What To Buy—Peel & Stick Wallpaper Or Contact Paper For Walls?

Uneeb KhanJanuary 13, 20230158 views

Peel and stick wallpaper is almost the same as contact paper. However, the former is a more popular method of decorating walls than the latter. And this popular method is a thin layer of polyester bonded to a backing of vinyl. This feature makes it easy to remove from the wall whenever needed. Moreover, you can apply this type of wallcovering to the walls by easily peeling and sticking.

The significant difference between the two(peel and stick wallpaper and contact paper) is that you can easily remove the former from the wall, which is not the case with the latter.

Peel and Stick Wallpapers have recently gained popularity, just 4-5 years back. But contact paper has been around practically for more than 4-5 decades now. I was in the middle of redoing my bedroom, which got me thinking if peel and stick wallpaper is the same as contact paper. If not, what’s the difference?

After digging some research, I concluded that both wallpapers are similar as both are paper or vinyl-based products with a decorative contact paper front and an adhesive backing. The major difference between them resides in their installation methods. You can paste contact paper on horizontal surfaces and peel and stick wallpaper on vertical surfaces.

But wait, your search continues! Another part of the story tells you about some subtle differences. Continue reading this blog to find out how the two are similar and different, what goes into their making, how efficient their removal is, and how each of them will hold up in a bathroom.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

What is Contact Paper? What is it made of?

Contact paper generally has a strong adhesive on one side and a decorative or patterned print on the other. It’s usually available in roll form, and you often find it in the kitchen area of your local big box store.

Depending on its type, it can be made from a few materials, though vinyl goes into its making most of the time. Vinyl is a concise way to refer to polyvinyl chloride or PVC, a synthetic material made from combining natural gas, petroleum, seawater, oil, and industrial-grade salt. Almost all adhesives used are water-based, so they’re easy to remove, but finding out what goes into their making has been challenging.

Applications Of Contact Paper

You can use self-adhesive paper for many projects around your home, such as covering countertops in the old kitchen with decorative contact paper, etc. Moreover, you can also install window film paper in bathrooms for privacy. Here are a few more tips that tell you how to use contact paper:

Resurfacing furniture, countertops, or other flat surfaces
Providing privacy in a bathroom window
As a backsplash on a bookshelf
Covering old appliances
To create a chalkboard
As a backsplash in your kitchen
On patio doors to keep the scorching sun out or get more privacy.
Refurbish old floors to give them a new look

And much More.

What is Peel and Stick Wallpaper? What is it made of?

Peel and stick wallpaper has an adhesive backing and a paper front, making it possible to hang it without typical wallpaper paste. Its simplicity of installation, affordability and detachable nature has contributed to its popularity in recent years.

Although various sources are available online, you can easily find contact paper in the home decor areas of big box stores.

There are peel-and-stick wallpaper options without PVC, although some contain PVC. Peel and stick wallpaper is unquestionably the way to go (rather than contact paper for walls) if you’re concerned about your environmental effect because it’s significantly better. Visit JamesAndColors immediately to browse their fantastic variety of PVC-free, lead-free, VOC-free, and non-toxic wallpapers!

Applications Of Peel & Stick Wallpaper

Most peel and stick wallpaper serves the purpose of decorating walls, but you can use it in other ways.

As a backsplash on a bookshelf
As a backsplash
On stair risers
On pretty much any vertical surface

Anywhere with a low-traffic area or low-contact surface is a good place to apply peel and stick wallpaper. It wouldn’t hold up well when placed on a floor or a frequently-used shelf, but it’s a terrific choice for enhancing architectural details like nooks, crannies, and ceilings.

Are both waterproof?

Vinyl, the material used to make self-adhesive paper, is entirely waterproof. However, since almost all of the adhesives used to make self-adhesive paper are water-based, any contact with the moisture concealed by the vinyl backing would result in installation failure.

A few people have used silicone caulk to seal the borders of the contact paper to create waterproof installations, but it is a permanent fix for what is often a fairly temporary product.

However, peel and stick wallpaper is not waterproof, though it can only bear a few splashes here and there. If you’re looking to install a waterproof wall covering, peel and stick wallpaper shouldn’t be your first choice.

Wrapping up!

Peel and stick wallpaper and contact paper are very similar but have different uses. However, self-adhesive paper is more versatile and flexible but not environment-friendly. So, while you technically can use peel and stick wallpaper instead of self-adhesive paper, you may find the wallpaper thinner and less durable. After all, we intend it to go on walls, not line your kitchen drawers. In short, you can definitely use contact paper as peel and stick wallpaper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is contact paper the same as peel-and-stick wallpaper?

Well, contact paper and peel-and-stick wallpaper share various attributes that cater to different preferences. Contact paper is material that professionals pre-cut to small sizes. Peel-and-stick wallpaper, however, comes in long sheets of paper that are more challenging to remove. Besides, you can cover an entire wall through it. However, you can find both in peel-and-stick forms.

Which paper caters to long-term solutions?

Peel-and-stick wallpaper caters to long-term solutions as it is stickier and comes in large sheet rolls meant to cover entire walls. It has a longer shelf life as compared to other decorative paper for walls.

Does contact paper peel off easily?

Well, it entirely depends upon the brand you are using. For example, James&Colors wallpapers are easily removable. However, they are highly adhesive. They won’t chip off your existing wall paint.