Vinyl wallpaper is harmful or not. Are vinyl wallpapers harmful to health? Are non-woven wallpaper harmful to health

Vinyl wallpapers remain quite popular today. They are attractive in appearance and have a relatively low price. You can choose vinyl wallpaper absolutely for any interior. Vinyl wallpapers can be called a dream of housewives, because they can be washed when dirty. Also, due to its structure, vinyl wallpapers do not fade and practically do not scratch.

The structure and properties of vinyl wallpaper

Such wallpaper consists of 2 layers. The bottom cover is the basis of non-woven fabric or paper. The top cover is PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Polyvinyl chloride coating resists various chemical attack as well as pollution. Due to its structure, vinyl wallpapers have both density and durability.

There are several types of vinyl wallpaper:

structured - thick wallpaper with a pronounced relief;
flat (silk-screen printing) - wallpapers of various degrees of gloss and design;
dense - wallpapers that do not contain formaldehyde resins. Resistant to fading, scratching, moisture.

Became more and more noticeable active use in the interior natural materials and components, and this suggests that people have begun to take care of their own health more and more. Therefore, many were interested in the question of the harm of vinyl wallpaper. After all, it is a synthetic material. And the opinions of experts regarding the vinyl coating diverged. Many argue that the harm from this type of wallpaper is minimal and does not at all exceed the harm of glass wallpaper. However, there are some undeniable facts to be noted.

Harm from polyvinyl chloride

Polyvinyl chloride is a toxic substance that releases formaldehyde into the air.

Of course, if the temperature in the room does not exceed the permissible norm, evaporation will be minimal.

But, nevertheless, they can cause a person a headache or even an allergic reaction. Vinyl wallpaper ignites quickly and releases a large amount of toxins into the air during combustion.

One of the most obvious harmful factors is that the walls under the vinyl wallpaper do not breathe.

This is due to the fact that polyvinyl chloride tends to block the flow of air to the walls. As a result, mold or harmful fungus may form under the wallpaper. The fungus, in turn, can lead to many diseases.

But experts agreed that only low quality vinyl wallpapers have such properties. Today, wallpaper manufacturers, using special technologies, have made vinyl wallpapers breathable. Micropores in PVC allow air to pass through the surface.

When choosing vinyl wallpaper, you need to pay attention to their quality. If the wallpaper has the smell of acetone, then it is categorically not recommended to paste them in the bedroom or nursery. So, when choosing wallpaper, keep the following points in mind:

study the manufacturer's label (composition, production);
do not buy wallpaper with a pungent odor;
do not save on purchase;
monitor the humidity level in the room.

Conclusion:

Vinyl wallpapers are harmful only when they are made in violation of environmental regulations. Therefore, a careful selection of high-quality wallpapers is the key to success!

If the walls of your apartment are already covered with vinyl wallpaper, make sure that the rooms have minimal humidity and are regularly ventilated. tributary fresh air will help to clean the room, and reduce the risk of exposure to toxic substances on the body.

Useful video for you:

Currently, the choice of wallpapers is not just great, it is huge! And among them, not the last place is occupied by vinyl. But it should be understood that in addition to beauty, the material must also be safe. We will try to find out how harmful vinyl wallpaper is to human health.

Types of vinyl wallpaper - the advantages of chemistry

Before we figure out whether vinyl wallpapers are harmful or not, we will examine what types they are divided into. So, the division of wallpaper into different categories depends on what material their surface and bottom layer. There are vinyl wallpapers on the following bases: paper, non-woven and fabric.

Preference is given to a non-woven base, as it gives the wallpaper properties such as lightness and strength. In addition, they also contribute to an increase in the level of sound insulation (which is not typical for other types). It is worth noting that these wallpapers can be glued on the walls of a new house. They are not afraid of the possible shrinkage of the timber and various cracks on the surface of the walls.

Vinyl wallpaper according to the type of surface is also divided into embossed, embossed, having a smooth surface and with silk-screen printing. Choosing among those listed, it is worth highlighting the embossed ones. It is they who have a voluminous, dense coating, which will hide various wall defects or their unevenness. But you should pay attention to the fact that embossed products are most susceptible to all kinds of damage, so you need to be very careful and careful with them.

The main priority of vinyl wallpapers is that they allow you to decorate your walls in the form of imitation of a variety of coatings: granite, marble, ceramics and all kinds of patterns. Perhaps this is due to the huge choice of pattern and material. In addition, vinyl flooring can be washed, which will keep the walls of your house in perfect cleanliness!

Vinyl wallpapers are unhealthy - where did this opinion come from

So, let's look at the issue of the harm of vinyl wallpaper, or rather, where this assumption came from. This material has two layers. The lower one, which we talked about above, can be made of paper, fabric or non-woven fabric. There are no complaints about him.

It's all about the top layer, which consists of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is this mysterious word that so alarms our compatriots. Indeed, polyvinyl chloride is clearly a chemical compound, and chemistry is harmful to human health in most cases. But are vinyl wallpapers harmful, are they dangerous for us and our body?

It should be noted that there is some truth in this opinion. Polyvinyl chloride has such a property as water resistance. On the one hand, this is a big plus, the walls are easy to care for, they can be washed without any fear.

But the downside here is that the air exchange is disturbed in the room, the wall covering simply does not allow air to pass through itself.

The impermeability of vinyl wallpaper provokes the formation of harmful and dangerous fungi that form on the wall under them. In addition, according to doctors, a person may develop an allergy if the sheets evaporate poisonous vapors of formaldehyde. But do not panic, this only applies to cheap Chinese fakes stuffed with chemicals. Therefore, when choosing, pay attention to the manufacturer, do not try to save on quality and, therefore, on your health.

Chinese vinyl wallpaper - why are they dangerous?

