Surface Finishes Part 4 – Wall coverings

Wallpaper has been used in interiors for thousands of years and is steeped in tradition.  Originally natural materials like rice paper were used to decorate walls, often to give the illusion of tapestries and expensive mouldings.  Wall coverings are a great way to disguise lumpy walls and are an easy way to bring texture into the home without using a plaster finish.  During the plastics era around the mid 1900s, PVC vinyl became a popular wall covering – wipe clean bliss.  Little then was commonly known about chemical processing, environmental damage, carbon emissions and volatile organic compounds (VOCS), landfill and recycling. 

Filling your home with plastic wall coverings is like sealing cling film onto every wall.  The walls literally cannot breath.  This in the long term can lessen the lifespan of the building materials in the walls with moisture becoming trapped – mould, mildew, rot etc.  On the inside, you are breathing in the toxic vapours that the plastic coverings are releasing – day after day.  Natural alternatives are much better for your health and for the health of the building.  Almost unbelievably today, PVC vinyl can be found in most wall coverings as the main component.  Watch out for labels that state acrylic, PVC, vinyl, solvent, heavy metals, chemical additives for stains, fire resistance, waterproofing, pesticides etc.

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