If you're new to wallpaper products, you may be confused about the residential wallpaper  and commercial wallpaper categories. After all, aren't they all just wallpaper? While both residential and commercial wallpaper are used to add a sense of style to the space, these are two distinct wallpaper products that have many differences. Keep on reading and find out just what they are!

What You Need To Know About Residential Wallpaper

As its name implies, residential wallpaper is suited for home use. Whether you're decorating your bedroom, kitchen, powder room or apartment space, residential wallpaper is the category for you. These wall décor products are generally thinner than its commercial counterpart and have a smaller width, generally around 21". Because of this, residential wallpaper is usually lighter than commercial wallpaper. The major advantage of choosing residential wallpaper is that it features a lot more variety in terms of its image/pattern and colors.

From watercolor and bohemian wallpaper to damask and faux effects, there are thousands of different images and wallpaper designs to choose from! While the purpose of any wallpaper product is to add a stylish look to the space, residential wallpaper takes this to the next level with its varied patterns.

What You Need To Know About Commercial Wallpaper

Commercial wallpaper is the perfect solution for those who need a stylish finish to their commercial space. Whether you're decorating a salon, restaurant, business office, or healthcare facility, commercial wallpapers strike a fine balance between stylishness and functionality.

Commercial wallpapers are generally thicker than residential wallpaper, making them much more durable and able to withstand dents and scratches. These products are created with the intent of using them in public spaces, so that means specific regulations must be followed when they're manufactured. When you look at one of our commercial wallpapers, pay special attention to the Specifications section. It'll list important information, such as fire ratings, chemical resistances, and more.

While commercial wallpapers do add a trendy look to the space, there are fewer wallpaper design categories to choose from, with the majority of products falling into categories such as textures and geometric. Wallpaper image scale tend to favor small to mid-sized patterns.

Choosing Between Residential and Commercial Wallpaper

If you're currently thinking about choosing wallpaper for your space but you don't know which product category is better for you, here are some questions you can ask yourself to narrow down your choices:

Are you working on a contract design project? If your answer is "yes," then your client may be looking for a specific wallpaper type anyway. If not, keep reading!

Is the space you're designing a commercial/public space? When decorating a commercial space, there are stricter regulations as to what type of décor materials are required. Commercial wallpaper are classified as "type II" wallpaper, meaning they're suitable for higher traffic areas, whereas residential wallpaper is "type I," more appropriate for lower traffic areas. At Walls Republic, we've also categorized our wallpaper into different commercial applications, so be sure to check those out. If the space you're designing falls into one of those, you can start your wallpaper search there!

Is wallpaper durability an important feature for you? If your answer is yes, consider commercial wallpaper. Not only is it thicker, many commercial wallpaper products these days are treated with a special Bio-Pruf surface that mitigates the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria. This doesn't mean that residential wallpaper is fragile, but since commercial wallpaper is thicker, it can withstand more bumps and dents. For regular, low to mid traffic areas, residential wallpaper is perfectly fine.

Is choosing a wallpaper pattern/color important to you? Then your best bet is residential wallpaper. Commercial wallpaper just can't match all of the different designs and styles you can find with residential wallpaper, since commercial products are made with public use in mind. If getting an on-trend, stylish look through wallpaper designs is what you're looking for, residential wallpaper is the way to go. That's not to say commercial wallpaper isn't stylish, but this category features fewer imagery, and emphasizes textural and small-scale designs.

Can you use commercial wallpaper in your home/residential space? Absolutely! Just because it's called "commercial" wallpaper doesn't mean you can't install it in your own home (Psst, we wrote an entire article about it called, Using Modern Commercial Wallpaper In Residential Spaces). Actually, there are many benefits of using commercial wallpaper products in your home, but we won't spoil it for you – just check out the article!

Are you still confused as to which product is better for your design project? Not a problem! Our in-house design team and sales staff are at the ready. Feel free to contact us if you have more questions.

Residential Wallpaper vs. Commercial Wallpaper

When comparing residential and commercial wallpaper, there are many things to keep in mind, such as the durability, variety of wallpaper patterns, usage, and other additional benefits. Once you know what type of wallpaper you want to use, exploring the different colors and patterns is part of the fun in decorating your space. 

Walls Republic Interior Design Blog - DESIGN ADVICE

DESIGN ADVICE is where you can learn more about wallpaper - how to use certain colours, wallpaper designs perfect for smaller spaces, what do wallpaper symbols mean, and so much more. Our goal is to help you understand everything there is to know about wallpaper products. If you have a particular wallpaper topic or product you want us to write about, let us know in the comments below.

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