Everything You Need to Know About Wall Paneling

Before choosing any paneling style or type, you should keep in mind the multiple aspects such as wainscotting vs. full wall, scale, pattern, paint color, sheen, stain, trim work, wallpapering, etc.

• Full Paneling Or Wainscotting

The most important factor to consider is finalizing the full wall-length paneling or wainscotting. In full wall-length paneling, the entire wall is covered with panels of any design and type. In wainscotting, half of the wall is covered with panels, and the rest of the portion is covered with contrasting paint or wallpaper. Both these designs fabricate an elegant and decent wall appearance due to their unique texture. Now, you can opt for any way of paneling following your wall specifications.

• Consider Pattern & Scale

The next significant aspect to analyze is the patterns and scales of the panels. Before choosing any pattern or scale, you should know the dimensions of your walls. If it has small surfaces, you should choose a pattern and scale that can easily be designed on the wall without maximum cutting. Because extensive cutting of panels on small-sized walls can give an awkward appearance. Moreover, it will take more time to install panels due to extra cutting and work. However, for large surface areas, you can choose panels with lengthy patterns or scales.

• Incorporating Trim Work & Wallpaper

While designing the final layout, you should consider the necessary trim work for baseboards, moldings, chair rails, electrical boards, windows, or doors. You should consult with your designer to leave all this space in the final design and drafting to avoid any inconvenience. In addition, if you want to utilize the wainscoting paneling style, you should also leave the top space for wallpaper. By considering all these aspects, trimmed panels can be easily installed on the wall without any space and fixing errors.

• Appropriate Color, Stain, Or Sheen

In paneling ideas, the color, stain, or sheen have significant importance due to their cozy, warmth, and mind-blowing effects. After finalizing the paneling design and style, you should pay attention to choosing the appropriate color, stain, or sheen finish. Always consider the stain or color that can bold your overall surface texture with a modern ambiance. Moreover, you can also put high-quality sheen such as satin or semi-glass for a final finishing touch.

Different types of paneling ideas can be used to decorate the walls in entryways, living rooms, mudrooms, bedrooms, hallways, home offices, or dining rooms. Beadboard, shiplap, drop siding, board-and-batten, V-groove, 3D, and rustic planking are the most popular wall paneling types.

• Beadboard

In beadboard paneling, the wooden strips of 2 ½ inches are fixed on the walls with beaded edges. At the joining ends, these strips are molded in curved to form a refined joint. These wooden strips add elegance and decency to your wall surface. The beadboard strips are crafted in a wide range of thicknesses & styles per your preferences.

• Shiplap

The most popular paneling type is mostly utilized on outside walls. In this paneling type, long horizontal boards of concrete or wood are installed on the wall with little space of ⅛ inch between them. In this type, mostly MDF boards are used with nickel spacing.

• Drop Siding

Drop Siding is also another version of shiplap but in this paneling type, we vertically used wooden boards instead of horizontal patterns. The space between these boards is left for water shedding and also covered with beads of variable thickness.

• Board And Batten

In board and batten paneling type, we cover the joints of the large board with long narrow strips on the wall. These strips are crafted with wood to get a layered and geometric effect on the wall surface. This textured design can enhance the ambiance of the wall interior with vertical patterns of strips and grooves.

• V-Groove

This paneling type also resembles some other styles such as board batten and drop siding. But in this type, periodically placed grooves have V-shaped textures and appearances. The wooden strips of variable thickness are joined together in the tongue and groove method. The groove areas can be colored with some contrasting paint colors to enhance the outlook.

• Rustic Planking

In this type, an ancient wall look is crafted by fixing the rustic or nailed-up wooden planks. This classical wall finish is most commonly utilized on the farmhouse walls. The sharp edges of planks are trimmed to get a complete rustic or barn appearance. We can also paint these wooden planks with multiple colors to create a final finish following your rooms’ decor.

• 3D Wall Paneling

Nowadays 3D paneling has gained extensive popularity due to its eye-catching wall designing outcomes. In this type, walls are attired with decorative geometric, brick, and abstract patterns to enhance the wall visibility in multi-dimensions. This paneling type offers great resistance against weather conditions.

Taking measurements of walls for panels requires functional expertise. With the help of tape measure, you can take the precise measurements (length or width) of your wall and panels. Measure accurate wall panel width and wall’s length to calculate the total panels required. However, the length of each panel will same as the total length of the wall. In this way, you will get an appropriate estimate for the number of panels required for the desired wall area.

How To Measure For Wall Panels?

To cut the wall panels, we use different types of tools such as circular saws. Before cutting the panels, you should have precise measurements to avoid inconvenience and material waste. It must be ensured that you have left ¼ inches extra on each side because panels can expand in case of temperature or humidity changes.

How To Cut PVC Wall Panels?

The most significant step in paneling the walls is to fit panels to the wall with a specific adhesive material. Before fitting the panels, make sure that the wall surface is smooth and dents or spots-free. If the wall surface is rough or has dents, try leveling it using high-quality compounds for accurate finishing.

How to Fit Wall Panels?

Common wall trim types are chair rail, wainscoting, crown molding, baseboards, quarter round, picture rail, window, and door casing. Wall trims are usually used to create a well-defined look & finishing touch. These trims are available in variable sizes and thicknesses to fit perfectly against wall surfaces. Always choose the perfect type of panel trim that can complement the wall color, style, and size (length and width).

How To Choose Wall Panel Trims?

The cleaning of wall panels is not a difficult DIY project because panels provide a plain surface for easy cleaning and maintenance. We have enlisted all the steps to assist you in this DIY project.

• To wipe the dirt particles from the wall surface, you can simply use a clean fiber cloth with gentle pressure.
• After removing the dust ingredients, you should make a solution of dishwashing soap or detergent with clean water in the required concentration.
• Soak the cloth or foam in this solution and gently apply it on the panels to remove the sticky spots or stains.
• Don’t apply excessive pressure on the panels because it can scratch them due to high resistance.
• After cleaning with detergent solution, you should utilize the vinegar solution to restore the shine by eliminating the residual content of the detergent solution.

• Easy Maintenance

Due to the plain and slippery surface, wall panels resist the micro dust particles and stains. However, you can easily wipe the spills and dust particles from their surface with a clean wet cloth.

• Aesthetic Values

Besides functional aspects, modern wall paneling ideas enhance the elegance of your walls. The stylish strips or borders can boost the ambiance of walls due to eye-catching texture and colors.

• Multiple Design Options

With hundreds of innovative designs and patterns, you can install these panels in a modern way. Choose a design option that can complement your interior in color and patterns.

• Budget-Friendly

Wall panels are available in endless customized designs from simple to more adorable. You can choose any paneling material and accessorizing per your specified budget and personalization.

• Structural Support

Along with aesthetic outputs, these panels also provide precise structural support to the walls due to their composition of heavy-duty and long-lasting materials.

• Wall Insulation

Another highlighted feature of these wall decorative panels is their unique wall insulation. These panels craft an insulated layer between the wall and the interior space to regulate the heat inside the room.