Which Wall Mural Material Should I Choose?

All of our wall mural and wallpaper materials are high quality, commercial-grade wall coverings. However, each one has its own unique merits that make it better for certain applications. Refer to the table below to see which of our materials will best fit your space.

Are you looking for a mural with texture?

• Texture hides imperfections in the wall and reduces glare.
• Our Eco Bella™ and Vinyl HD - Texture materials have the most texture of our materials.

Do you want it to look like a photograph or more like a painting?

• Our Eco Bella™, Smartstick®, and Prepasted Wallpaper materials give you the most photo-realistic look because of their smooth surface.
• Our Embellitex™ Canvas material gives you the feel of a painting because it is the same material that many artists use for their paintings.

What is the lighting?

• Our Prepasted Wallpaper, Eco Bella™, Smartstick®, and Vinyl HD - Texture all have a matte finish so there will be minimal glare from windows or other light on the mural.

Does your wall have a texture?

• For lightly textured walls (orange peel, knock-down), we recommend our Eco Bella™ or Vinyl HD - Texture materials. Prepasted Wallpaper and Smartstick® are NOT recommended for walls with texture.
• If you have a heavily textured wall, a wood-paneled wall, a wall made from cinder block, or any other rough surface, we recommend the installation of a 'liner paper', followed by 2 coats of flat latex paint prior to installing your mural. A liner paper is simply blank wallpaper which covers irregularities in the wall surface allowing the wall mural to adhere securely to the textured wall.

Do you need a fire rating?

• All of our materials are fire rated, but they are at different levels. Check your building codes or with your fire department to find out which rating your application requires.
• Our Prepasted Wallpaper, Eco Bella™, Vinyl HD - Texture, and Smartstick®, have a Class A fire rating.

Will children be in contact with the mural?

• For kids' rooms, we recommend our Eco Bella™ material or Prepasted Wallpaper, as they are our most durable options. A protective topcoat may be applied to Prepasted Wallpaper for further protection.

Are you installing the mural in a high traffic area or area where it will need to be cleaned frequently?

• If your mural is going to be in a high traffic area or area where it will need to be cleaned frequently, we recommend our Eco Bella™ material, as it is our most durable option. Our Prepasted Wallpaper, Vinyl HD Texture, and Smartstick® may also be used with the addition of a protective topcoat. Please note that if you choose topcoat for our Prepasted Wallpaper, the removal is not as clean as without topcoat and may cause damage to your wall.

Are you hiring an installer?

• It is common that professional wallpaper installers prefer to work with a wall covering that requires wallpaper paste. Eco Bella™ and Vinyl HD - Texture both require paste and are great options. Prepasted Wallpaper has a water activated adhesive backing and Smartstick® has a sticky backing (no paste). Check with your installer to see what materials they are comfortable installing.

Is the mural a temporary installation?

• Our Smartstick® material is often chosen for temporary applications because it is self-adhesive, so there is no paste to clean up when you remove it.
• Grommets can be added to our Embellitex™ Canvas material, so that you can hang your mural using the grommets, and move it whenever you would like. Just contact an account representative to have grommets added to your canvas mural.

Are you looking for a mural to go on a window or glass surface?

We have three great choices for window and glass applications.

• Our 3M™ Controltac™ Print Film 40C-114R Clear is a near clear print film perfect for interior walls as well as for windows and glass graphics.
• Our 3M™ Controltac™ Print Film 40C-20R Matte White is an opaque white vinyl film perfect for indoor and outdoor signs as well as window graphics.
• Our Frosted Window Film is a DIY friendly, removable and reusable window film that can be used both indoor and out.

We also carry several special order materials that can be found at the bottom of our materials page. Please call 888-558-0279 for more information about these materials.

If you still have questions, please contact us and we can help you choose the material that is best for your home or business.