Types and main stages of wallpapering on the balcony with your own hands

Repair is an important undertaking that must be approached with all responsibility. And so that the process of interior renovation does not drag on for many years, it is important to carefully think through all its stages, from choosing a style to purchasing suitable building materials. This applies even to such seemingly insignificant corners of the apartment as the balcony.

The importance of quality repairs on the balcony should not be underestimated. After all, this room can be used for a variety of purposes - as an office, storage for seasonal clothes or seams, a recreation area or an apartment mini-garden. In all cases, you can carry out proper insulation and beautiful cosmetic repairs easily and with your own hands, without the help of professionals.

As for the choice of materials for the interior decoration of the balcony, you will have to think carefully. The fact is that not every material is able to withstand the conditions that are usually created in this room. But is it really that complicated? Is it really impossible to take the simplest route and buy a couple of rolls of ordinary wallpaper? This is what we will talk about in today’s article.

Is it possible to glue wallpaper on the balcony?

The popularity of wallpaper is due to the fact that it is a fairly cheap finishing material , which has a huge range of colors, patterns and textures . Plus, almost anyone can handle wallpapering. Having conquered living rooms, bedrooms and children's rooms, wallpaper will be quite appropriate on the balcony, but if certain conditions are met:

• the balcony or loggia is glazed. Even if the wallpaper can withstand washing with a damp sponge, it will not survive autumn on an open balcony;
• The balcony is reliably insulated. If the temperature drops below -50C, the finish will soon begin to peel off;
• the walls of the balcony must be carefully leveled;
• The humidity level must correspond to that specified in the operating instructions for a specific type of wallpaper.

Even if all these requirements are met, the operating conditions on the balcony will be more serious than in the room, therefore the highest demands must be made on the quality of the material.

Paper wallpaper on the balcony

It is traditionally believed that paper wallpaper is not the most suitable option for a balcony, since they have many disadvantages:

• they are sensitive to moisture, so if you accidentally forget to close the window during rain and wind, the finish will suffer greatly. And you can’t wash such wallpaper;
• the material fades in the sun;
• the material is sensitive to frost and drafts;
• low durability, within 5-7 years.

On the other hand, if the balcony does not face the south side and is carefully insulated, and you like frequent changes of environment and the problem of regular wallpapering is not a problem for you, then paper wallpaper will do. Just choose a denser and higher quality material - thin, cheap fabrics are clearly not suitable.

Advantages of paper wallpaper:

• low price;
• environmental friendliness;
• huge assortment;
• ease of gluing.

Vinyl wallpaper for the balcony

Vinyl wallpaper does not lose popularity. The outer layer of polyvinyl chloride provides the material with many advantages:

• resistance to moisture, humidity changes, and some types even tolerate washing well;
• huge variety. The front layer can have a relief, thanks to which it perfectly imitates, for example, brickwork or decorative plaster;
• the ability to mask small surface defects;
• resistance to UV rays and abrasion;
• durability;
• The price, although higher than that of paper ones, is still affordable.

among the disadvantages , but when it comes to a balcony, where ventilation is not a problem, then this disadvantage can be written off. When gluing, the canvas may swell a little, making it more difficult to join the seams. Some types of wallpaper emit a specific smell at first, but it quickly disappears.

Color solution

Beige

A practical and versatile color that is suitable for interior decoration in any style and for different areas. Beige walls will not hide the space, but, on the contrary, will visually add to it.

The color matches any shade of furniture and textiles; a duo of a white wrought-iron coffee table and chairs and a compact wenge-colored sofa will look equally harmonious on the balcony. Beige color can be in classic wallpaper, bamboo or cork.

Brown

Warm, rich color will look good in spacious, well-lit balconies and loggias.

Brown color can be combined with other wallpaper or decorative elements, such as contrasting light moldings.

The photo shows a loggia decorated with wenge-colored bamboo wallpaper. The canvases are glued in a chaotic order and highlighted with white moldings.

Burgundy

Wallpaper can be plain, with a beautiful pattern or imitation brickwork. The color is bright, suitable for finishing the sunny side.

It can also be used for partial finishing of a room, for example one of the walls.

The photo shows a balcony in oriental style. The decoration is made in bright colors.

