There is a saying that you can never put a wallpaper salesman and a paint salesman in the same room, as only one will leave the room alive. In a sense, this is true as both parties are perpetually jousting and competing for customers. And behind all that posturing is the on-going debate on whether wallpaper or paint is the superior choice.

For those who are undecided on whether to go sticky with wallpaper or colouring with paint, here is a brief rundown on their attributes:-

Arty farty

Wallpaper beats painting hands down when it boils down to the visual, affording house owners the convenience of draping their walls with intricate flower patterns, elaborate hues and captivating motifs which ooze with luxurious effects.

With paint, it is either a singular colour or a combination of other tones to create the required ambience. Everything in a wallpaper involves a simple cut and paste process, unlike painting where it is a painstaking effort to populate your wall with art, not forgetting the fact that amateur painters may make a real mess out of it. Some wallpapers have embossed patterns which engage not only your visual sense but your sense of touch as well. Although textured paints now also address this advantage.

Complications

Air bubbles often form under the wallpaper, especially if it has not smoothened to eliminate the pockets. Other complications include curls at the seams and peeling borders. Paint isn’t without its problems either. Blisters, wrinkles and alligatoring occur depending on the surface, and cheap paint doesn’t dry quickly.

Longevity

Painting your home is no doubt, the easier process. Wallpaper strips need to be aligned accurately, or the patterns will appear distorted or incongruent, defeating the whole purpose of making your home beautiful. Unlike wallpaper, painting does not require pinpoint accuracy, and you can brush your paint all over the wall without doing serious damage.

Ease

Painting your home is no doubt, the easier process. Wallpaper strips need to be aligned accurately, or the patterns will appear distorted or incongruent, defeating the whole purpose of making your home beautiful. Unlike wallpaper, painting does not require pinpoint accuracy, and you can brush your paint all over the wall without doing serious damage. 

Continuity of supply

It is totally fine to run out of paint if you have every intention to make your interior white. Although it is not advisable to use a cocktail of different brands, you could easily grab paint from any shop to finish the job. 

With wallpaper, however, it is not so simple. That particular wallpaper you are looking for may be manufactured by a certain company. It goes without saying that you can’t simply slap another wallpaper with a completely different pattern beside the former, not without serious consideration. To make matters worse, the wallpaper pattern that you require might have been discontinued in the production line.