In the process of renovation, homeowners first of all think about the aesthetics and compliance of the new interior with their own preferences. But few people think about the environmental safety of a residential building.
It should be understood that modern building materials are produced with the addition of complex chemicals, and some of them contain toxic elements. Agree, they clearly do not contribute to the creation of a he althy atmosphere, and many are even harmful to he alth, which is why they are not recommended for use in children's rooms and bedrooms.
But every year there are more and more people who strive to use only natural materials for repairs - wood, stone, paper, linen, cotton, jute. Bamboo wallpapers also belong to this group.
About the material
This wallpaper is made from real bamboo. The original raw material contains up to 80% water, so the stems are dried. In the process, they lose up to 90% of their own weight. Bamboo is dried carefully to prevent cracking in rooms with a special temperature and humidity regime.
Then the top layerthe stems are divided into lamellas of 10-20 mm, glued onto fabric or rice paper and stitched with a regular or nylon thread - for strength and decorative purposes. Sections are glued on the inside or outside: the first ones have an interesting texture, the second ones are smooth with a natural sheen.
Bamboo wallpapers are also made from the remnants of the stem - pressed. Manufacturers sometimes impregnate them with anti-static, as they tend to attract dust.
Pros and cons of bamboo wallpapers
This material has an impressive list of advantages:
- Volumetric. The texture of the canvas allows you to mask small defects and surface irregularities.
- Excellent sound and heat insulation. Well suited to the inhabitants of concrete houses, prone to temperature extremes.
- Despite the fact that this material is of plant origin (like wood), it has good moisture resistance. Therefore, it can be used not only in living rooms, but also in other areas, such as a bathroom or kitchen. Bamboo wallpaper is even trimmed on part of the outer walls, for example on the terrace.
- High resistance to mechanical stress. The canvas is not afraid of the claws and teeth of pets, so they will serve for a long time.
- Bamboo does not lose color for a long time under the influence of sunlight.
- The material does not absorb dust and odors, it is highly environmentally friendly and suitable even for a child's room. Prevents bacteria growth.
- Despite the high cost, this material is quite economical due to its long service life.
- Behind suchwalls are easy to care for.
- Bamboo is a versatile material, stylish, modern, but with an ethnic twist.
Now let's talk about the cons. The cost of one square meter of canvas ranges from 200 to 400 rubles. It depends on the type of raw material and how it is processed. Bamboo wallpapers are quite difficult to glue - they are difficult to cut, join so that the pattern and color match, not any glue is suitable for them. Another such material is hell for a perfectionist, because due to its natural origin, it never has an even and uniform structure over the entire surface. There are always small pits and thickenings. Also, the disadvantages include the fact that the canvas cannot be glued so that the joints are not visible.
Interior
Bamboo wallpapers fit well into oriental or ethnic styles, perfectly complement tropical, Japanese or African interiors. But they are absolutely not suitable for classic design or high-tech direction.
Bamboo can be used quite widely, but not as a dominant element, but as an elegant addition. Roller blinds, wall inserts, furniture finishing - such accents will give the interior a special charm.
But if you give this material a dominant role and pick up the same natural and environmentally friendly "brothers" in the company, then the room will be decorated in an eco-style. This is a relatively new direction, quite popular.
Bamboo wallpaper in the interior (in the photo you cansee several options for decorating rooms) go well with furniture made of natural wood or wicker. Upholstered sofas and armchairs are better to choose with upholstery made of genuine leather or linen. Textiles should be selected in warm colors, plain or with natural patterns.
Colours
The color palette of bamboo is somewhat limited. Firstly, these are all its natural shades - warm and golden. Secondly, bamboo is subjected to uneven firing - this is how a lot of beautiful dark colors are obtained: tortoiseshell, honey, wenge, chocolate, etc. Thirdly, wallpapers made from the inside of the stem are often painted and tinted, as they are less valuable and durable, suffer more from ultraviolet radiation. Thus, the palette is complemented by a wide variety of colors: green, cream, peach, etc. There are even bamboo wallpaper for walls with a pattern.
So, despite the seeming scarcity of choice, you can pick up a lot of nice options. You can also combine the canvas - glue 2-3 types of different shades.
Glue
Bamboo wallpapers can be securely stuck in a hallway or children's room only if you use the right glue, with the right adhesion and consistency. Why can't you use generic? Firstly, bamboo is quite heavy and does not adhere tightly to the surface, and for its adhesion to the wall, a special composition with special properties is needed. Secondly, the canvas is permeable and has gaps through which ordinary PVA will simply seep onto the frontside and spoil the appearance.
So you can and should use only the following types of fasteners:
- "Liquid nails". Good option for sticking to concrete or brick wall.
- Special adhesive based on vinyl or chloroprene. It is sold dry, does not mix well, has a sharp chemical smell. You need to work with such glue in a respirator.
- Ready-made contact adhesive for non-absorbent materials. For example, Pufas K12.
- If the walls are sheathed with drywall or fiberboard, then bamboo sheets can be fixed with decorative staples and nails. And no glue is required.
Wall preparation
The canvas will hide small irregularities well. But if there are significant protrusions and depressions, the rigid canvas will not be able to lie well on the wall, so they all need to be leveled. Bamboo canvas is not glued to old wallpaper, bleached and painted surfaces. All old finishes must be removed, the wall plastered and primed. Since different pieces are difficult to join, it is better to apply vertical markings on the walls.
Work order
In the photo, bamboo wallpaper looks like a very simple homogeneous material. But in reality it is very difficult to work with him. The procedure is as follows:
- The initial stage is cutting the canvas into pieces of the desired length and width. It is very easy to divide along the fibers: they need to be cut with a sharp knife along the fabric substrate. It is difficult to separate the wallpaper across the fibers: only a jigsaw and a hacksaw can handle this task. Forin order for the edges of the cuts to be even, the tool must be selected with fine teeth on the working part.
- Apply a thin layer of glue to the wall. Cover the wrong side of the canvas with a paint brush. This procedure should be carried out carefully and make sure that excess glue does not appear on the outside.
- Wait 10-15 minutes. Attach the wallpaper to the wall and roll with a rubber roller. If glue comes through under pressure, then it must be removed with a clean cloth - get wet and wipe, but do not smear.
- You can proceed to the next canvas. They are butt-glued.
How to glue bamboo wallpaper with "liquid nails"? They are applied in stripes to the denser part of the substrate (it is made of strips of thin and dense fabric), then the strip is applied to the wall, slapped and removed. Then you need to wait 5 minutes, after which the canvas is glued completely.
Bends, joints and corners can be masked with decorative moldings to match the wallpaper.
Care
New in the interior (bamboo wallpaper) requires special care. The canvas must not be cleaned with aggressive detergents and a brush with hard bristles. Dust accumulated in the crevices can be removed with a vacuum cleaner switched on in dry mode. More stubborn dirt, such as dried stains, should be removed with a soft cloth (microfiber or cotton) dampened with warm soapy water. After the stain disappears, you need to wipe the wallpaper dry. Despite the fact that this material is moisture resistant, prolonged contact with water is contraindicated for it - it can begin to swell, then shrink, due to whichloses its shape and cracks. So accidental drops that have fallen on bamboo should be wiped dry and not abused with wet cleaning.