A person knows how to adapt to everything, modernize and do what previously seemed impossible. Vinyl products of the new generation have passed this stage. It consists in eliminating all the minuses and increasing the pluses.

Specialists-manufacturers came up with a technology that made it possible to make wallpaper "breathable". In this case, the PVC layer is made with many micropores that allow air to pass through. As mentioned above, it is worth choosing quality manufacturers. After all, it is they who have already implemented this technology, which does not apply to fakes from China. In European countries, they carefully monitor the environmental safety of the produced batches of vinyl wallpaper, and maintain strict control.

We advise you to choose wallpapers made in Germany, Finland and the UK. Manufacturers in these countries add an antifungal component to the wallpaper, which will protect you from the possible development of harmful microflora. In a word, the improved production system allows us to confidently state that the modernized vinyl wallpaper does not pose a danger to human health.

How to choose the right wallpaper?

So, we figured out that vinyl wallpaper is harmful to health only in cases where we save on the purchase. Now we will learn how to choose this product in stores correctly. First, having chosen the wallpaper sample you like, take the roll in your hands and unwind it a little. Imagine these wallpapers on the wall of your room, feel for strength.

If you are still afraid of a fake, from which toxic substances can evaporate, then charm will help you! Smell the unwound roll. If you smell a sharp, unpleasant smell of chemistry, you should not buy it. To buy vinyl wallpapers that are safe for health, it is best to contact specialized stores. There, as a rule, all wallpapers are environmentally friendly, certified. It is better to overpay a little than, having bought a fake, to poison your body with chemical fumes. In addition, if after the repair you have an unclaimed roll that you did not even unwind, you will be refunded the money for it by check. By the way, on our website you will find detailed description how to glue vinyl wallpaper.

We draw conclusions - harm or not

It should be noted that most building materials currently made from certain chemical elements. It concerns plastic windows, stretch ceilings, wiring insulation and even bags in which we put food! All of these objects contain polyvinyl chloride, which some people are so afraid of.

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself about this. But you should analyze the information! For example, experts say that really dangerous fumes come from chipboard boards. And from them, as we know, almost all furniture is currently made!

But if you are still tormented by vague doubts, do not glue vinyl wallpaper in the bedroom and nursery. Decorate with them the walls of well-ventilated rooms in which there is no high humidity. It can be a corridor, a hall, a spacious living room or an office. And the rest of the rooms where you spend most of your time can be pasted over with simple paper wallpaper or more expensive and high-quality bamboo and cork products. They are made from herbal ingredients that do not contain chemical substances.

Once again, we repeat the main points when choosing vinyl wallpaper:

Don't save on quality producers choose material wisely.
Carefully read the label, which indicates the composition, production, etc.
Don't buy vinyl wallpaper if it has a strong, chemical smell. Quality material, even if it is the cheapest, will not stink of chemistry.
Ventilate your apartment regularly. Provide rooms with vinyl-covered walls with the necessary flow of fresh air.
Make sure that the apartment does not have excessive humidity, dampness.

When buying wallpapers for residential premises, consumers, first of all, think about their environmental characteristics. Indeed, at the moment there are a huge number of unscrupulous manufacturers who make wallpapers from insufficiently high-quality and reliable materials.

Also, if your family has Small child, the issue of safety is the most important thing when choosing wall covering options.

As vinyl wallpaper becomes more and more popular, consumers are beginning to think whether they are environmentally friendly and harmless to human health? Let's figure it out.

Hazardous Properties

When it comes to the safety of vinyl wallpaper, as a rule, it means two main aspects:

how pure are the materials used in their manufacture;
how safe vinyl wallpapers themselves are during operation, depending on various external factors.

In order to find out the answer to the question of whether vinyl wallpaper is harmful, you need to familiarize yourself with the information about their composition. Surely you have heard that vinyl wallpaper consists of two main layers: the inner layer is paper or, A external is vinyl, or polyvinyl chloride in scientific terms.

As a rule, it is this name that puts consumers in a stupor, because it is a complex chemical compound, and, therefore, may be unsafe for human health.

In fact, this material does have several negative characteristics, however, they are not critical for our health. The peculiarity of polyvinyl chloride is that it is quite durable material that does not allow moisture, steam and air to pass through.

Such properties provide ease of care for vinyl wallpaper(cleaning and getting rid of dust), but prevent the air exchange in your room. Due to this, unwanted microorganisms and fungi can develop under the inner layer of wallpaper, which can lead to various diseases. It is in this that it manifests itself the main harm of vinyl wallpaper.

Dangerous components in their composition can not only worsen your well-being, but also lead to various diseases, up to an allergy to vinyl wallpaper.

Remember! The cheaper the cost of the vinyl wallpaper you purchased, the more likely it is that it has characteristics that can harm human health.

If you are seriously thinking about whether vinyl wallpaper is harmful or not, then we advise you to pay attention to the features of their production and the marking of rolls when buying. Most safe vinyl wallpapers are brands from European manufacturers, because it is in these countries that there is increased control over compliance with international quality standards.

Some manufacturers (Germany, France and others) include various antifungal components, which provides them with additional reliability and the possibility of using them in rooms with high level humidity, for example in the bathroom.

A feature of inexpensive vinyl wallpaper is they lack the ability to circulate air, in other words, they don't let your walls "breathe", but at the moment, some manufacturers produce types of wallpaper, which include a special material with micropores, due to which vinyl wallpaper can pass air.

In addition, the air circulation in the room directly depends on the type of material from which the walls are made: as a rule, in city apartments, the walls are made of a material that is not initially capable of passing air (concrete, rebar), and, therefore, even when using breathable wallpaper, you not be able to provide air circulation to the fullest.

