to level out minor flaws in the surface to be treated, up to 3 mm. With simple wallpapers this is impossible to do, with the exception of thick vinyl views. In addition, under the classics, it is necessary to level the surface to the maximum level. And although liquid wallpaper requires a certain evenness, the most important thing is to create a white surface under them. That is why in the process of preparing the walls and ceiling must be painted with white paint, preferably water-based. This is a basic technology requirement.
- Although cellulose is mixed with CMC glue (which is why it is called a dry mixture), the solution deposited on the surface after drying does not create an impenetrable layer on them. That is, the walls and ceiling finished with this material “breathe”. That is why in the rooms where liquid wallpaper was used there is neither mold, nor stale air, nor the greenhouse effect. Humidity is always in a normal percentage, which is very important for human health.
- Anyone who likes to fantasize and experiment with decoration and design, then liquid wallpaper is the very material that allows you to do this. That is, you can combine two or three different in color and content of the material, make patterns or paintings from them, emphasizing one or another style. This is actually a unique and interesting activity. It should be noted that drawing from classic wallpapers is very difficult. They most often glue two parts of the wall - the lower and upper with a horizontal border between them.
The disadvantages of liquid wallpaper.
- The biggest drawback is the high price compared to traditional wallpaper. And although today the effect of the novelty of the finish has passed, so the price is falling, but it is not necessary to say that the prices of the two types are equal. In addition, a newcomer who is trying to apply liquid wallpaper on a wall or ceiling for the first time will have to spend a little. After all, you still have to spoil one or two packages.
- It is believed that liquid wallpaper has a decent moisture resistance. This is not to say that this characteristic is decent. In any case, do not confuse them with washable wallpaper. These are absolutely two different and opposite positions. Manufacturers recommend that liquid wallpaper should not be wet cleaned at all. And if the wall section for some reason has become dirty or clogged, then this can only be fixed by one option. Remove the dirty area with a knife and spatula and apply fresh material.
The last minus, probably, should be attributed not only to the “disadvantages” section, but also to the “advantages” section. It is clear that in such an easy way to repair traditional wallpaper simply does not work out.
Calculation of the required material
To understand the topic - liquid wallpaper: the pros and cons - and not touch on the method of calculating this finishing material, would be a gross omission. The thing is that it is the correctly performed calculation that makes it possible to determine the price component of the process itself. Therefore, it is worthwhile to dwell a little on this position.
In principle, the manufacturer already gives exact recommendations, which he indicates in the instructions for use. It says that one pack of liquid wallpaper can cover five square meters of the surface. At first glance, the packaging is small, but there are two criteria:
- The dry mixture is diluted with six liters of water, which increases the volume of the solution.
- Finishing material is applied in a thin layer, so that the savings are obvious. True, a beginner will have to bring his experience to mastery, because it will be difficult to achieve uniformity of the layer the first time.
In addition, it should be noted that liquid wallpaper is the owner of a very important and unique quality. After application, the material begins to self-level during drying. Of course, large swings cannot even themselves out, but small ones become invisible. And this is another plus in the category of "dignity."
Pros and cons of training
The preparatory phase is an important component of the entire finishing process. Because the quality of the final result will mainly depend on it.
- Firstly, preparing the solution itself is quite simple. And that is a plus. To do this, you need a container into which the cellulosic material is poured. Then water is poured, and all this is mixed with your own hands until a homogeneous mass is formed. Pay attention, everything is done by hand.
After mixing, the solution is placed in the same packaging (plastic bag), where the material must ripen.
That is, it turns out that before you start the finishing process itself, you need to prepare a wall or ceiling for several days.And all is well if your apartment or house is in good condition. And if it is an old building, then the preparatory phase increases in time. Because each layer will not only have to be dried, but also get rid of the old finish, tidy up the wall itself, repairing the surface to maximum quality. Although all this applies to any finishing work. But these are shortcomings that will have to be fought.
So, now you know that liquid wallpaper is not only a large number of advantages, but also disadvantages. But who does not have them.
What is liquid wallpaper
This type of coating is more similar to plaster - the principle of application, dilution, care and renewal. With wallpaper, it is related only to the composition - cellulose. In dry form, it is a pulp mixed with adhesive powder. There are also additional additives that give various visual effects:
Wallpaper paste is applied with a spatula, like plaster, however, due to the diversity of composition and color, its types can be combined and used to create ornaments on the walls and drawings.
