What Are the Different Types of Wallpaper?
Wallpaper comes in several types, vinyl, non-woven, grasscloth and natural, traditional paper, and peel-and-stick, each with different looks, durability, ease of installation and removal, and ideal uses. Choosing the right type for your space matters. Understanding the main types helps you pick the wallpaper that suits your room, style, and needs. Here’s a guide.
Vinyl Wallpaper
Vinyl wallpaper is durable, washable, and moisture-resistant, making it popular and versatile, especially for high-traffic and moisture-prone areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways. It’s easy to clean and holds up well to wear and humidity. Vinyl comes in many styles and is generally a practical, forgiving choice. Some vinyls are more breathable than others. For durable, washable wallpaper in areas that see moisture, traffic, or need easy cleaning, vinyl is an excellent, practical choice, offering durability and versatility, which is why it’s one of the most common wallpaper types for everyday use.
Non-Woven Wallpaper
Non-woven wallpaper is made from a blend of natural and synthetic fibers, and it’s prized for being easy to install and remove. It’s often a paste-the-wall type (paste goes on the wall, not the paper), which simplifies hanging, and it’s designed to strip off easily and cleanly when you want to change it, dry-strippable. Non-woven is breathable, durable, and tear-resistant. For homeowners who want quality wallpaper that’s easier to install and, importantly, easier to remove later, non-woven is an excellent choice, popular for its user-friendly installation and removal, making future changes far less of a hassle than traditional paper. (For more on this, see How Much Does Wallpaper Installation Cost?.)
Grasscloth and Natural Wallpapers
Grasscloth and other natural wallpapers (made from natural fibers like grasses, jute, or bamboo) offer a distinctive, textured, high-end, organic look prized for their natural beauty and texture. They add warmth, depth, and a premium, sophisticated feel. However, they’re delicate, harder to clean, sensitive to moisture, and require careful installation (seams show, patterns don’t match like printed paper), and they’re premium in cost. For a luxurious, textured, natural look in lower-traffic, dry areas like living rooms, bedrooms, or dining rooms, grasscloth and natural wallpapers deliver a distinctive, upscale appearance, though they need care and cost more.
Traditional Paper Wallpaper
Traditional paper wallpaper (printed on paper) offers a wide range of designs and a classic look, often at a lower cost, but it’s more delicate than vinyl, less moisture-resistant and washable, and can be harder to install and remove. It suits lower-traffic, dry areas and those wanting a traditional or specific look available in paper. While less durable and forgiving than vinyl or non-woven, traditional paper offers extensive design options and a classic feel. For dry, low-traffic rooms where you want a particular paper design, traditional wallpaper works, though it requires more care in installation and use than more modern types. (For more on this, see What Makes Wallpaper Cost More (or Less)?.)
Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a self-adhesive, removable type that’s easy to install (no paste) and remove, making it popular for renters, DIY, temporary changes, and accent walls. You simply peel the backing and stick it to the wall, and it removes cleanly without damage. It’s more forgiving and beginner-friendly than traditional wallpaper, though it may be less durable and premium-looking than some other types, and quality varies. For renters, DIY projects, temporary or changeable decor, or an easy accent wall, peel-and-stick is a convenient, removable option, offering wallpaper’s look with far easier installation and removal, ideal for those wanting flexibility. (For more on this, see Wallpaper vs. Paint: Which Is Right for Your Walls?.)
Matching Wallpaper to Your Space
The key is matching the type to your space and needs. Use durable, washable vinyl in kitchens, bathrooms, and high-traffic areas; easy-to-remove non-woven where you value future changeability; grasscloth and natural papers in low-traffic, dry rooms for a luxe textured look; traditional paper for specific designs in dry areas; and peel-and-stick for rentals, DIY, or temporary decor. Consider the room’s moisture, traffic, your installation comfort, and how long you’ll keep it. Matching the wallpaper type to how the space is used and your needs is the smart approach to choosing wallpaper.
