Choosing the Best Wall Finish for Your Home

Photo: American Clay

From practical to fanciful, wall coverings have long been a prominent feature in design choices and building practices. Today, when we visit a design showroom with so many selections literally at our fingertips, we don’t often think about how these choices originated (or survived) to this day and age. But the factors for choosing one finish over another remain the same; aesthetics, expense, labor, availability and sustainability.  

Paint

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Paint remains the most popular choice for finishing walls. It can be budget friendly, and is generally considered quick and easy to obtain, apply and clean. A few hundred years ago, painting a room was a more meticulous, multi-step process. Pigments were mixed on site in small batches and then rolled onto the wall.  While there have been vast improvements in creating healthier products that resemble more historic versions, paint is often less organic than other wall coverings, not only during manufacturing, but post consumption.  The cost of a gallon of latex paint averages $15-$50 per gallon and labor typically averages around $5 per square foot. 

Wallpaper

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Wallpaper has been around for centuries. As early as 200 BC, Chinese glued rice paper depicting characters and scenery to their walls. In 15th Century Europe, block printed wallpaper was a less expensive alternative to carved panels and fine tapestries. By the 17th century, Chinoiserie style designs modeled after silks from the Ming Dynasty were popular and in France, they began the practice of “flocking” wallpaper with wool refuse. Beautiful colors and endless patterns are available in wallpaper, and it is experiencing quite a revival of late.  However, the tools are cumbersome, and it is costly to apply. A single wall in the home ranges from $500 to $1,200, with most projects costing between $5 and $12 per square foot for labor.

Venetian Plaster

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Venetian Plaster is a luxurious wall finish with a seamless, glossy surface and polished feel. It is formed by layering plaster mixed with lime, marble dust or other additives and then burnished. Venetian plaster offers timeless design even though it is a centuries old technique. Using natural ingredients, Venetian plaster is beautiful and sustainable, but a skilled artisan should install it. It is expensive as well as labor intensive, with installation estimates of $10 to $20 per square foot. 

Porcelain Tile

Photo: Freepik

Porcelain tiles are an appealing choice for any space and have become popular for a dramatic accent or highlight in the home. Technology has contributed to the wide range of tile effects now available, including marble effect, wood effect and concrete effect. These porcelain “lookalikes” replicate the look of natural materials and have the benefits of porcelain, making them suitable for wet areas such as the bathroom. They are easy to maintain, but installation may be time-consuming, messy and labor expenses can vary from $10 to $50 per square foot. 

Natural Earth Plasters

Photo: Courtesy of American Clay

Boasting the lowest carbon footprint per pound of any other wall finish, natural earth plasters have been used throughout history, and across the globe.  Natural plasters are a healthy alternative to other wall finishes and date back as early as 7500 BC, in Jordan. Egyptians, Greeks, English, and Romans continued the practice, adding various touches to their mud, such as lime, gypsum, straw, sticks, marble sand, and animal hide hair.  

Natural earth plasters and pigments are still sourced from nature and the application methods are much as they were at the beginning, evolving from the past and forging the future of sustainability. Not only are the plaster colors and finishes beautiful and organic, but they are also reasonably priced, earth-friendly, durable, repairable and timeless. The labor estimate for applying earth plasters is typically around $2 to $7 per square foot but can go up to $10 or $15 for more complicated or highly artistic or unique projects. 

Choosing the right finish for your home’s walls is a matter of not only personal preference, but time, expertise and budget as well. And with so many options to choose from, it is worth the effort to do your research and weigh the options before making a decision. Ultimately, a well-chosen finish will ensure that your walls not only look great but also stand the test of time.

Jenny Russell is the Sales, Marketing & Design Director at American Clay, whose natural earth plaster products offer a healthy and creative solution for beautiful interiors. View their profile or contact Jenny at 866-404-1634.

Content for this article provided by American Clay.