As another risk to human health and well-being, one can name the fact that vinyl wallpaper contains formaldehyde, which, when evaporated, is quite harmful, and the weathering process itself is quite long and can last several years.

However, some experts involved in the study of this issue argue that the volume of evaporated matter is negligible in order to cause serious damage.

In order for vinyl wallpapers to be strong, durable, and also attractive to buyers, they are used in their manufacture. a large number of plasticizers, stabilizers, dyes and other chemicals, which can also affect the negative assessment of consumers.

But, you must admit that these elements surround us from all sides and are located in almost any piece of furniture, however, this does not prevent us from continuing to use them.

How to minimize damage from use?

In order for the harm caused by vinyl wallpaper to be minimal, we recommend that you follow a few procedures when purchasing and using them:

when buying vinyl wallpaper, be sure to pay attention to their composition, manufacturer, as well as availability of eco-labels. Do not buy wallpapers that have a minimum cost - the lower it is, the greater the risk that you will regret your choice;
so that vinyl wallpapers serve you for a long time, but at the same time do not harm your health and the health of your child, periodically carry out them external cleaning with detergents;
to solve the problem of intermittent evaporation harmful substances we advise you as much as possible ventilate the room more often and, if possible, install special ventilation devices.

Read about which are the best to use: a detailed overview of soundproofing materials.

Read about soundproof materials for the ceiling - all the secrets and subtleties of sound insulation are described in detail.

If used improperly, vinyl wallpaper is harmful to health. so it's best to stick to those rules. If you do not have the opportunity to carry out these procedures, but you are worried about the safety of vinyl wallpaper, we recommend that you do not glue them in living quarters or rooms where there are always a large number of people.

features of environmentally friendly, vinyl and non-woven coatings, video and photo

When furnishing a children's room, or making repairs in an apartment where small children will live, we try to purchase only the safest materials, including eco-friendly wallpaper for walls. Of course, it is desirable to use such tapestries everywhere, but in the case of the younger generation, the importance of this task is difficult to overestimate.

Below we will tell you what is meant by the term "environmental wallpaper for walls", as well as what types of materials it is better to purchase.

Decorating children's rooms should be absolutely safe

In search of information about which wallpapers are environmentally friendly, you can find a lot of information, and only some of them will be true.

A fairly large number of myths are concentrated on the issue of the purity of materials, and therefore it is worth analyzing all the facts presented very meticulously:

It is better to give preference to materials on a natural basis.

The environmental friendliness of wallpaper means, first of all, their safety for a person who permanently lives in a finished room. In principle, almost all tapestries that can be found on the market meet this requirement, but there are some nuances.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the base material. When deciding which wallpapers are the most environmentally friendly, you need to give preference to those that have the lowest content of synthetic substances.
It is also worth noting that sometimes the source of problems is not the base, but the pigment or protective layer. More often this shortcoming characteristic of frankly cheap materials, the manufacture of which uses low-quality (and therefore toxic) raw materials.

Pay attention! In most cases, the price is a direct indication of the environmental friendliness of the product: the use of good raw materials and production control require costs, which is necessarily reflected in the final cost. Of course, there are exceptions, but there are very few of them.

When analyzing the material, it is also worth paying attention to the labeling and the availability of a certificate. The information presented there will definitely tell you what rooms the tapestries are intended for, what substances are included in their composition, etc.

After analyzing the entire array of information, here are some tips:

99% of the materials on the market can be safely used for home decoration. The exception is wallpaper for children's rooms, as well as materials that will be used in homes where allergy sufferers or people with hypersensitivity to certain substances live - they need to be selected especially.
Quality material is almost never cheap.

Carefully study the label!

The presence of a certificate is the main requirement for the material. Instructions for tapestries must contain information about the composition.

Pay attention!Attractive green stickers "Eco", "100% natural product", etc. should not mislead you. Their use is not regulated by law in any way, therefore they relate exclusively to packaging design. If you want to know the true state of affairs, study the certificate!

If you plan to do repairs with your own hands, then in addition to wallpaper, you should also pick up putty, primer and glue. Usually they do not contain toxins, but you can check the composition of the material for reinsurance!

Most adhesives do not contain toxins, but you should definitely study the composition!

With these simple tips, you can pretty quickly determine which wallpaper is environmentally friendly and which is better to use in public buildings. In the following sections of our article, we will analyze the most popular types of materials and evaluate them in terms of health safety.

When choosing ecological wallpaper for a bedroom, kitchen or living room, we find ourselves in a fairly favorable situation: we have more suitable options than varieties that should be discarded.

The easiest way is to use ordinary paper tapestries (single-layer or two-layer). Their high-quality varieties are made from natural cellulose with the addition of non-toxic pigments, therefore they do not contain chemically active substances.

Pay attention! In children's rooms, you should pay special attention to the composition of the paint that is used to apply the drawings. The habit of licking your finger, rubbing beautiful picture and many children have all the "kaku" in their mouths, therefore, to prevent poisoning, it is worth choosing specialized materials with persistent pigments.

textile material ( paper web with the addition of cotton, linen or viscose threads) is also quite acceptable. If we take into account the high hygroscopicity, and apply only in dry rooms, then such wallpapers demonstrate an enviable operational stability.

Textile (on the photo is an enlarged fragment) very rarely contains synthetic components

The environmental friendliness of non-woven wallpaper also deserves praise. If the absence of synthetics is important to you, then choose trellises made of natural non-woven fabric, which consists exclusively of cellulose fibers. In addition to non-toxicity, such material is also characterized by high ventilation rates, so the risk of damage to the finished walls by the fungus will also be minimal.

