Bamboo wallpaper: features

Modern interior design tends to use natural materials. For popular trends in eco-design, Provence, country, minimalism, Japanese style, natural wall coverings made of bamboo wallpaper are the best fit. A variety of natural colors and textures, environmental friendliness and aesthetic appearance provide a high demand for natural wallpapers.

Natural wall-paper will decorate the interior and emphasize the design of the room of any style, focusing on the environmental friendliness of design. Bamboo wallpapers have undeniable advantages:

• Environmentally friendly material - bamboo wallpapers are made from natural materials, do not cause allergies.
• Beautiful natural texture - for one batch of wallpaper, bamboo stems are selected of the same variety, manufacturers carefully select bamboo slats of the appropriate texture and shade.
• Wide color palette - the color of bamboo slats depends on the place of growth of the plant, the time of collection, the temperature regime of the initial drying, therefore, the color palette of wall coverings can be from pale white to deep brown shades.
• Easy to clean and anti-static - the coating does not attract and does not absorb dust. Sometimes manufacturers cover the slats with an antistatic impregnation, which makes it easier to maintain the coating.

• Long service life - high-quality wallpaper, subject to the fastening technology, will last up to 10 years, since the material is not subject to fading when exposed to the sun's rays, and has anti-vandal properties.
• Hide the unevenness of the wall - due to its dense structure and thickness, the wallpaper can hide minor defects and irregularities, and, therefore, does not require perfect alignment of the walls.
• Adheres to various surfaces - can be glued on wood, putty, plastic, cement and other surfaces, using only a primer and the required type of glue or liquid nails.

The disadvantages of bamboo wallpaper include the following aspects:

• High price - natural materials go through a series of labor-intensive and energy-consuming stages of drying and preparation for use, which leads to their high cost.
• Difficulty mounting to a wall - wallpapering should be done in stages, following the manufacturer's recommendations. It is better to entrust such painstaking work to a professional.
• Boring view of total pasting rooms in one type of coating - designers do not recommend pasting the walls in one type of wallpaper. Bamboo is best used as panels in a room or to create decorative panels, combining with cork or other types of wallpaper.
• Surface irregularities - On the surface of the bamboo slats, there may be bulges and seals in the structure. Such defects are not considered a marriage, but can complicate the process of joining seams and gluing.

This type of wall covering can be used in any living room and non-residential premises (offices, reception rooms, cafes) to maintain the environmental friendliness of the interior and create an atmosphere of comfort and warmth.

Bamboo contains a large percentage of moisture (up to 80%), therefore, for the manufacture of high-quality and durable wall coverings, raw materials undergo a long processing process.

For the production of wallpaper, only the young part of the stem shoot is used. The drying process is divided into two stages:

1. the stems are snapped in a room with a constant temperature and humidity of about 45%. This moisture provides the strength and elasticity of the material and prevents it from cracking from rapid moisture loss.
2. the raw materials are finally dried in the warehouse.

The drying process is one of the most critical. Depending on the temperature and speed of drying, bamboo changes its shade and color. After it, the stem is split into the upper and inner parts, which are straightened under slight pressure and glued to the base of the future roll of wallpaper. The width of the bamboo slats can vary from 5 to 25 mm. The base can be fabric or paper. When gluing, glue on a natural basis is used.

The finished wall covering is produced in rolls of standard sizes with a width of 1, 1.5, 2 m. Less commonly, rolls with a width of 2-2.5 m are found in stores. Sometimes wallpaper is produced not in rolls, but in sheets ready for pasting in the form of panels in room. Sheet panels are fragile and require special conditions for transportation and storage, but this type of finish is immediately ready for gluing and does not require time for leveling.

Only natural materials are used in the wallpaper production process. For additional decor, stitching of the slats with the base of the wallpaper with a contrasting or textured thread along the edges of the canvas is used. The surface retains the natural ventilation of the wall covering, and the overall color is selected by selecting each element according to tone and texture.

The types of bamboo wallpaper are differentiated by the materials of the bamboo trunk used to cover:

• From the outside of the bamboo trunk.
• From the inside of the barrel.

On the outer layer, the structure of the tree is clearly visible. These wall coverings have a denser structure and resemble bamboo posts when the wallpaper is glued vertically. Imitation of bamboo stems visually enlarges the room, adds volume to the space and height of the room.

The outer layer is distinguished by texture, unique pattern and color. The color of the top layer is not uniform, which gives the surface volume and depth. These types of wallpaper are not covered with varnishes and paints, preserving their natural appearance.

Wallpaper strips from which the top layer has been removed are more precisely matched by color. For greater practicality, manufacturers varnish the wallpaper. The lacquered surface is moisture resistant and easy to clean.

The color of bamboo wallpaper depends on many factors. The shade of the color of the finished canvas of natural wallpaper is influenced by:

• Plant variety.
• Place of growth.
• Cutting time of the stems.
• Temperature and humidity of the initial drying stage.

Natural bamboo wallpapers are available in the following colors:

• Shades of white - white, ivory, emerald, milky, etc.
• Green - bright and juicy shades of green will bring a spring mood to any room. Soft green, spring grass, green-brown, pistachio shades are the most common colors of bamboo canvases.
• Beige - there are rare colors with pink-peach, yellow-honey shades.
• Brown - the natural colors of the bamboo slats range in shades from light brown and cappuccino to rich browns.

