What can be used to decorate the walls in the kitchen, besides wallpaper and tiles?

For a long time, the walls in the kitchen were decorated only with tiles or wallpaper, but nowadays there are quite a few alternative cladding options for this functional room. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let us dwell in more detail on the various types of such materials.

The most stringent requirements are imposed on the finishing materials used during the renovation work in the kitchen. First of all, they must be resistant to high humidity. In Soviet times, the walls were covered with oilcloth, but such material did not allow air to pass through at all, which led to a significant deterioration in the microclimate in the room. Oilcloth was replaced by washable wallpaper, but they turned out to be extremely short-lived.

All this led to the fact that ceramic tiles took the lead among all finishing materials. This material is dense, durable, can be easily washed from all types of contaminants, does not deteriorate under the influence of acid-alkaline solutions, and also restrains the spread of fire in the event of a fire. Despite its many advantages, tiles have a very serious drawback - the materials are quite expensive, and their installation requires certain skills and work experience, and it takes a lot of time.

In conditions of limited budget and time, you can replace the tile with other wall decoration options:

• staining;
• clapboard cladding;
• use of plastic panels.

And also often, instead of tiles, decorative plaster is used, and when arranging an eco-house, they resort to fiberboard and lining.

It is worth considering each alternative separately in order to better understand, evaluate and, possibly, choose the one that suits you.

For painting the walls in the kitchen, only waterproof paints are used, most often water-based paints - such compositions have no chemical smell, dry very quickly, and are quite cheap.

When paint is applied, water evaporates very quickly from the applied layer, but the coating does not create obstacles to the penetration of steam and air, due to which the walls can "breathe". One of the most popular types of water emulsion is antibacterial paint. As a rule, it is available in a white shade, but you can get any desired shade if you add the desired color tint to the paint. This paint contains silver oxide, due to which it acquires fungicidal properties. In addition, if you cover the walls with such paint, the color remains for a very long time, without delaminating or cracking.

There are also disadvantages. The most unpleasant of them is that if a stain appears on such a coating, it will be impossible to wash it off. In this case, you will have to repaint the entire wall.

Naturally, we are talking about decorative plaster. Decorative properties are given to it by additional components - sawdust or stone chips. The advantages of such coverage include the following features:

• ease of application;
• versatility - the surface for processing can be absolutely any (concrete, stone, wood or metal);
• when applying plaster, a seamless surface is formed;
• the embossed coating does not require preliminary leveling of the walls to an ideal state, since it is able to hide all their minor defects;

• plaster consists of environmentally friendly components;
• the material can withstand elevated temperatures up to 70 degrees - this is very important in the kitchen, especially if the owners cook a lot;
• the coating is resistant to fire;
• plaster is an environment in which fungi and mold do not grow.

Wood is an environmentally friendly natural material with a warm soft color and noble texture. It is noteworthy that wood has the ability to regulate the level of humidity in the kitchen, while allowing air to pass through well, and if it is treated with special water-repellent compounds, the lining becomes also hygroscopic.

To decorate the kitchen, they traditionally use lining made of alder, cedar, linden, and also oak. Coniferous materials that have a pleasant aroma and at the same time emit phytoncides with pronounced antibacterial properties are in high demand.

The disadvantage of lining is its high cost and low fire resistance.

This is a popular material, better known as PVC panels, which in most cases are sold in stores in the form of rectangular strips with different length and width parameters.

The panels can be fixed directly to the walls (if they are smooth) or to an installed frame. The material is moisture resistant, it is easy to clean it if dirt and grease gets on it. The panels do not conduct electricity, so behind them you can do the wiring for lighting the kitchen or household appliances.

Not without its drawbacks. So, upon impact, the plastic can break, and under the influence of elevated temperatures, the panels are deformed.

Low-quality panels often give off an unpleasant odor.

In addition, you can decorate the walls in the kitchen with marble tiles, MDF panels, as well as wall linoleum - a material that is still little known to the Russian consumer.

See below for more details.