Pay attention! In a fairly common discussion about which wallpaper is more environmentally friendly - vinyl or non-woven, the second variety wins confidently. Why so, we will tell in the next section.

interlining without polymer coating it is quite possible to glue in the nursery

Fiberglass material contains almost no organic matter. It is made from the same raw materials as ordinary glass and is therefore chemically inert. Thanks to this, fiberglass wallpapers acquire high resistance, and therefore do not affect the room and the people in it.

As you can see, the main types of finishing materials are quite safe from an environmental point of view. Of course, when buying tapestries for painting, you need to pay attention to the composition of the pigments used for decoration. In this case, by the way, it is worth giving preference acrylic paints or water-dispersed compositions based on liquid latex.

Now we need to figure out which wallpaper is not worth buying if it is ecological cleanliness that is important to you. And here only vinyl tapestries fall under the blow.

The polymer layer sometimes becomes a source of problems

Firstly, synthetic substances are actively used for the production of vinyl (or rather, polyvinyl chloride). This type of material is the least natural of all listed.
Secondly, the production technology itself is different high risk for staff.
The disposal of this material is also problematic: heavy metals and their salts, which are in a bound state, can lead to soil and groundwater pollution.

Fragment of a polyvinyl chloride molecule

Finally, it should be noted that for some time after gluing, PVC-based trellises may release phenolic volatile organic compounds. And if for a high-quality finish it’s enough just to ventilate the room once, then cheap materials from unscrupulous manufacturers from China and the surrounding area can smell for quite a long time.

However, these factors need to be paid attention only if the environmental friendliness of vinyl wallpaper is really critical. In all other situations, they can be used quite well (of course, if you purchase sufficiently high-quality products). (See also the article Types of finishes: features.)

The toxicity of vinyl wallpaper is exaggerated, but they should not be glued to a child's room or to an allergy sufferer's house.

Finding eco-friendly wallpaper for walls on sale is quite simple: just carefully study this article and follow its recommendations. But it is very important to understand where the use of absolutely natural material is justified, and where cheaper varieties can be used. The video in this article provides more information about these aspects. finishing works, therefore it will be useful first of all for beginners!

The fashion for everything environmentally friendly, from food to cars, is growing from year to year and is not going to give up its positions. People suddenly realized that catastrophic pollution environment turns into intractable problems, including serious illnesses unknown to our ancestors.

Every person lives somewhere, and it is good when his house is his fortress, safe both outside and inside. A lot can be said about the ecological cleanliness of a home, but in this article we will talk about ecological and hypoallergenic wallpaper for walls, which is not quite the same thing.

The first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing environmental wallpapers is eco labeling.

Eco Material - Russia
Leaf of Life - Russia
White swan - Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden
EU flower - EU countries
Blue Angel - Germany
Eco sign - Japan
Green sign - USA
Ecological Choice - Canada

The second is the presence of a quality certificate and instructions with a list of components included in the wallpaper. Among them should not be artificial dyes, heavy metals, formaldehydes and others. chemical compounds.

All paper wallpapers are considered environmentally friendly. However, some of their types are made using chlorine-containing bleaches and synthetic dyes. Therefore, truly environmentally friendly paper wallpapers are those that are made from unbleached paper and dyed with natural dyes.

Environmentally friendly non-woven wallpaper is a non-woven material consisting exclusively of natural ingredients - cellulose and textile fibers, without any toxic additives.

Another type of environmentally friendly and safe wallpaper is textile, the raw materials for which are natural fibers of cotton, viscose, silk or linen, known for their bactericidal properties, and paper is used as the base.

The most environmentally friendly wallpaper - made from quartz sand and other natural materials glass wall papers. They are harmless, antistatic, resistant to mold.

What other environmentally friendly wallpapers are offered by modern manufacturers:

Linkrust, created according to the original technology without chemical additives. Natural liquid wallpaper natural ingredients. Metal wallpapers that protect against electromagnetic radiation - however, they have a drawback: they do not "breathe", therefore, in a room with walls pasted over with them, it is necessary to maintain good air circulation.

Environmentally friendly wallpaper for painting consists only of materials of natural origin that are safe for humans. This group includes paper, non-woven, glass and linkrust. They are painted with paints that do not contain harmful substances - dispersion, acrylic, water-based. And after painting, they remain breathable.

Eco style wallpaper

Newfangled eco-style implies interior design using environmentally friendly building materials, furniture and other decorative elements with a predominance of natural shades, floral ornaments, images of natural landscapes.

Eco wallpapers for walls are made from raw materials harmless to human health - bamboo, algae, reed, cork, coconut shell, straw, leather, wood veneer, suede.

However, today the term "Eco wallpaper" is used in a broader sense, including to refer to environmentally friendly wallpaper as such, and the abbreviation ECO can often be found in the names trademarks and collections.

For example - Swedish eco wallpaper Wallpaper. They are not always decorated with drawings in the style of flora and fauna, but they are made of eco-friendly paper, the raw material for which is trees grown in an ecologically clean area. In general, all eco-friendly wallpapers produced in Sweden are different good quality and environmental friendliness.

Environmentally friendly Japanese wallpaper for walls and want to be called "smart". They are able to regulate the level of moisture, resist bacteria, freshen the air, absorb and neutralize allergens. Only there is a small nuance: the environmental safety of wallpaper does not guarantee their hypoallergenic properties.

Hypoallergenic wallpaper for walls

Not all environmentally friendly wallpapers are suitable for allergy sufferers. For example, paper, fabric, embossed - those are still dust accumulators. The exception is their varieties treated with antistatic impregnation, but then the question arises about the environmental friendliness of this impregnation.

Of course, allergies are different, so you need to choose hypoallergenic wallpapers individually. If it’s not dust that causes an allergic reaction, but mold or fungus, air-permeable wallpapers are suitable: paper, textile, non-woven, the above wallpaper for painting and other types of environmentally friendly wallpaper, especially those with bactericidal properties: linen, cork.

