Steven Pratt, sales manager with Muraspec, Dubai, outlines the advantages that contract wall-coverings hold over other finishes such as paints.

What do you do when your customers cannot come to your showroom? The answer ... you take it to them!

However, when your product is commercial wall-coverings, that is not so easy. Now, Muraspec, one of the UK's top brand and industry leaders, has the solution via 'Muraspec,' a portable showroom concept, using the latest in 3D digital glasses and DVD technology. This is now available on CD-ROM, to be played in your home or office PC, included with this issue. Combining this technology with all original footage, Muraspec has created an unforgettable visual experience that will change your perception of walls forever.

The initial presentation, entitled 'Inspiration' will shortly be followed by further editions, each of which will tackle a different theme or subject. 'Inspiration' shows how Muraspec takes elements from nature, our everyday surroundings, and influences from the modern world, to create unique designs that add function, as well as colour and texture.

In a market traditionally dominated by product samples and binders, Muraspec is setting a new standard in communicating with its customers, a standard that brings the industry into the 21st century, leaving the competition far behind.

Commercial wall-coverings have specific benefits and advantages over other wall finishing products such as paint. With all products by Muraspec manufactured to BS and ISO standards, the client can be sure of consistent service and peace of mind. The most important aspect of any wall-finishing product is that it should be fit for purpose.

All Muraspec wall-coverings are fire-rated to class 0 as defined in the UK building regulations of 1991, and Class 1, according to BSS 476 part 7, both when adhered to a suitable substrate. Certain products in the company's range contain Bio-Pruf, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and micro-organisms such as fungus. Anti-graffiti wall-coverings can be used in restaurants and laboratories, giving a stain-free environment.

Commercial wall-coverings are durable, washable and are inherently much tougher than domestic wallpapers or plain painted surfaces. This, coupled with their excellent low maintenance qualities, makes them highly suitable for all situations.

Benefits of wall-coverings

Many people today use paint as a cheap and effective way to cover walls in their offices or homes, and in hospitals, hotels and other commercial environments. They may not have considered using contract quality wall-coverings, or they may have ruled them out, considering them to be expensive. What some people don't realise is that contract wall-coverings have many practical and aesthetic advantages and are often more cost-effective than paint. Here, Muraspec compares contract wall-coverings to paint, in answer to a few of the questions that your or the end-user may consider when deciding on a wall finish.

Masking poor wall surfaces quickly and cost effectively: In the case of paints, for a smooth, uniform finish, walls need to be in excellent condition. Otherwise, a high level of expensive, time-consuming preparation such as re-plastering or filling the walls is required.

However, many wall-coverings will mask pitted, cracked or bumpy walls completely with minimum preparation. This is due to a combination of a busy design, embossed texture, and often a matt lacquer coating, features only available from wall-coverings. The end result is a pattern and texture that hides imperfections and absorbs the light.

Minimising downtime of the site: Paint remains wet for many hours after application and the walls can be marked even when tacky. Brushing against tacky paint could damage or mark furniture, clothes or equipment. The accompanying strong odour remains for even longer, prolonging the disruption to staff and clients.

For contract wall-coverings, as soon as it is applied, the surface of the wall-covering is dry, so it cannot damage or mark clothing, equipment or furniture. With no long drying times or lingering odours, the room can be used immediately after decoration, keeping disruption to a minimum.

A quality appearance that is easy to clean: The best paint to resist marking, and which is easy to clean is a silk finish. However, silk paint is also very shiny and reflects light and glare, which is a major problem in the working environment, especially where computer screens are in use. A matt paint can be used but this marks very easily and is more difficult to keep clean.

Due to the surface texture and in some cases a matt lacquer coating, contract vinyl wall-coverings are robust and easy to clean, and due to the wide choice of designs, can help to hide wall imperfections, giving an overall better appearance.

A quality appearance that is durable: Knocks to a painted wall will often damage the wall itself, leaving dents or scratches. This can only be effectively remedied by filling the dents and repainting the entire wall, a costly and time-consuming process.

Contract wall-coverings however, resist knocks, protecting the wall from damage and maintaining a high-quality appearance over many years.

High design at a price you can afford: For anything other than a flat plain colour, paint becomes very expensive. Specialist paint finishes such as rag roll and sponging require the skills of expensive experts, or if not applied professionally they can leave a shabby, unsatisfactory appearance. Special paint finishes also take along time to apply, and are difficult to patch up if damaged or marked. Quite often, they cannot easily be cleaned.

Contract wall-coverings come in thousands of different colours and designs (rag roll, sponging, specialist paint effects included) and there is less of a price difference across the range. Large areas can be decorated quickly and provides a tough, damage-resistant finish.

A totally new look, whenever needed: Quite often, paint requires several fresh coats to mask the original colour, especially if painting over a specialist paint finish. The preparation time also needs to be considered.

However, if you change your design scheme, changing your wall-covering could not be easier. Correctly applied to a sound wall, most contract wall-coverings can be stripped off, leaving a surface that requires the minimum of preparation to receive the new wall-covering.

The conclusion is that contract wall-coverings are not only easy to hang, but can also save time and money.

Quicker to apply than ordinary wallpaper, and a shorter downtime with less disruption than paint, wide width contract wall-coverings offer many advantages in durability, washability and coverability, leading to practical and financial benefits, for both you, and your clients.

Further information can be obtained from Muraspec's Dubai office or its website at www.muraspec.comwww.muraspec.com.