Choose what to make walls in the kitchen

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Attractiveness and originality of a simple kitchen can add its walls, trimmed with various finishing materials.

When choosing decoration materials for a living room, bedroom or a nursery, the decorative component often becomes the main criterion. Of course, the practical side of the issue is also important, but, often, for the sake of external attractiveness, some technical qualities can be sacrificed. The kitchen is quite another matter. Conventional materials will not work here, and preference is usually given to practical, but not always attractive finishes.

In this article, we will talk about how to make walls in the kitchen, and describe in detail how to combine the notorious business with pleasure.

How we want to see our kitchen

Brick wall decoration of the kitchen is suitable for some modern interior styles, but certainly not suitable for the classic design

If you discard the decorative side, then the question of how to make the walls in the kitchen disappears automatically. We simply paint the walls with the most powerful and lasting paint and all problems are resolved (seePaint for walls in the kitchen: which one to choose) But what about when you want to make your kitchen not only practical, but also attractive, because it is here that many housewives spend most of their day.

The choice of finishing materials for this truly complex room is very important, and at first glance, the problem seems unsolvable, but this is far from the case.

And before moving on to the question of how best to make walls in the kitchen, let's figure out what qualities finishing materials should have:

• Resistance to water procedures. Pollution of the walls in the kitchen is inevitable even for the most accurate housewife, and it is necessary that the finish is resistant to washing, and sometimes detergents containing strong solvents or alkalis.
• Smells - Permanent companions of any kitchen, and even in the presence of the most powerful extract, they will gradually begin to soak into the walls, and it will be impossible to remove them from some materials. In most cases, this applies only to finishes made from natural materials, such as wood, so they require additional protection.
• Vapor permeability. The quality that all finishing materials should be possible, but for the kitchen this indicator is especially important, because due to constant temperature changes, condensation begins to form on the walls, and it needs to evaporate so as not to grow into fungus or mold.
• The possibility of quick restoration. Repair in the kitchen is largely complicated by the fact that all the furniture is almost immovable: the equipment is built-in, and there are many hinged elements. That is why, the possibility of partial restoration of the coating is so important. In this case, it is not necessary to completely redo the repair, but it will only be sufficient to replace damaged modules.
• Price. The factor is relevant not only for the kitchen, but also for the whole house. High-quality finishing materials do not have to cost fabulously expensive. Knowing all the subtleties and nuances, it is possible to choose a type of finish that your even the most modest budget will allow itself.

So, we figured out the quality indicators, but this has not brought us closer to the question of what walls to make in the kitchen, so let's conditionally divide all the materials into two categories.

Natural materials

Ceramic tiles on the walls of the kitchen, it is almost a classic, it is practical, and a large selection of colors and patterns allows you to create a beautiful and original interior

Choosing what to do in the kitchen with walls, many prefer natural materials. It is believed that they are better and more durable, but, unfortunately, this is not always the case, and for example, a tree in its pure form will not tolerate a difficult kitchen atmosphere, although if it is correctly applied with impregnations and antiseptics, it can also be used.

So, let's figure out which walls are best done in the kitchen using only natural materials:

• Wooden lining. Choosing what is the best way to make the walls in the kitchen, many prefer this option. There are no artificial components, and the whole finish will take a special look. But there are a number of difficulties that must be taken into account, since a tree in its pure form is subject to the influence of many negative factors.
• Ceramic tile. Material known for many decades. Once, there simply was no alternative to it, but even today the tile continues to be popular and all thanks to its durability and ease of care. Ceramics are not afraid of any impact at all, and even mechanically damaging the tiles is not so simple.
• Brick siding. In fact - this is a new look for ceramic tiles, but it differs from it in the way of installation. The siding is going to a special crate, and not to glue, so it can be used on walls that have been built recently and have not yet had time to give natural shrinkage. The only drawback of this material is its high cost, but if you are looking for how to beautifully make the walls of the kitchen and are not constrained by the means, then this is exactly what you need.