Gray

Light gray color brightens the room well, thereby visually making it more spacious. A cool shade is suitable for finishing the south side, where sunlight often falls; it will muffle it a little, refreshing the loggia or balcony.

Gray color is well suited for finishing with imitation of different materials, such as brick, bleached wood or stone.

Greens

Green color will give the freshness that is missing in urban environments. Any shade of green has a beneficial effect on a person’s psychological state, will calm and give a positive mood.

The shade is rich and warm and will look good on balconies with windows facing north. Green color will decorate the room in the form of regular wallpaper or bamboo.

Non-woven wallpaper for the balcony

Non-woven wallpaper, like paper wallpaper, consists of cellulose, but production technology using polymers makes it possible to achieve much higher strength and durability.

Advantages:

• significant thickness, allowing you to hide some imperfections;
• environmental friendliness;
• resistance to sunlight;
• most non-woven wallpaper can be painted, so the balcony interior can be changed literally in a day, without resorting to large-scale alterations;
• Wallpaper often receives a textured surface simulating wood, stone or other materials. They look more interesting than just smooth canvases.

serious disadvantages to wallpaper. You just have to remember that the glue is applied to the walls, not the wallpaper. Wallpaper that is too textured can be damaged faster and accumulate dust, so be careful when choosing.

Wallpapering - main steps

After choosing the finishing material, you can proceed to finishing, following the general sequence of actions. So:

1. The walls must be cleaned with sandpaper so that no dust remains on them.
2. The rolls should be unfolded, if there is a segment on them, measurements should be taken and folded so that the fragments of the joints coincide.
3. You need to apply glue to the canvas and first stick the upper half of the roll from top to bottom, while leveling it with a roller or rag. It is important to ensure that bubbles do not form, otherwise the coating will peel off. In the same way, you need to glue the second half of the sheet.
4. The final step is to smooth the joints with a roller and trim the edge of the finishing material at the bottom of the wall.

When using non-woven wallpaper, glue is applied to the wall.

Glass wallpaper on the balcony

If you consider that glass wallpaper is obtained from molten glass particles, then it is easy to guess that it is a fairly strong and durable material. Fiberglass wallpaper is great for balconies and has many advantages :

• high strength - it will be difficult to scratch them;
• resistance to moisture and washing, even inscriptions made with a felt-tip pen can be erased from the surface;
• environmental friendliness;
• resistance to mold and mildew, which is very important for rooms with a risk of high humidity;
• fire resistance;
• durability up to 30 years;
• possibility to repaint the surface.

The main disadvantage is the price, but looking at all the advantages, we can conclude that it’s worth the extra cash. Removing glass wallpaper will be more difficult than other types of wallpaper. In addition, you will also have to spend money on paint and it is advisable to choose a moisture-resistant material so as not to reduce the main advantage of glass wallpaper to nothing. Paint consumption will be greater than when painting a smooth wall, since the material usually has a characteristic relief.

Using photo wallpaper

Putting photo wallpaper on a balcony is a fairly common design solution. Many people associate this material only with Soviet times. But it remains popular today.

Why are photo panels still used in decoration? There is an explanation for this:

• The material has low cost;

• Photo wallpapers look very unusual and visually expand the room;

• The photo wallpapers themselves are a bright accent, so the room does not need additional decor.

Related article: Converting a balcony into a comfortable room (+35 photos)
There is a wide range of similar materials on the market. There will be no difficulties in choosing the right option. Photo wallpaper will help create the appropriate atmosphere of the tropics, a seaside holiday, a blooming garden or a shady forest alley. To properly use such materials in the interior, you don’t need much effort. The main thing is to maintain the general style of the painting.

To do this, use several techniques:

• placement of similar plants with the image in the room;

• you need to choose furniture in the same style (wicker chairs, glass tables);

• the accompanying finishing should be in the same color scheme as the panel.

There is also a risk of ruining the photo wallpaper. A balcony is a fairly bright place, and constant exposure to rays can lead to fading of the color of the finish. As a result, the picture will fade and the interior will no longer be beautiful. But you can protect yourself from this negative influence.

To do this, the surface of the wallpaper is varnished or high-quality, UV-resistant ink is selected before printing the photo. Such a decorative element will last for many years if the room is insulated and protected from exposure to water.