But what kind of wallpaper is actually hypoallergenic in every sense - this is glass wallpaper. They inhibit the development of pathogens, do not gather dust, but stick them with harmless mineral glue.

Speaking of glue. Environmentally friendly wallpaper paste should be made from natural ingredients such as starch or casein.

The cost of environmentally friendly wallpaper, as a rule, is slightly higher than the cost of their synthetic counterparts. This is understandable - indeed quality materials are not cheap. If the manufacturer claims that the wallpaper is environmentally friendly, and the price for them is clearly underestimated, it would be logical to doubt the veracity of this statement.

If you are determined to buy hypoallergenic or eco wallpapers, it is better to choose reputable suppliers. And it is not so important which of them you choose - let it be an online store of eco wallpapers, Eco House - a manufacturer's dealer liquid wallpaper, or the Moscow wallpaper factory Eco Style. The main thing is to check eco-labels, certificates and carefully study the list of materials included in the composition.

It's great when the wallpaper for the bedroom is environmentally friendly, and even absorb sound - cork, for example. Thick paper, non-woven, fabric, liquid wallpapers also cope well with this function - they are all environmentally friendly and are quite suitable for the bedroom.

Among environmentally friendly wallpapers for a nursery, paper ones are usually chosen, especially if the child is small, because they understand that the artist will definitely wake up in him, and the walls will serve as an easel. Also good for children's ecological wallpaper for painting.

As for environmentally friendly wallpapers for the kitchen, it is desirable that they are washable, and glass wallpapers are just perfect. And do not write off vinyl eco wallpapers - there are some. They do not emit harmful substances, and thanks to micropores they “breathe”. You can distinguish them by marking with the sign of environmental safety.

Linkrust, textiles, any kind of eco-friendly wallpaper - bamboo, jute, leather, wood, as well as their harmonious combinations will look great in the living room.

With the pace at which our planet's natural resources are being depleted, and some are even disappearing, it becomes more important every day to preserve what we have and make the best choices when purchasing products for everyday life.

By avoiding clichés, being innovative and exploring different alternatives, we can decorate our homes with impeccable style and without damaging valuable environmental resources. The choice of environmentally friendly wallpaper is important area where fine taste and eco-consciousness can come together.

Wallpapers from Swedish manufacturer Eco Borastapeter

Since the mid-twentieth century, wallpaper manufacturers have been adding so-called "improvements" to their products: vinyl or PVC, formaldehyde, chemical dyes, fungicides and powerful adhesives. Thanks to these additives, wallpapers have acquired amazing properties: high strength, light and water resistance, durability, etc.

Unfortunately, with all this there are by-products - volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are toxic gases that are emitted by various solvents, plastics, paints and adhesives contained in the wallpaper. They can cause occasional headaches, dizziness, visual disturbances, memory impairment, respiratory problems, and even liver or kidney problems. Careless with choice various materials for the home, you can cause serious damage not only to the environment, but also to your health.

If the main criterion for choosing wallpaper for you is environmental friendliness, then first of all, consider wallpaper without a vinyl layer. Vinyl wall coverings can not only emit harmful fumes, but also promote mold growth on walls. The harmful impact of PVC materials on the environment does not end even when they end up in a landfill.

Mold under wallpaper that doesn't "breathe"

But even wallpapers made from natural resources can be unsafe and release VOCs. Before you make a purchase, make sure that the manufacturing company uses only natural water-based paints for finishing. You may be pleasantly surprised at how beautiful vegetable dyes can be. In addition, heavy metals found in some artificial paints are becoming a real problem for groundwater due to their increasing presence in landfills. By choosing wallpapers that do not contain heavy metals, you make a personal contribution to the best drinking water for themselves and future generations.

Bamboo, sisal, reed and some other plants are the most popular material for making eco-friendly wallpapers. The woven texture and uneven coloring of the plant fibers give the walls a soft warmth that cannot be conveyed with any other wall covering.

Wallpaper from natural materials.

Wallpaper from natural materials. Producer - Omexco

Particularly high speed is gaining popularity of bamboo wallpaper. Bamboo is an extremely resilient material, and because it is a herb that grows and matures very quickly, it can be actively used to make everything from home to floor coverings and furniture to fabrics and wallpapers. Undoubtedly, this material is the most promising in the production of environmentally friendly decorative materials.

Usually such wallpaper is a very thin layer. natural wood, such as paulownia, which is so flexible that it can be easily rolled and bent at an angle.

Whichever type of wood is used to make these wallcoverings, it comes from specially grown and rapidly renewable sources. The finished wallpaper canvas is finished with fine carving or hand-made inlay, and sometimes even painted with natural dyes.

wood wallpaper

Wood wallpaper. Producer - Maya Romanoff

Wood wallpapers are an excellent choice for people with allergies. In addition, they look very rich on the walls, giving them the look of a luxurious finish with elaborate wood paneling.

Paper self made, parchment and rice paper are now available in every pattern or color imaginable. But when choosing modern paper wallpaper, you should definitely check their composition. It must contain only water-based paints, without formaldehyde, heavy metals, PVC or vinyl backing.

Wallpaper with a pattern of water-based paints. Manufacturer - Graham & Brown

For the environment, it is best to opt for paper certified under the Forest Stewardship Council scheme. If you are ordering imported wallpaper, it must have the FSC logo (“tree with a tick”) on it, which guarantees that the wood used to make paper for this wallpaper comes from responsibly managed forests.

Wallpaper made from FSC certified paper. Producer - Little Greene

Avoid using paper wallpaper in damp areas. The mold that can form is a fungus that releases harmful spores into the atmosphere. Not only are they airborne to settle and germinate in a new location, but they can also cause allergies and other health problems.