The decor with natural wallpaper in rolls begins with the determination of the area of ​​pasting: complete pasting of the room or the use of a bamboo panel. The number of rolls should be taken with a margin and from one batch.

Natural wallpapers are often used in eco-design, so designers recommend combining the color of bamboo wall covering with the color of furniture, floor, veneer of doors and window frames.

On the balcony, loggia, terrace, bamboo trim should organically match in color with rattan wicker furniture.

Reviews of the owners of interiors made of natural materials indicate that the total pasting of walls with bamboo wallpaper on a fabric or paper basis looks rather boring and visually reduces the space. Both designers and homeowners who are not indifferent to the interior design of their homes agree that a bamboo wallpaper panel framed by moldings, or a combined panel of bamboo wallpaper and cork panels, look dynamic and stylish in the interior of any style.

Bamboo wallpapers are used to decorate not only walls, but also arches, balconies, loggias, etc. Natural wall covering is glued to any surface: concrete, wood, brickwork, plastic.

Bamboo wall covering is dense enough to hide minor surface irregularities, so perfect wall preparation can be dispensed with. Nevertheless, the surface must first be cleaned of the remnants of the previous coating, sanded, treated with an antifungal solution and allowed to dry well.

Bamboo wallpaper wall decoration tools:

• Wide brush for even application of the adhesive.
• Plastic spatula for additional fixing of wallpaper edges.
• Rubber roller for smoothing and pressing the canvas against the wall.
• A knife with fine teeth, a hacksaw, a jigsaw for cutting wallpaper.

Stages of pasting:

• Leveling the canvas: the day before, the wallpaper should be unrolled on a flat surface and allowed to rest.
• Cutting the canvases: cut the roll into pieces of the desired size and shape.
• Glue application: the glue is applied both to the wall and to the back of the wallpaper. In this case, the edges of the wallpaper are treated with a thicker layer, the excess of which is removed during the process of pasting with a damp cloth or special solution. After application, it is necessary to let the surface soak well for 6-10 minutes. It is impossible to bend or fold the bamboo canvas, since the folds will irrevocably deform the canvas and will remain noticeable when glued.
• Pasting: a piece of wallpaper is carefully pressed against the wall with a rubber roller. The edges are pressed with a plastic spatula. Use a damp cloth to remove glue residues at the joints.

When impregnated with glue, the bamboo canvas becomes much heavier, so decorative nails can be used for additional fixation. Irregularities in the edges can be corrected using decorative plinths or moldings made of plaster, solid wood, plastic.

Subject to the steps of pasting and recommendations on the packaging of wallpaper, the bamboo coating at home can be pasted even by non-craftsmen.

Wall coverings from the inside of the barrel are varnished at work or at home to protect against moisture and dirt, and to facilitate maintenance.

Painting of the bamboo canvas is possible at the discretion of the buyer. When painting, some of the properties of the wallpaper are partially lost.The texture of the slats becomes less noticeable, and the natural play of color acquires a uniform paint color.

Most often, painting the surface of bamboo wallpaper is resorted to when restoring the wall covering.

Thick bamboo strips are much more difficult to cut than regular wallpaper. You can use a fine-toothed wallpaper knife, a hacksaw, or a jigsaw to cut the bamboo blade.

You can use a very sharp knife to cut bamboo wallpaper along the slats. It is carried out neatly along the slats, completely cutting the fabric or paper base.

The accuracy of the cut determines how invisible the wallpaper joints and the final aesthetic appearance will be.

In order for the bamboo wall covering to last as long as possible, retaining its original appearance, it requires some maintenance. Some manufacturers coat the canvas with antistatic impregnation, which repels dust. The bulk of bamboo wallpaper is produced without processing or any coating.

It is forbidden to wash bamboo wallpaper with water or using detergents. Periodically, the canvas needs to be vacuumed, especially in the corners of the decorative moldings, where the most dust accumulates. In some cases, for wet cleaning, you can use a damp cloth with a soft bristle, which will not damage the surface of the coating and will not leave lint on it, as well as non-aggressive aerosol detergents that do not require rinsing.

Bamboo wallpaper adds coziness and beauty to the bedroom. It is easy to fall asleep in such a room, strength is quickly restored thanks to the naturalness of materials and calm natural colors.

In the design of the bedroom in the Japanese style, a bamboo panel at the head of the bed will become an indispensable attribute. It will be a worthy addition to white walls and rice panels framed by massive wooden slats.

The living room's eco-style is supported by individual sandy beige panels. Such restrained wallpaper will serve as the basis for decorative bright elements in the room (pillows, a screen made of natural bamboo stalks, photo wallpaper).

A laconic and discreet high-tech kitchen will look cozy and home-like against the backdrop of bamboo-coated walls.

The classic traditional use of sheets in the design of the hallway of an apartment or house. The totally papered walls of the hallway with bamboo wallpaper do not look boring thanks to mirrors and furniture in a minimalist style made of natural wood.

For information on how to stick bamboo wallpaper, see the next video.