Do not neglect the price of the product, because due to the fact that photo wallpaper is durable, you don’t have to worry about the appearance of the room.

Liquid wallpaper on the balcony

Liquid wallpaper, if you look at it, is not wallpaper at all, but something like plaster. The material is produced on the basis of cellulose, cotton, silk, adhesives and coloring pigments. Such wallpapers are not glued - they are applied with a spatula, and the final surface resembles plastered or covered with fabric.

Main advantages :

• the surface will not have seams, but they are the weak point of all wallpaper;
• ease of application - no measuring, cutting, diluting glue, etc.;
• ability to mask small surface defects;
• environmental friendliness;
• good thermal and sound insulation performance;
• the ability to combine material of different shades to get an interesting design.

Liquid wallpaper can withstand short-term exposure to high humidity, but it is better to use it in a dry room. When it comes to a balcony, it makes sense to cover the material with a layer of protective varnish. The disadvantages also include the high price and a small variety of colors, but the latter drawback can be easily corrected by combining several wallpaper colors.

Photo wallpaper on the balcony

Photo wallpaper is the best way to make a balcony or loggia visually a little larger. If you use an image with perspective, you will get amazing results. The best results can be achieved if you support the image with decor. For example, if the photo wallpaper shows a staircase, on each step of which there are pots of flowers, then it wouldn’t hurt to put a bright flower on the floor.

The range of photo wallpapers is crazy, but it is possible that you will have to order the material to order, since the balcony wall is quite narrow, and such material may not be available for sale.

Photo wallpaper is a fragile material, so preference is given to those that have at least minimal protection from moisture and fading. After gluing, it is better to protect the finish with a layer of varnish and try not to lean on such a wall.

Finishing an insulated loggia

To keep the room warm, it should be insulated:

This is, first of all, the installation of new generation plastic or wooden windows with double-glazed windows. Install at least three-chamber windows to keep it warm.

Insulation of the wall material itself under the windows. The best option is external insulation with polystyrene foam, for example, so as not to reduce the width of the loggia, which is already small.

You need to insulate the floor and ceiling with the same foam. When merging, many people take the batteries indoors, but this requires a lot of permits and approvals from the relevant authorities.

It’s easier to install a thin heated floor, under the tiles, for example, and turn it on as needed. I have a floor made of heating mats installed.

We turn it on when it is 15 - 20 degrees below zero outside. As it is, there is enough heat from the radiators in the kitchen. The loggia was insulated “conscientiously”, the windows were five-chamber plastic.

If the loggia is insulated according to all the rules and combined with a kitchen or room, then the range of applications for trellises is wider - as in any room of the apartment, that is, almost all types are suitable for decorating a loggia with wallpaper.

Cork wallpaper

Cork wallpaper is perhaps the best option for a balcony. They are made from the bark of the cork tree, which is carefully crushed, pressed, and then applied to a paper base.

Advantages:

• naturalness and environmental friendliness;
• durability;
• resistance to high humidity and temperature changes. The finish becomes even more protected when it is coated with a layer of varnish;
• the material does not absorb odors and does not accumulate static electricity;
• good heat and sound insulation properties;
• bactericidal properties, therefore mold and mildew will not take root on such a finish.

Among the disadvantages, we note the high price and difficulties in gluing associated with the sufficient weight of the material. All cork wallpapers have a brownish-yellowish tint, and this is a little boring - in fact, there is nothing to choose from.

Combination with kitchen

The design of a kitchen with a loggia has several attractive options. These include:

• arrangement of a dining room for family meals;
• placement of a living room for meeting guests and making important decisions;
• you can install a bar counter and use this area as a miniature bar.

The loggia area will be a good help for any kitchen.

Bamboo wallpaper

Bamboo wallpaper is made from bamboo sections; the lamellas are glued to rice paper or fabric. The result is a rather interesting-looking coating that has a lot of advantages :

• environmental friendliness;
• wear resistance;
• pleasant appearance;
• moisture resistance;
• durability up to 35 years.

You will have to glue bamboo wallpaper with a special glue for heavy canvases. Certain difficulties may arise when adjusting the pattern and when cutting the canvas across the slats; only a grinder can save you here.