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Application Features
The practicality of liquid wallpaper is associated with the relative ease of application and lower requirements for the quality of surface preparation. Of course, the elimination of major defects is required: cracks, extra layers of plaster or whitewash. Previously applied oil paint will also hinder: the walls will not absorb the adhesive, and in the future, cellulose can fall off in pieces.
Thus, ideally, the surface should be cleaned of all unnecessary (including old wallpaper and paint), and the cracks should be carefully puttied. At the same time, minor damage and wall defects, including curvature and imperfect angles, do not interfere with liquid wallpaper: the relief structure will hide the flaws.
For the process itself, you will need a bucket or other large container, water and a spatula. The dry mass is mixed with water and left for 20-30 minutes: during this time, the pulp, textile threads and glue in the composition are soaked in water and swell, turning into a kind of pulp. It should be applied to the wall in one or two layers - depending on the need for surface correction.
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To cover the floor evenly, the masters recommend covering at least one wall as a whole in one go. To “grasp” the mass, the same conditions are necessary as for working with wallpaper: it is necessary to limit drafts, and it is better to leave the windows and doors closed in the room for 72 hours until they dry completely. In this case, the use of additional heaters is not recommended.
Minuses
- decorative stucco results in significantly more terrain options due to special impurities,
- the mineral coating more finely repeats the outlines of the walls, when applying, decorative relief rollers and shapes can be used,
- because of the more “shaggy” structure, it is more difficult to create drawings with liquid wallpaper, while stucco allows you to make rather thin, multi-layer artistic compositions.
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What is liquid wallpaper and what are their features
Liquid wallpaper is a material for finishing walls, a cross between paper wallpaper and decorative plaster. Although the name “wallpaper” is also present in the name of this finishing material, you won’t see the usual rolls, since in the initial state it is a dry loose substance that you have to dilute with water. Liquid wall-paper differs from the Venetian plaster, with which many are unknowingly confused, by the absence of large fractions of sand, the presence of cellulose fibers, and also a thin coating layer.
In addition to cellulose, which we have already mentioned, the composition of liquid wallpaper includes cotton or silk fibers, adhesives (usually carboxymethyl cellulose), water dispersible dyes, fungicides that protect natural fibers from fungi and mold, thickeners and plasticizers, as well as components that change decorative properties of the coating (particles of minerals of different fractions, small balls of polymers, mica grains, wool fibers, dry algae, etc.).
Ease of application
Covering the walls with liquid wallpaper is not a particularly difficult process. Superqualification is not required from you. Moreover, you can do this job even without an assistant. All you have to do is to prepare a working solution from a dry mixture and water, and then apply the resulting plastic mass to the wall and smooth it with a spatula.
You must admit that this is much easier than cutting the rolls, lubricating the obtained strips with glue, sculpting them together with a partner on the wall, leveling and adjusting the pattern, “dispersing” the bubbles and smoothing the folds. Admit it, it is unlikely that you ever managed to stick a rolled wallpaper without cursing constantly.
Resistance to drafts
So that ordinary paper wallpaper does not move away from the wall in the first day after gluing, you must tightly close all the windows in the house. But to be in an unventilated room, where repair work is actively being carried out, is sometimes very difficult. Choosing a liquid wallpaper, you will save yourself from such a problem. They are not afraid of drafts! Moreover, airing the room will benefit the material deposited on the wall, since it will accelerate the drying process.
Coating Seamlessness
Unlike roll wallpaper, liquid coat the wall with a monolithic layer, without seams and joints. Such a coating not only looks more aesthetically pleasing, but also retains its original appearance longer, since it has greater strength.
Environmental friendliness
The composition of liquid wallpaper does not include any synthetic additives, all components are exclusively natural. As a result, this material is environmentally very clean. During its operation, no substances harmful to health are emitted. The coating has no smell, and it does not absorb extraneous odors from the outside either.
In addition, liquid wallpaper, being a "breathing" material, does not create the effect of a greenhouse and ensure the maintenance of a comfortable microclimate in the room. The environmental friendliness of liquid wallpaper is one of its greatest advantages when choosing a finishing material for a children's room.