Recycled paper is a great safe wall covering option that is becoming more common in today's market. Discarded clothes and books are the main post-consumer materials most often used to produce these innovative wallpapers.

Although it is impossible to say with certainty that such wallpapers are 100% natural, nevertheless, they do not pose a threat to your health and, in addition, reduce waste. To be absolutely sure that they do not emit VOCs, contact the manufacturer.

Usually the composition of woven wallpaper is mixed, in which natural threads are intertwined with polyester, polyamide, viscose and others. artificial materials that increase strength and others quality characteristics fabrics. But sometimes manufacturers also produce wall coverings made of 100% pure linen, cotton or silk, which, although different high cost, but are environmentally friendly, provided that their dyes are also of natural origin.

Textile wallpaper from Omexco

Non-woven wallpapers are made from a special blend of natural and synthetic fibers, making them especially washable and breathable. You can find interlining in many household products, such as tea bags or coffee machine filters. This material, which is highly breathable, is best solution for bathrooms and other rooms with high humidity.

There is a common misconception that only 100% natural wallpapers (linen, sisal, etc.) can be environmentally friendly. In fact, the main criteria for choosing wallpapers that are safe for health and the environment are as follows:

no vinyl or PVC;
absence of heavy metals;
absence of formaldehydes;
the use of adhesives and dyes exclusively on a water basis.

As you can see, finding eco-friendly wall coverings for your home is not at all difficult: they are widely available, and their choice is extremely wide and varied.

features of vinyl, liquid coatings, videos and photos

Recently, there is a widespread belief that some finishing materials contain chemical compounds and substances that are released into the room during operation and thus can harm the human body.

One of these controversial materials is the usual wallpaper for pasting walls, especially since today they are the most popular type. decorative finishes residential and commercial premises.

Vinyl wallpaper in modern interior design.

In order to deal with the question of whether or not vinyl wallpaper is harmful or to understand how harmless this or that type of wall covering is for decoration, this article will provide a brief overview of the most common types of wallpaper, as well as a list of harmful chemical compounds that may be included in their composition.

In addition, the reader will be offered a brief guide to help you choose the safest wallpaper for your own home.

End cut of a roll of vinyl sheet.

Everyone knows that the most favorable for human health are finishing materials made on the basis of natural raw materials without the addition of artificial components. However, in modern conditions this is practically impossible, since without the use of chemical additives it is very difficult to achieve the required performance of the material.

To date, even the most harmless wallpaper contains a certain amount of chemical components, while the most dangerous of them, which can cause significant harm to human health, are presented below.

The most common compound used in many finishing and building materials is polyvinyl chloride, or PVC for short. It is part of almost all vinyl wallpapers, so more detailed information about it will be discussed in the next section.
Benzene is a toxic substance with pronounced carcinogenic properties. May be used as a protective coating on low quality, washable wallpapers that should not be used on bedrooms, children's rooms and living areas.
Formaldehyde is also a highly toxic substance that can long time evaporate into the room. It can be part of washable laminated wallpaper. Not recommended for use in high humidity and high temperature environments.
Organic solvents based on acetone, nitrobenzene, xylene or toluene can be the basis for paint on low-grade wallpaper from an unscrupulous manufacturer. In the process of evaporation with prolonged exposure, they can cause health problems.
Also in some dyes, mainly dark colors may contain compounds of lead or other heavy metals that are poorly excreted from the body, disrupting the function of the liver and kidneys.

The photo shows a universal adhesive for heavy wallpaper.

Tip! In addition to the material of the wall covering, some types of wallpaper glue, which are produced in violation of sanitary standards, may pose a separate danger, so it is recommended to use only adhesive compositions reliable manufacturer.

Among other materials for decorative wall decoration, a special place is occupied by the so-called vinyl wallpaper, consisting of a paper, non-woven or fabric base, on which a solid or textured layer of polyvinyl chloride is applied, forming a certain pattern or repeating the texture of any material.

Vinyl coating in the interior of the kitchen.

Such a coating is widely used due to its high aesthetic qualities and good performance properties.

The wallpaper is quite moisture resistant, which makes it easier to care for the surface of the walls, they have high wear resistance and durability, but before buying them, you should still figure out if vinyl wallpaper is harmful when pasting the rooms of a residential apartment.

First of all, it must be said that the degree of harmfulness of polyvinyl chloride largely depends on compliance with the production technology. In fact, during operation, PVC can release active chlorine into the atmosphere, however, subject to the technical regulations, modern PVC products comply with sanitary standards, so the release of active substances does not exceed the permissible limits.
PVC film is not vapor-permeable and does not have breathable properties, so condensation can accumulate in the thickness of the wallpaper base or under it, which contributes to the formation and development of mold.
Another negative quality of vinyl coating is its fire hazard. By itself, PVC does not support combustion and has a self-extinguishing property, however, under the influence high temperature it can melt and release acrid smoke and toxic gases into the atmosphere.
There is an opinion that silk-screened wallpapers are much safer than other types, but you should know that the silk-screened image is based on a PVC film coating, in which artificial or natural silk fibers are added.

The development of mold fungus under the wallpaper.

Pay attention! Modern vinyl wallpapers allow you to minimize the number of harmful factors. So, according to new technologies, a continuous vinyl film is made porous, which provides it with breathable properties, and antiseptics and antifungal additives are added to the base, which together significantly reduces the likelihood of mold formation.

Particular care should be taken when choosing wall coverings for the bedroom, living room or children's room, as these areas are where residents spend most of their free time.

Among the safest materials for health, there are several types of wall covering.

Classic wallpaper on a paper or fabric basis from natural raw materials most fully meets the requirements of environmental and sanitary safety. They are breathable and do not emit harmful substances. Another positive quality of such a coating is the ease of sticking with your own hands and the relatively low cost.