Considering Installation and Removal When Choosing a Type
Beyond appearance and durability, an important practical dimension when choosing a wallpaper type is how it installs and, just as importantly, how it removes, since these affect both the initial project and your future flexibility. The types differ significantly in installation ease: peel-and-stick is the most DIY-friendly, requiring no paste and forgiving of repositioning, while non-woven paste-the-wall papers simplify hanging by applying paste to the wall rather than the paper. Traditional papers and delicate types like grasscloth are more demanding to install, requiring skill in pasting, matching, and handling, and are often best left to professionals. If you’re planning to install the wallpaper yourself, this installation ease is a major consideration, favoring peel-and-stick or non-woven, while if you’re hiring a professional, you have more freedom to choose based on other factors.
Removal ease is a consideration that’s easy to overlook when choosing wallpaper but that matters greatly for your future flexibility, since wallpaper is semi-permanent and you may want to change it eventually. This is where the types differ dramatically: peel-and-stick removes cleanly and easily without damage, making it ideal for renters and anyone who likes to change their decor; non-woven is designed to strip off cleanly (dry-strippable) when you want a change; while traditional paper can be difficult and messy to remove, potentially damaging the walls. If you anticipate wanting to change the look in a few years, or you’re in a rental, choosing a type designed for easy removal, peel-and-stick or non-woven, saves you significant future hassle and expense, since difficult removal is one of wallpaper’s traditional drawbacks. Considering both how a wallpaper type installs and how it removes, alongside its appearance and durability, gives you a complete picture that leads to a choice you’ll be happy with both now and later. A type well-matched to your installation approach (DIY or professional) and your likely future desire to change the look ensures the wallpaper serves you well throughout its life, which is exactly what thoughtful selection across these practical dimensions achieves. The easy install-and-remove of modern types like peel-and-stick and non-woven has, in fact, made wallpaper far more approachable and flexible than it used to be.
Making the Choice
Vinyl, non-woven, grasscloth, traditional paper, and peel-and-stick each offer a different balance of durability, look, and ease of installation and removal. Match the type to your space, needs, and style, vinyl for durability, non-woven for easy removal, grasscloth for luxe texture, peel-and-stick for flexibility. When you’re ready to choose and install your wallpaper, connect with a local pro below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vinyl (durable, washable, moisture-resistant, good for kitchens and baths), non-woven (easy to install and remove, breathable), grasscloth and natural (textured, high-end, organic look but delicate), traditional paper (classic, many designs, but more delicate), and peel-and-stick (self-adhesive, removable, great for renters and DIY). Each has different looks, durability, and ease of installation and removal, so the best choice depends on your space and needs.
Vinyl wallpaper, for its durability, washability, and moisture resistance, making it ideal for high-traffic and moisture-prone areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways. It's easy to clean and holds up well to wear and humidity, unlike delicate types like grasscloth or traditional paper that are moisture-sensitive. For durable, washable wallpaper in areas that see moisture or need easy cleaning, vinyl is the practical choice.
Non-woven wallpaper and peel-and-stick. Non-woven is designed to strip off easily and cleanly (dry-strippable) and is often paste-the-wall, simplifying both installation and removal. Peel-and-stick is self-adhesive and removes cleanly without damage, ideal for renters and temporary decor. Both are far easier to remove than traditional paper, so if future changeability or easy removal matters, non-woven or peel-and-stick are the best choices.
For a distinctive, textured, high-end, organic look, yes, if you'll provide the care. Grasscloth and natural wallpapers (from grasses, jute, or bamboo) add warmth, depth, and a premium, sophisticated feel. However, they're delicate, harder to clean, moisture-sensitive, and require careful installation (seams show), and they cost more. For a luxurious, textured look in lower-traffic, dry areas like living rooms or bedrooms, grasscloth delivers, though it needs care.
For renters, DIY, temporary changes, and accent walls, yes. Peel-and-stick is self-adhesive and removable, easy to install (no paste) and remove cleanly without damage, making it beginner-friendly and flexible. It's more forgiving than traditional wallpaper, though it may be less durable and premium-looking than some types, and quality varies. For flexibility, rentals, or an easy accent wall, peel-and-stick offers wallpaper's look with far easier installation and removal.