Tapestry, wallpaper and mural… It can be difficult to differentiate between those terms, especially when you are buying online and can’t touch the different materials.
We regularly receive questions on this topic and we thought the best thing to do would be to present you with an article to explain the difference between tapestry and wallpaper.
Tapestry
The art of tapestry can be traced back to ancient times. It was primarily used to decorate temples and roman palaces. If we were to compare the techniques used at its origin to those used today, we would discover that not much has changed. The concept of interlacing fabric is what it was. The technology behind it’s fabrication though, has brought it a long way from its roots as a handmade item.
A tapestry’s greatest advantage is its quality. It is a textile, therefore more durable and resistant than wallpaper. Tapestry is more costly than traditional wallpaper.
Wallpaper
Traditionally, wallpaper consisted of printing a motif or a colour on thin paper. The sheet of paper would then be glued to the wall with a designated adhesive.
The advantage of wallpaper is it’s price. It is less expensive than tapestry because it can be printed in factories in bulk. But, it is difficult to install and not very resistant. It is often printed on thin paper and can be easily damaged when featured in high traffic areas.
Fortunately, more durable options to wallpaper now exist. The quality is superior to traditional wallpaper and esthetically, it more closely resembles tapestry.
Pre-glued wallpaper
Pre-glued wallpaper is similar to traditional wallpaper but easier to install. Because it has been pre-glued, all one must do is wet the back on the paper to activate the glue. This option is interesting for a long term installation for 2 reasons. It can be very difficult to remove and it will surely cause damage to the underlying paint and sheetrock. It is, however, a more affordable option than tapestry.
Printed self-adhesive vinyl
Printed self-adhesive vinyl is a good option in all the different areas of your home, it is easy to install and to un-install. It is thicker than traditional wallpaper. That means it is well suited for high traffic areas. It’s an affordable choice and perfect for short term installs and renters.
Finally, for both tapestry and wallpaper, there exists two options for the design; motif and mural. A motif design in self explanatory. The image will consist of a repetitive motif. A mural will portray a singular image. It could be a work of art of a photograph for example.
At Décor Imprimé we have decided to provide wallpaper printed on self-adhesive vinyl for the following reasons:
- Repositioning During Installation
- Easy to install
- Does not damage wall during removal
Our wallpaper is not sold in pre-printed rolls like much of the wallpaper on the market is. We have decided to take an environmental approach and print for the size of the space to be covered. This saves our customers an enormous amount of waste and money. You will not pay for square feet that you do not have.
Décor Imprimé offers two different finishes; smooth and textured. They both have the same advantages: the choice of one over the other is strictly esthetic. Please visit ourwebsite for more information about the materials we offer.
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Source of information:
https://www.aufildescouleurs.com/content/53-papier-peint-classique-traditionnel
https://decormonmur.ca/les-differences-entre-le-papier-peint-et-la-murale/
https://papier-peint.ooreka.fr/astuce/voir/127254/papier-peint-et-tapisserie-quelle-difference
https://jardinage.lemonde.fr/dossier-1317-differents-types-papier-peint.html
https://www.decoweb.com/conseils_produits_papier_peint.php
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapisserie#La_tapisserie_dans_l'Antiquit%C3%A9
