Is It Cheaper To Paint Or Wallpaper A Room?

Both paint and wallpaper can have a powerful impact on the style and feel of your home. Choosing all paint, all wallpaper, or a combination of both is a process that takes a bit of consideration, especially for those who would like a redecorated room to last several years. Although not a primary driving factor, cost may be one element to take into consideration when trying to choose how many walls should be covered in wallpaper and which should be painted.

Generally speaking, painting is a less expensive process, while wallpapering is longer lasting and more durable. If you’re on a tight budget, a beautiful look in any room can be achieved with a well chosen paint color and plenty of accent pieces in similar color schemes.

If you have more room in the budget, then you may choose to accent the room with just one wallpapered accent wall. This is a great way to make a design statement without busting a tight budget. Modern wallpaper is fairly easy to remove too, so if you decide you want to change that accent wall up in a few years, it won’t be hard to do.

On average, a gallon of paint will cost around $30 depending on the quality of paint you choose. A 10x10 foot room will cost about $150 between paint, primer, and supplies. A room of the same size would cost about $275 to cover in wallpaper between the primer, paste (if needed), and wallpaper rolls. This number may be more fluid since prices for wallpaper tend to range widely — anywhere between $15 to $50 per roll. A 10x10 foot room may take at least 6 rolls to cover.

So, in the short term you’ll spend less money painting a room than wallpapering it. But, wallpaper is much more durable, lasting up to 15 years, thanks to its washability and resistance to scrapes and scuffs.  Paint often needs to be retouched or covered with a new coat altogether. It also can chip easily and is susceptible to scrapes and scuffs. In the time your wallpaper spends on the wall, you may find yourself touching up your paint quite often.

Considering the room in which you’re deciding whether to use paint or wallpaper in is another important factor. High humidity environments like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements do very well with gloss paint because of its resistance to water absorption. Certain types of wallpaper don’t do as well in these environments because they have a tendency peel due to weakening of the adhesive.

Whichever you choose, paint or wallpaper, both will go a long way in transforming the look of any room. Consider what kind of statement you want to make, while taking into consideration existing colors and patterns of furniture and accents already in the room. Your budget should play a role in the process, but not be the only consideration taken into perspective.