Application on curved surfaces
Liquid wallpaper is perfect for curved surfaces - decorative arches, columns and other curly elements of the interior. Roughness of the surface is not a problem for those who work with this material, except for the fact that the application speed is slightly reduced.
Frost resistance
Due to its structure, liquid wallpaper has significant frost resistance. This property of the material contributes to a significant expansion of its scope: liquid wallpaper can be applied even on non-insulated (but glazed!) Loggias.
Thermal insulation
The finely porous structure of the liquid wallpaper provides the thermal insulation properties of this decorative material. However, do not hope that liquid wallpaper will significantly reduce the thermal conductivity of the walls. Given the fact that the thickness of their application rarely exceeds 2-3 mm, they can serve only as an addition to more effective heat insulators. But, it should be recognized, the concrete wall when applied to it with liquid wallpaper to the touch becomes warmer.
Fire safety
Unlike vinyl or non-woven wallpaper, oil paint, plastic wall panels and many other decorative materials for wall decoration, liquid wallpapers do not support combustion and do not emit hazardous chemicals when exposed to high temperatures. Often, flame retardants are added to the composition of liquid wallpaper.
Maintainability
Sooner or later, traces of exploitation appear on the wallpaper - tears, scratches, abrasions. Especially severely affected are places near sockets and switches, walls in the hallway. Unlike ordinary roll wallpaper, paper or non-woven, liquid can be repaired fragmentarily. It is enough to soak the material in the damaged area, remove the layer of liquid wallpaper and make a “patch”. After drying, its color will equal the main background, and the place of repair will not be noticeable. In case of minor defects, you can not even make a patch, but gently rub the soaked material on the wall. A similar property of liquid wallpaper, for sure, will be highly appreciated by pet owners and parents of young children.
A large assortment
The rich color palette of liquid wallpapers available today for sale allows you to use them in rooms decorated in almost any style. In the catalogs of leading manufacturers you can find up to 2-3 hundred available colors - from calm pastel and office-restrained to bright and rich.
However, many consumers prefer to purchase a semi-finished product - the so-called "base", which can be tinted independently, choosing a hue and color saturation to your liking. Often, not only dye is injected into the base, but also a variety of decorative components, ultimately receiving a coating that is unique in its color scheme and embossment. If desired, you can create a real panel on the wall using liquid wallpaper with different textures and colors in different areas.
The complexity of calculating material consumption
Estimating the amount of material that you need, and therefore the final cost of finishing, in the case of using liquid wallpaper can be quite difficult. The figure strongly depends on both the quality of the substrate and the application technique. The consumption of material increases in the presence of all kinds of pits, cracks and other irregularities in the wall, as well as when applied to curved surfaces (columns, arches, etc.). But even on even walls, applying a layer of the recommended thickness is not an easy task. Not every novice master can do it - here, as they say, you need to fill your hand.
Drying time
Liquid wallpaper after applying to the wall for complete drying takes 2-4 days, depending on the temperature and humidity in the room. This leads to an increase in the total duration of the finishing work. However, in some cases, this lack of liquid wallpaper can be considered as a virtue. Those who do not have much experience in applying such material will have enough time to fix flaws that were not noticed immediately.
Spot Vulnerability
If you do not pay enough attention to the process of preparing the base, for example, use unsuitable materials, do not level the color of the base, do not remove the old coating (wallpaper, paint, whitewash) and existing metal fasteners, stains can appear on the decorative coating over time, which will greatly ruin the exterior type of finish. The source of contamination may be the material of the wall and the material of its rough finish.
Moisture sensitive
Liquid wallpaper is not intended for rooms with high humidity, and this is their main drawback. This is not even a drawback, but simply a feature of the material, which must be taken into account at the stage of deciding on the type of finish used. If you still decide to use liquid wallpaper to decorate the walls in the bathroom or in the kitchen, skip at least surfaces that come in direct contact with water. You can, of course, treat the coating with water-repellent, but at the same time it will lose many of its valuable properties - vapor permeability, resistance to cracking, maintainability.
When preparing walls for liquid wallpaper, it is mandatory to use moisture-proof soil. If you neglect this recommendation, extraneous stains may appear on the surface of the decorative finish over time.
In addition, the consequence of the increased sensitivity of liquid wallpaper to moisture is the only affordable way to care for the finished coating - dry cleaning.
