Have you seen some of the recent wallpaper installations available on Facebook, HGTV, or our web page? If not – check them out, but learn how to purchase a wallpaper mural before you start!
Hello again, everyone! David Cook from D’franco Painting & Wallpaper with another blog post for you. This one is about “how to purchase a wallpaper mural.” It may seem like a simple task. Go online, find what you like, and order. How hard can it be?
Buyer beware when purchasing wallpaper from China
I will say I know that is dangerous to say in such a vague manner. So, let’s clarify. I am speaking about wallpaper murals. I am speaking from 1st hand experience and knowledge. In our last install, although we did get it on the wall, several issues should be cause for concern:
- what kind of paper is it printed on?
- ask the type of ink being used
- what is the warranty?
- how long will it take to get?
- is it being measured in inches or metric?
- will the ink be safe?
- can the wallpaper be washed?
In speaking with several other installers and two other printers, they all agreed that you get what you pay for. China prints as cheaply as possible, and they do not care less about how long it lasts, how it will be removed from the wall, or how you will install it.
Top 6 questions about buying a wallpaper mural you should ask and know!
I could have given you answers as I see it, from the opinion and experience of a wallpaper installer- but instead, we called one of the leading companies to buy wallpaper murals- Murals Your Way! In speaking with Matt, I told him what we were looking for, as well as questions I had. Here are the results:
- How long have you been in business?
- Where are you located?
- Know where are the wallpapers manufactured?
- What type of materials are the murals printed on?
- Durability of the inks used?
- What are some common issues with these types of wallpaper murals?
I’ll bet you may want to hear his answers to these questions. So here we go.
- Murals Your Way has been in business nine years
- Murals Your Way is located in North Carolina
- Everything is in the same location where the sales, design, and tech support work.
- Materials used for printing are paper, fabric, canvas, and vinyl.
- How well will the ink stand up to washing? There are two types used, latex/eco will need a top coat in high-traffic areas and perform well with soap and water cleaning. The UVs will stand up to more chemical types of cleaners.
- The most common issues with the products are self-adhered murals and the type of substrate they were installed on. What does that mean? If you use a cheap latex flat or matte paint and install the mural 8 hours after you have painted it, you will most likely experience a failure of some sort. High-quality acrylic paints that have dried for up to 90 days will give a surface that will perform just as they advertise. Another factor is primer. Use a wallpaper primer/wall sealer such as Gardz. This creates a surface that is for wallpaper!
What are some issues with wallpaper from cheaper websites?
Color!
The result of cheap products used for wallpaper. As you can see, we touched the paper to roll it up, and in doing so, the ink came off our fingers. We went to rubber gloves, and it came off on the gloves. We used dry microfiber rags. Yep, it came off there too.
The ink smell was awful- not what I would want in a baby’s room
We tested a scrap piece with a damp rag- the mural almost came off the paper!
Here is an image of the ink coming off with a wallpaper sweep!
Look at this image closely and see the marks made from a wallpaper sweep- it made lines where the bristles of the brush touched the paper!
As the paper was exposed to the wallpaper adhesive, it created bubbles. As we smoothed out the paper, it immediately made wrinkles, and yes, we pulled the color from the paper.
In a nutshell- the ink comes off the paper way too easily- how would you ever wash the wall? Nothing you would want for a kid’s room for sure.
Where will you purchase your next wallpaper Mural from?
I am not saying Murals your way is the only place to buy. There are some local sign and printing companies that are doing amazing work! Take a few minutes to ask the questions and get the right product to serve your needs best! If you have other questions about wallpaper installation, let us know how we can help you love the space you’re in!