Environmentally friendly textile wallpaper on a paper basis.

Relatively the new kind coating, which is called cullet, combines environmental friendliness and lightness of cellulose paper and high protective properties natural quartz glass. Such a coating is absolutely moisture resistant and at the same time does not contribute to the development of mold fungus and pathogenic bacteria. In addition, it is highly wear-resistant and does not emit harmful substances into the air. Its only drawback is the rather high price compared to other types of similar materials.

Assortment of fiberglass wallpapers.

Another type of wall covering, which is significantly different from the usual for everyone roll materials, popularly called liquid wallpaper. It is a plastic building mixture, which is applied to a previously prepared wall, and after drying it forms a durable moisture-resistant coating with a characteristic chaotic pattern of selected colors.

This is how surfaces with applied liquid wallpaper look like.

As for the question: are liquid wallpapers harmful, it cannot be answered in the affirmative, since their base consists of mineral components of natural origin and practically does not contain artificial components.

After reading this article, we can conclude that the greatest danger to human health, as a rule, can be cheap wallpapers of dubious quality, made by an unknown manufacturer.

You can get additional information on this issue by watching the video in this article or by reading similar materials on our website.

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What wallpaper to choose so as not to harm your health?

Which wallpaper is better to choose so that they meet the criteria for environmental safety? Let's get acquainted with the most environmentally friendly wallpapers.

When choosing wallpaper, one should take into account their ability to pass air. Paper wallpaper in this case a win-win. But there are other advantages of such wallpapers.

Good air exchange between the wall and the air of the room, mold and fungus do not form on the walls.

The low price of single-layer wallpaper makes it possible to change the situation in the apartment every three years.

But lately, consumers have made their choice in favor of expensive multi-layer imported wallpapers with high-quality patterns and photo printing. The price of such wallpapers is high, they are glued for a long time. The quality of such wallpapers are overstated requirements.

Modern photo wallpaper on a thick paper base, High Quality, maximally and realistically transmitting the image. Nature, cities, various natural textures are especially popular.

The end walls are pasted over with plot wallpaper. If you paste the wallpaper correctly and successfully, then the room will appear higher and wider, as if there is an additional volume of air.

The main disadvantages of paper wallpaper:

Therefore, it is better not to use such wallpaper for the kitchen and bathroom.

Try to choose thicker wallpapers, they accumulate less dust, and therefore less harm to health.

Choose wallpapers that can be cleaned. For example, paper washable wallpaper with a glossy layer.

Interlining is a non-woven material made from cellulose and wood fibers.

High-quality non-woven wallpaper consists of:

natural cellulose - about 70%;
textile or wood fibers - 24%;
natural adhesives - only one percent.

The embossing method is used for the production of such wallpapers, a canvas is created from pure non-woven fabric.

There are no harmful components in real non-woven wallpaper:

The main advantages of such wallpapers.

Excellent vapor and breathability. It is even higher than that of paper wallpaper.
They pass air well to the walls, creating good air exchange. This distinguishes them from vinyl wallpaper. Non-woven wallpaper is well suited for a nursery, pasting a bedroom, apartments where people with allergies live, people with bronchial diseases.
Another advantage is the ability to stabilize the structure of the wall covering. Therefore it a good choice for new buildings, where the walls have not yet sat down, there is a risk of microcracks.
The dense non-woven fabric is dimensionally stable and holds back microcracks on the walls.
Moisture for such wallpapers is not terrible, they do not leave when pasting rooms with high humidity (kitchen). But you can not wash unpainted wallpaper.
It is very easy to glue such wallpaper. Glue is applied to the wall, not wallpaper. If you don't like how you stuck it, you can tear it off and stick it on again.

A few years ago, in stores you could find wallpapers of the same color from pure non-woven fabric for painting. The material withstood 5 repaints, it was possible to change the interior several times without investment.

If you want to get ready-made walls right away, choose colored wallpapers. But here you need to be more careful, many sellers pass off combined non-woven wallpaper as non-woven wallpaper, that is, non-woven vinyl based.

If you choose wallpaper for tint, then know that they will lose their ability to breathe. Loss of breathability. If you want to keep this property, choose single-layer and multi-layer pure non-woven wallpaper.

To make sure of right choice, it is necessary to tear the edge of the sheet. If the canvas is paper, you will not notice the fibrous structure, but take away the jagged structure at the break. If the base is non-woven, the gap will be stretched, and non-woven fiber will be visible along the edges.

What to choose non-woven wallpaper? First, read the packaging, if it says: on a non-woven basis, ask the sales assistant for a certificate indicating that the wallpaper is non-woven.

Another type of safe wallpaper is textile, consisting of paper and woven layers. Upper layer consists of cotton, linen threads or artificial fibers.

Advantages of textile wallpaper:

do not require the selection of a pattern;
protect from extraneous sounds, noises;
provide good air circulation.

More expensive versions of such wallpapers are covered with dust and dirt-repellent coating.

Cork wallpapers are easy to use. They are easy to clean, do not fade, do not electrify.

You can find two types of such wallpapers.

With base. When a thin layer of cork is applied to a paper backing.
No base. This is a pressed cork oak bark with various decorative additives.

Such wallpapers are becoming more and more popular. Buyers really like the texture of the coating. Floral wallpapers created by nature are unique and unrepeatable.

To choose such wallpaper, you need to take into account that even in one batch there may be wallpapers that are different in color, texture, pattern.

For the manufacture of wallpaper from plant fibers, natural materials are used:

Absolutely safe.
They are highly environmentally friendly.
Recommended for allergy sufferers, small children, asthmatics.
Used for pasting walls, ceilings, furniture.
They retain heat well and absorb noise, creating coziness in the apartment.
They have high strength.
They have a long service life.

