Benefits
Cost Comparison, A case for Commercial Wallcoverings over Paint
Rolling with the Punches:
A Case for Commercial Wallcoverings Over Paint
If walls could talk, they would tell a sad tail of abuse- shopping carts and bags banging around corners, shoe scuff marks, dirty hand prints and any number of mysterious dings and scratches hurled their way on a daily basis. Unlike in the home, no-one really looks out for the walls in our more public spaces, until they become so unsightly that the damage can no longer be ignored.
The quick fix is to fill it holes, slap on some primer and a couple of coats of paint and be done with it. Wallcoverings on the other hand are far more durable and long-lasting. Many of today’s wallcoverings have a life of 10 to 12 years, versus an average 3-year life span for paint. Not only are they more resistant to abrasions, chipping and cracking, wallcoverings also protect the walls they cover and thereby extend their life cycle. On the rare occasion when wallcoverings take the brunt of a blow, most marks and scrapes are virtually camouflaged by the designs and textures. Moreover, new protective coatings have made commercial wallcoverings nearly impervious to abrasions, so the replacement of strips is rarely an issue.
In addition, wallcoverings defined as scrubbable may be cleaned with nothing more than mild soap, warm water and a gentle sponging- an important feature in active stairwells, corridors and other high traffic areas.
On the face of it paint appears to be a less expensive option than wallcoverings in contract settings. A survey in 2004 calculated the projected “life cycle” savings of using commercial vinyl wallcoverings over paint, covering a 10-12 year period, which is when building wall surfaces tend to be redecorated.
The data was broken down by region to account for various cost differentials, and allowed for material and labour projected increases of about 1.5%. In general the upfront cost of wallcoverings is 40% more expensive than paint, but since it is a one-time cost, It represents anywhere from a 75 to 100% savings over the 10-12 year period.
While the aesthetics of one over the other is a matter of taste, There is no contest when it comes to the design solutions that today’s range of commercial wallcoverings offer specifiers and Interior Designers.
There are the sound-busting acoustical performance wallcoverings; the cost saving sustainable wood wallcoverings; emerging eco-friendly wallcoverings; and the dry-erase styles that are replacing chalkboards since chalk has been identified as an asthma trigger- to name a few.
Where does all this innovation leave paint? Not in the dust, but suffice to say that wallcoverings are giving paint a run for the money.
