Moving into an older house, I came to realize how drafty the very walls were (not just the old windows, which I replaced). Hanging vinyl wall covering on virtually all the 'exterior walls' (inside, of course) immediately made those rooms much more comfortable. Twenty years later, still pleased with the looks and results.
You have to be very careful with vinyl wallpaper because it prevents the wall from drying when it gets wet, and often mold grows behind it. I've heard that many manufacturers now offer perforated vinyl for this reason, with micro-perforations you can't see but that can allow moisture out. But I've never actually seen that for sale online and I'm not sure where you would get it.
Hi Cindi, We have used vinyl for years, especially in bathrooms and hotels and never had any issues. I would imagine ordering a good quality product- from Phillip Jeffries for instance- helps with that.
@@erinnvalencich820 Hi Erinn. Actually according to the EPA over 50% of buildings in America have mold, and often it's hidden in walls. Hotels are particularly notorious for the "mold behind vinyl wallpaper" problem (Europeans call our hotels mold factories). This problem has gotten much worse in the past 30 years as we have been building our homes more tightly, and using different materials (such as OSB instead of solid wood, and drywall instead of plaster). Of course the vinyl wallpaper is not the cause of the problem, but it exacerbates other issues. If you would like to corroborate this, talk to any building scientist, mold remediator, or person who focuses on healthy buildings. I'm sure they will tell you to avoid vinyl wallpaper unless you are sure your wall is designed to dry to the outside (since you're blocking drying to the inside).
@@cindianderson9443 If mold comes, it means, there is some problem with the wall. Maybe the waterpermeability of the wall is wrong. It is best if the wall is more permeable as we go outside through the wall. Plus the dew point must be in the insulation and not in the wall. So mold means there is a thermal bridge or some other source of water.
@@csabanemeth Appropriate permeability of wall layers is very dependent on climate zone, and it's not straightforward because what constitutes a perfect wall can vary in winter in summer. Regardless, unfortunately most homes are not done well in this regard. It is particularly recommend by building scientists to avoid vinyl on outside walls in hot humid climates where warm humid air comes in from the outside, hits the vinyl wallpaper which is cold from air conditioning, and condenses.
A word of warning: the family cat will trash your beautiful grass cloth in no time, considering it a great clawing wall. You might hang it above wainscoting to get it out of reach.
Moving into an older house, I came to realize how drafty the very walls were (not just the old windows, which I replaced). Hanging vinyl wall covering on virtually all the 'exterior walls' (inside, of course) immediately made those rooms much more comfortable. Twenty years later, still pleased with the looks and results.
Great tips & advice Thank you for sharing.
You are so welcome!
You have to be very careful with vinyl wallpaper because it prevents the wall from drying when it gets wet, and often mold grows behind it. I've heard that many manufacturers now offer perforated vinyl for this reason, with micro-perforations you can't see but that can allow moisture out. But I've never actually seen that for sale online and I'm not sure where you would get it.
Hi Cindi, We have used vinyl for years, especially in bathrooms and hotels and never had any issues. I would imagine ordering a good quality product- from Phillip Jeffries for instance- helps with that.
@@erinnvalencich820 Hi Erinn. Actually according to the EPA over 50% of buildings in America have mold, and often it's hidden in walls. Hotels are particularly notorious for the "mold behind vinyl wallpaper" problem (Europeans call our hotels mold factories). This problem has gotten much worse in the past 30 years as we have been building our homes more tightly, and using different materials (such as OSB instead of solid wood, and drywall instead of plaster). Of course the vinyl wallpaper is not the cause of the problem, but it exacerbates other issues. If you would like to corroborate this, talk to any building scientist, mold remediator, or person who focuses on healthy buildings. I'm sure they will tell you to avoid vinyl wallpaper unless you are sure your wall is designed to dry to the outside (since you're blocking drying to the inside).
@@cindianderson9443 If mold comes, it means, there is some problem with the wall. Maybe the waterpermeability of the wall is wrong. It is best if the wall is more permeable as we go outside through the wall. Plus the dew point must be in the insulation and not in the wall. So mold means there is a thermal bridge or some other source of water.
@@csabanemeth Appropriate permeability of wall layers is very dependent on climate zone, and it's not straightforward because what constitutes a perfect wall can vary in winter in summer. Regardless, unfortunately most homes are not done well in this regard. It is particularly recommend by building scientists to avoid vinyl on outside walls in hot humid climates where warm humid air comes in from the outside, hits the vinyl wallpaper which is cold from air conditioning, and condenses.
Oky mess i love....
A word of warning: the family cat will trash your beautiful grass cloth in no time, considering it a great clawing wall. You might hang it above wainscoting to get it out of reach.
Ok mess