Advice! If, when planning repairs in the kitchen than making walls, you prefer clinker siding, hang it only on a metal crate. Based on the life of this material, the wood crate will become unusable much earlier than the finish itself.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper on the walls of the kitchen is a rarity, which is gaining popularity every year, as modern wallpapers are created very strong and moisture resistant, which is necessary for the kitchen

We intentionally moved the wallpaper to a separate section, since the concept is very extensible and generalized. Previously, there was only one option - paper-based wallpapers. They could not be washed and they were very afraid of temperature changes, but the technology does not stand still, and modern manufacturers offer a wide range of different wallpapers that differ in price and quality.

It:

• Cork Wallpaper. Natural material with unique quality characteristics. Cork wallpapers calmly tolerate contact with water and do not absorb odors. In addition, they have high vapor permeability and they do not need additional protection.
• Fiberglass wallpaper. This kind of finish is not afraid of any impact at all, be it temperature changes or high humidity. Even the contact with solvents of the glass cloth transfers without much difficulty.
• Metallized wallpaper. Choosing what to make walls for the kitchen, be sure to pay attention to this option. These wallpapers have the most extensive set of quality characteristics, which allows their use not only in the kitchen, but also in the bathroom.

In addition, there are also non-woven wallpapers and liquid wallpapers based on paper or silk, but reworking the walls in the kitchen is not often done, since to extend their life, the surface must be additionally protected with special varnishes.

As you can see, the assortment of wallpapers is very extensive, and how the different options will look in the interior of the kitchen is shown in the video in this article.

Advice! The instructions for gluing wallpapers with your own hands, for different types may vary, so before you begin to work, be sure to read the articles on this topic that are on our site.

Artificial Decoration Materials

The photo shows an example of decorating the walls of the kitchen with MDF panels, which looks aesthetically pleasing and quite noble, resembling wood trim, but much cheaper

The category of artificial materials is no less extensive than natural. And often, they have higher quality characteristics. The fact is that the developers, in their manufacture, took into account all the nuances and subtleties of such a complex room, and thanks to this, many, choosing which walls to make in the kitchen, choose artificial decoration rather than natural decoration.

It will take more than one hour to list all types of finishes, and it is simply impossible to display the entire spectrum within one article, so we will focus only on the most popular and sought-after materials today:

• Pvc panels. Determining what the walls of the kitchen are made of, while having a modest budget for repairs, many people prefer this material. Plastic does not absorb water and does not deform due to temperature changes. It does not fade in the sun and is resistant to most known household solvents. The only drawback is the low attractiveness, although the picture on the panels can be selected any, as can be seen in the photo.
• MDF panels. This material is difficult to fully attribute to artificial finishing materials, as these panels are made of sawdust and glue. A texture pattern imitating wood or other natural materials is applied to the surface of the material, and due to the fact that this is primarily an imitation, we included them in this section.
• Vinyl wallpapers. Wallpaper based on plastic is the most optimal and inexpensive option for decorating the kitchen. They can withstand any effects, and also look very attractive. Modern technologies allow you to apply a decorative pattern to vinyl with such care that if they imitate, for example, a cork, only a professional can distinguish it from the original.
• Vinyl siding. Externally, this material resembles clinker siding described above. It has the same fastening system, but unlike ceramics, it is much less attractive. But here it is worth noting the relatively low cost, and if not many can afford ceramic finish, then vinyl siding with imitation of stone or wood will be affordable for almost everyone.

Important! Before you make the walls in the kitchen with vinyl wallpaper, pay attention to their structure. For the kitchen and other complex rooms, manufacturers produce special wallpapers with perforations invisible to the eye. It is necessary for the smooth removal of condensate from beneath the surface, and thus the walls will breathe and mold will not form under the coating.

And in conclusion

Decorating the walls of the kitchen with artificial stone will add coziness and a rustic atmosphere to the interior

Well, we told you what walls can be made in the kitchen. Of course, this is only a brief overview, not covering a tenth of the whole variety of modern finishing materials, but it is enough to understand that the kitchen does not have to be a boring and nondescript room.

Here you can also show your design imagination and create a truly attractive and original interior that will delight you for many years.