I meet a fair number of people who have very strong opinions about commercial vinyl wallcovering. Most of their opinions are very negative. After seeing some of the failures I have seen over the years, I don’t blame them. But, for the most part, these opinions are not very well informed and stem from bad experiences with wallcovering. First, let’s walk through the failures that are common and how to best avoid these.

Peeling

This is probably the most common one and one of the most irritating ones. The seems begin to curl up or simply come loose. Most commercial problems are caused by a poor install where the paste at the seams was too thin or from excessive moisture in the walls. When we are called back for repairs on wallcovering we have installed, we often find moisture in the walls and they are almost always exterior, sun-facing walls.

Moisture buildup in wall cavities is a real problem. When you install vinyl wallcovering on a wall, you are basically coating the wall with plastic and limiting the wall’s ability to breathe. In most modern buildings that were constructed well, you should already have a vapor barrier in the wall, but on the exterior side of the wall. Some builders will add a plastic barrier to the inside of the wall also to help keep moisture out of the wall core. At any rate, you can ensure that your vinyl install doesn’t run into this problem by buying micro-vented vinyl. This is typically an add on feature where the manufacturer vents the vinyl by placing thousands of micro vents (little tiny holes) in the vinyl that allow moisture to freely move through the material.

Bad install can also be an issue. Some installers worry too much about getting paste on the face of the material and, with some materials, this is for good reasons – paste can stain the fabric if it is a more delicate material. In their effort to avoid this, they apply the past too thinly to the edges of the wallcovering. This thinning of the paste can also happen when the vinyl is being wiped down after install. Using too much water can cause the excess to wick up behind the vinyl and thin down the paste. this is sure to cause problems down the road!

The key to peeling problems is to address the peeling quickly. If you pull the seams up and apply a small amount of new paste, you can generally save your existing install and restore it back to like new condition. Waiting will mean the seams might be too rigid or they might get damaged by people rubbing up against them or curious fingers picking at them. As with most things, good maintenance habits will go a long way!

Tearing and Other Damage

Some adherents of wallcovering, especially the manufactures, tout the benefits a little too much. Words like “Durable” or “Tough” are liberally thrown around. They almost make it sound like the material is invincible. The reality is that wallcovering is a bit more durable than paint, but not by much. If you continue reading in the data sheets you will find that scrubbing the surface too hard or with harsh chemicals will damage the ink. I’ve done this myself when trying to remove stains from wallcovering. It is not hard to do, especially with the newer low/no VOC inks in use today.

When vinyl tears (and it will in high traffic areas), it is not easy to repair. Many building owners and manager just prefer to live with the damage. I would caution against this as I think it makes the area look like no one cares and you will see the damaged area to grow and many more to show up. I think the old moniker is at work here, “no one will care unless you do”. Wallcovering is very strong, but is susceptible to damage just like any other material. Repairing it quickly will save you a lot of headaches in the long term.

Now, Should I Use Commercial Vinyl in My Business

If you are prepared to keep up with the occasional repair, I would heartily recommend you use it in your business. The added texture and interest to your walls will be immediately noticeable. People feel more comfortable in a waiting room, lobby, office, or sales floor that has interesting and even soothing walls. As I write this, I am facing a wall with commercial vinyl in my office – the warm colors and interesting textures help focus my thoughts. Paint colors are great at creating a feel in a room, but wallcovering can really knock it out of the park. If you don’t want to commit to a full room, then consider an accent wall or a focal wall. All the fancy places you go use (nicer hotels, upscale restaurants, mall retail stores, etc) it simply because it’s benefits are real. I highly recommend you at least have a discussion about it.