Wallpaper Material Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Wallpaper is not a single product — it is a category spanning radically different materials, each with distinct properties, installation methods, and ideal use cases. Choosing the wrong material for your room is the most common wallpaper mistake, and it leads to premature failure, frustration, and wasted money. This pillar guide covers every major wallpaper material available today so you can match the right product to your specific situation.
Vinyl Wallpaper
Vinyl is the workhorse of the wallpaper world. Its plastic-based surface makes it the most durable and water-resistant option available, which is why it dominates commercial applications and remains the top choice for high-demand residential rooms.
Types of Vinyl
- Solid vinyl: A continuous vinyl layer laminated to a paper or fabric backing. Completely waterproof, highly scrub-resistant, and extremely durable. This is what you want in bathrooms, kitchens, and commercial spaces.
- Vinyl-coated paper: A paper substrate with a thin vinyl layer applied to the surface. More affordable than solid vinyl, with moderate moisture resistance. Suitable for powder rooms and kitchens away from direct water.
- Vinyl on fabric: Vinyl fused to a woven fabric backing. The thickest, most tear-resistant option. Common in hotels, restaurants, and hospitals.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Maximum durability, waterproof (solid vinyl), scrubbable, fade-resistant, available in an enormous range of patterns and textures. Long lifespan of 15-20 years.
Cons: Non-breathable (can trap moisture behind the paper on exterior walls), contains PVC which raises environmental concerns, can have a slightly plastic appearance in cheaper products, harder to remove than non-woven.
Best for: Bathrooms, kitchens, high-traffic hallways, commercial spaces, children's rooms. Browse our vinyl collection.
Non-Woven Wallpaper
Non-woven wallpaper is the material that modernized the wallpaper industry. Made from a blend of cellulose (wood pulp) and polyester fibers pressed together without weaving, it combines the best qualities of paper and fabric while eliminating most of their weaknesses.
Key Characteristics
Non-woven wallpaper is dimensionally stable — it does not expand or shrink when wet. This single property transformed installation: instead of pasting and booking each strip, you paste the wall and apply the dry paper directly. Installation time dropped by roughly 40 percent compared to traditional methods.
The material is breathable, allowing moisture vapour to pass through. This prevents mould growth behind the wallpaper — a significant advantage in climates with wide temperature swings like Alberta's. It is also tear-resistant and strips off the wall cleanly in full sheets when it is time to redecorate.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Easy paste-the-wall installation, clean dry-strip removal, breathable, excellent print quality, eco-friendly (recyclable, water-based inks), tear-resistant.
Cons: Not waterproof (not suitable for wet bathrooms), less scrub-resistant than vinyl, can be damaged by sharp impacts.
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, offices, hallways. The best all-round choice for most residential applications. Read our detailed vinyl vs non-woven comparison.
Traditional Paper Wallpaper
Paper wallpaper is the original — a printed paper product that has been used for centuries. While largely superseded by vinyl and non-woven in practical applications, paper wallpaper still has a place in interior design.
Characteristics
Paper wallpaper absorbs paste and expands when wet, requiring the traditional paste-and-book installation method. It offers the most natural, organic appearance — prints on paper have a warmth and depth that synthetic materials struggle to match. However, paper is fragile, stains easily, is not washable, and can be difficult to remove without damaging the underlying wall.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Beautiful, natural print quality, most environmentally friendly (fully biodegradable), available in historic and artisan designs, no plastic content.
Cons: Fragile, not washable, stains easily, expands when wet (making installation tricky), shorter lifespan, difficult removal.
Best for: Formal dining rooms, low-traffic spaces, heritage restorations, anywhere aesthetics take absolute priority over practicality.
Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
Peel-and-stick wallpaper has a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing — like a giant sticker. You peel off the backing liner and apply the paper directly to the wall without any paste, water, or tools beyond a squeegee.
Characteristics
The defining feature is repositionability. If you place a strip crooked, you can peel it off and try again without any consequence. This makes it the most forgiving wallpaper for first-time installers. Quality peel-and-stick can be removed and reapplied multiple times, and leaves no adhesive residue on the wall — making it the go-to choice for renters.
Pros and Cons
Pros: No paste needed, fully removable, repositionable, no wall damage, perfect for renters, easy DIY installation.
Cons: Adhesion can weaken in high humidity or on textured walls, generally thinner than traditional wallpaper, smaller pattern selection compared to paste wallpapers, higher cost per square foot.
Best for: Rental apartments, dorm rooms, nurseries, accent walls, temporary installations, anyone who wants easy removal. See our peel-and-stick collection and our guide to the best wallpaper for renters.
Grasscloth Wallpaper
Grasscloth is a handcrafted wallcovering made from natural plant fibers — typically jute, sisal, seagrass, or arrowroot — woven onto a paper backing. It is one of the oldest wallcovering materials in existence and remains one of the most luxurious.
Characteristics
Every panel of grasscloth is unique because the natural fibers vary in colour and texture. This creates a warm, organic, textured surface that adds extraordinary depth to walls. The horizontal weave pattern adds subtle visual width to rooms. Grasscloth has a distinctive earthy scent and a tactile quality that no printed wallpaper can replicate.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Luxurious natural texture, unique handmade character, adds warmth and acoustic absorption, sustainable and biodegradable, timeless aesthetic.
Cons: Stains easily (not washable), absorbs odours and humidity, difficult to repair if damaged, seams are visible by design, requires professional installation, expensive.
Best for: Living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, studies — dry rooms where the texture can be appreciated. Never use in bathrooms or kitchens. Read our full guide on grasscloth wallpaper. Browse our grasscloth collection.
Fabric Wallpaper
Fabric wallcoverings include materials like silk, linen, cotton, and polyester applied to a paper or acrylic backing. They bring textile warmth and acoustic benefits to walls.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Rich textile appearance, excellent acoustic insulation, hides wall imperfections, available in luxurious materials.
Cons: Expensive, difficult to clean, attracts dust, requires professional installation, not suitable for humid environments.
Best for: Formal living rooms, bedrooms, home theatres (acoustic benefits), luxury interiors.
Choosing the Right Material: Quick Decision Guide
- Need waterproof? Solid vinyl — no other material is truly waterproof.
- Want easy installation? Non-woven (paste-the-wall) or peel-and-stick (no paste).
- Renting? Peel-and-stick — removes without damage.
- Want luxury texture? Grasscloth or fabric wallcovering.
- Best all-round choice? Non-woven — good durability, easy installation, easy removal, eco-friendly.
- Maximum durability? Solid vinyl — lasts 15-20 years in tough conditions.
- Heritage or artisan look? Traditional paper for authentic character.
Explore Your Options
Material choice is personal, and nothing replaces seeing and touching the options in person. Visit our Calgary showroom to compare materials side by side, or use our wallpaper calculator to plan your project. Understanding your wallpaper's finish options is the next step after choosing your material.