In addition to wallpaper and plaster, wall trims are among the most popular wall coverings. But how do you lay trims correctly? In this article, we will show you how to properly attach wooden panels and give your living space a cozy atmosphere.
Wall paneling with moldings has many advantages. In addition to the naturally warm appearance, there are other practical reasons to lay wood panels. Behind the wall cladding, for example, you can hide interfering cables and pipes. You can also make unevenness and damaged areas in the plaster disappear behind the cladding.
If you want to insulate a room afterwards, the installation of panels is ideal for this. With simple means, you can apply insulation material between the wall and the cladding and thus reduce heat loss. This can save a lot of heating costs in the long term. Depending on the size of the room and the insulation properties of the insulating material, the renovation work with wall cladding can pay for itself within a few years. In order to save further heating costs, you can reduce the ceiling with the installation of ceiling panels.Likewise, the use of panels can contribute to sound isolation and isolate sound sensitive rooms from unpleasant noises.
If you want to install the moldings yourself, you will need some extra adhesive glue and a pneumatic nailer. Any brand of glue will do its job well, so you don’t have to worry about getting a wrong glue for moldings. Just make sure that you have one of the best nailers, because cheaper one isn’t very reliable and often have issues with jams.
You should make sure that the surface is clean, dry and strong enough to hold the real wood panels. The surface should optimally not have too large differences in thickness (up to 1 inch per meter). If the ground is slightly uneven, you can use the eight included wood washers to level out. The adhesive tape is suitable for all surfaces and connects the panels firmly to the wall thanks to its high bond strength.
To fix the panels later, we first have to install a substructure. For this we use a simple wooden batten, which is screwed vertically with dowels in the wall. The individual struts should be mounted at a distance of approx. 20″. If you decide for an insulation, in addition a so-called counter battens is necessary. The slats are later screwed horizontally with the vertically extending slats and thus form a grid. The counter battens create a larger space between the wall and the panels, into which the insulation is later introduced. With a spirit level you can check the construction and readjust if necessary. The strength of the insulation determines the depth of the battens.
Step 1. If you have chosen insulation, insert the insulation material between the construction and the wall. Then a PE film is placed over it and glued to the wall on all sides. The counter battens are mounted over the insulation and the foil. When choosing the insulation material, you can use organic or mineral materials that are not prone to mold and rot.
Step 2. In the next step, the recesses for light switches and sockets are introduced into the panels. With a hole drill or a jigsaw, the recesses can be easily cut into the panels. Since the switches and sockets would sit too low when the panels are mounted, you will need cavity wall boxes to get the electrical installations flush with the new wall cladding. Now attach the moldings to the walls with a brad or finish nailer. You can also use framing nail gun as well, but you will have to use wood putty then.
Step 3. The panels are now attached to the substructure. Before installation, it is recommended that the panels be stored in the room for one to two days so that the material can get used to the room climate. The wooden panels are attached to the structure by means of fastening clamps. The edge panels should be fixed at a distance of about 2″ to the wall so that the wood has enough room to expand. This applies to all edges of the construction. The wooden panels are fixed by inserting the spring into the groove of the previous panel. On the groove side, a clamp is then used again. Think about the side on which the tail is located. The final panel usually has to be trimmed to the correct width to completely cover the wall. In the final step, the end strips are installed with which the expansion joints are covered. With this principle, the installation of wood panels is uncomplicated and quickly done.
Some wall panels can also be glued. For this, the wall must be prepared. All unevenness, holes and cracks must be closed or repaired beforehand. On the underside of the wall, chocks are first attached so that the bottom panel is at a distance from the ground. The assembly adhesive is now applied vertically in strands with a distance of about 10 cm. The panel is then placed on the chock and pressed against the wall. After about 10 to 20 minutes, the glue has dried and you can continue to the next panel.