The top layer must not be scratched. Therefore, in the hallway, in the nursery, it is better not to use such wallpapers.
Vegetable fibers absorb odors; such wallpapers are not suitable for the kitchen.
Noticeable seams between sheets. From you can beat and arrange additionally.

What to choose vegetable wallpaper? Pay attention to the following characteristics: the possibility of wet cleaning, treatment with protective agents, resistance to fading.

Conclusion: now you know which wallpaper is better to choose. Safety, environmental friendliness, cleanliness are the main factors when choosing wallpaper.

With the expansion of the range of building materials, the buyer also faced an alternative choice. When purchasing wallpaper for a room, you need to choose between vinyl, non-woven, textile and, for example, cork coating. The assortment is large, in contrast to the market of finishing materials of the Soviet period, when there were simple paper wallpapers in two colors on the windows. Today, a popular coating is non-woven wallpaper. Are they harmful or is it dishonest PR in favor of other types of coverage, you need to figure it out.

Interlining - the basis of the wallpaper

At the heart of modern non-woven wallpaper, according to manufacturers, there is non-woven fabric, which consists of cellulose fibers connected by a polymer. According to its texture, it is neither paper nor fabric. But the presence of cellulose in the structure of non-woven fabric makes the composite material paper-like.

Non-woven wallpaper, the price of which is justified by their properties, is two-layer and comes in two types. In the first case, it is interlining with paper on which the pattern is applied. The second, more popular, manufacturing method is when non-woven fabric acts as the basis for vinyl wallpaper. On the packaging of such wallpaper must be a sign of the presence of vinyl. This condition is necessary to further answer the question: "Is non-woven wallpaper harmful or not?"

Properties

Types of vinyl flooring

There are several types of PVC coating on non-woven wallpaper: silk-screened, hard, smooth and foamed. Each type has its own characteristics.

A stylish solution will be wallpaper in the room from silk-screen printing. Visually, they imitate the texture of silk fabric. Foamed decorative coating has a three-dimensional surface, which allows manufacturers to style them like granite, marble, ceramic tiles. High density is typical for PVC hard coating wallpaper. A simple option Medium density wallpapers are non-woven wallpapers with a smooth vinyl surface.

Advantages of having interlining

Non-woven wallpaper for walls has many advantages, but the most important thing is the ease of gluing them. If earlier, to decorate the walls with simple paper wallpaper, it was necessary to carry out a bunch of auxiliary operations: coat the walls, wallpaper with glue, do all this quickly until the glue dries, now, choosing non-woven wallpaper, you can simplify your life. It is enough to apply glue to the wall/ceiling and straighten and level the pliable material over the surface.

The absence of air bubbles, folds in the process of gluing is positive quality non-woven wallpaper is achieved due to their thickness. This is another plus when preparing the walls. With small surface irregularities, due to the dense texture of the wallpaper and volumetric patterns, all the flaws are hidden on them.

In decorating the premises, a new trend was set by non-woven wallpaper for painting. Thanks to this property, it is possible to change the color palette of the room more than once. And the original visual effects make the material popular among buyers. When painting wallpaper, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the joints between the strips of material must be without glue. From here comes the drawback - the observance of clean joints when gluing.

Non-woven wallpaper: are they harmful or not?

Quite often, from various information sources, information is heard about the dangers of non-woven wallpaper. By itself, non-woven fabric is harmless, this is even evidenced by the fact of its use in the clothing industry to give shape to individual elements of clothing.

Poor-quality materials can be harmful to humans: glue, paint that is applied to the wallpaper, and the wallpaper itself from non-certified manufacturers. In this case, vapors of chemicals contained in building materials are dangerous.

The harmfulness of non-woven wallpaper was attributed to vinyl, which, in the event of a fire, releases hazardous substances. And if you think: the fire itself is good? You can simply suffocate with carbon monoxide. Modern premises often contain pieces of furniture, appliances and finishing materials made of polymer plastic, dyes, which are also very harmful during a fire. But a person does not refuse these conveniences.

It turns out that non-woven wallpaper is harmful under certain conditions, and then not all, but only those on which vinyl is applied.

The opinion is also refuted that mold and fungus arise under non-woven wallpaper. Certified products comply with the declared standards, so the probability of wall damage is the same as under other finishing building materials.

Right choice

The more offers on the market, the more fakes can be found. In order to avoid low-quality material, you need to know a few rules.

The conformity mark "Eurostandard 15102", which has been in force since 2011, is applied to products that comply with European standards for wallpaper. The DER BLAUE ENGEL mark in the form of a blue circle confirms the environmental friendliness of the product. The flower in the form of a circle of blue stars with the Є sign also confirms the environmental friendliness of the product according to European standards.

It is necessary to check the manufacturer's certificate, which can be obtained from the seller, with the label on the roll. The information must match.

You can also physically check the quality of the wallpaper. To do this, you need to break a piece of material in half and look at the cut. It must have a wavy structure, otherwise it is ordinary paper wallpaper.

Non-woven wallpaper: reviews

A positive opinion about non-woven wallpaper can be heard both from the repair team and from the customers themselves.

What is important for builders is working with pliable material. The price for wallpapering is calculated for square meter, therefore, without losing their earnings, contractors can cope with surface finishing in less time when using non-woven trellises.

A qualitative result is important to both parties of the construction agreement. Reviews about gluing non-woven wallpaper are commendable, because the result is excellent: all the irregularities of the walls are hidden; there are no defects on the canvas itself, and besides, the color palette is individually selected.

For non-woven wallpaper, the price varies from 900 rubles to 40 thousand. The budget option is a smooth texture, the roll size is 0.5x10 m. Expensive models are wallpapers with embossed dressing and exclusive patterns. A roll of such wallpaper is non-standard and is 4x3 m.