Hardwood Wall Coverings

The walls of your house can speak volumes about your life; they describe your personality and exhibit a lived-in appearance. They play a major role in your room's decoration, plus it piles on the renovation cost. Therefore, making the wrong decision might cost you an arm and a leg in the long run.

Depending on how you deem fit, there is numerous wall covering styles that you can choose from. However, we shall be discussing hardwood coverings, and what you ought to look out for during, and before the installation process.

In addition to that, we will familiarize you with turnkey products, coupled with new and affordable technologies; which will give your wall covering a captivating and professional appearance. Not to mention, they will also be of high quality, and cheap to install -as the estimated cost results on a DIY budget.

How to Prepare

Before getting to work, it is considered best practice to place a rag –or perhaps some newspapers- on the floor. Also, you may want to put some tape on the areas you don’t intend to paint or renovate. Be sure to remove the old paint from your walls.

Once that is done, sand the wall’s surface using 220 grit sandpaper. However, only do this if the surface is rough. If the wood you are using has some imperfections such as holes or cracks, be sure to fill them using wood filler (paintable wood filers are sold in most hardware shops).

Essential Aspects of Using Hardwood on walls

Hardwoods are the most commonly used materials for flooring. However, it can also be used on walls; as they are durable and are easy to stain and paint. They tend to have a fine finish, which is easy to seal using protective coatings. To add to that, using hardwood on walls exposes you to a wide variety of creative patterns and colors.

Below are some factors to consider during the installation process:

1. Estimate and Determine the Height

It is considered best practice to decide on how high you intend to run your wood since it helps determine the walls’ layout. A cheap and straightforward way of doing this is by running the panel from your ceiling to your floor.

Alternatively, you may opt to stack the wood on top of the baseboard (which is a wooden board covering the lowest section of the interior wall) towards the ceiling. Depending on which method you intend to use, ensure that you have determined the height before kicking off the project.

2. Getting the Right Positioning

The woods arrangement is crucial as it prevents wastage of the materials used. Having the right layout is a great advantage particularly if you are working with kited materials at your disposal. An amazing and easy way of determining the layout is by running the wood horizontally, vertically, and diagonally; to determine which arrangement works best for you.

Where necessary, reduce or add the length. Attempt all possible patterns with the pieces of wood you have. Also, you may want to use different lengths of wood to create random sequences and patterns. Doing this will give your house a professional, yet enchanting appearance.

3. Planks verses Tongue-and-Groove

The floating format is commonly used in the flooring industry. This is where the tongue-and-groove hardwoods are positioned together. Then they are put in a manner in which they appear to be floating on the subfloor. A unique aspect of this layout is that the wood is not glued or nailed together. Rather, they are merely in contact with each other.

It is worth noting that this format can’t be installed on a wall. However, you may choose to use this concept. In this regard, be sure to maintain a gap of ¹/₈ inches near visible borders. This will facilitate expansion and caulk for the joints.

In addition to that, plank formats that run from the floor to the ceiling require slight spacing between wooden pieces. These are also used to facilitate and enable expansion at the edges.

4. The Installation Process

Various factors determine the installation process. These range from the wood you are using, to your personal preference. However, bear in mind that virtually all types of hardwood planking can be directly glued onto drywall. Nailing or screwing the wood into place is also a suitable alternative.

If you happen to be dealing with thick wood, you can install them on layers of glue, (or screwed) plywood. Alternatively, you can use the wall studs for anchorage and support.

Wood Paneling Styles to Consider

Gone are the days of dreary, dark, and laminate-covered sheets of plywood. When installed by a professional and experienced contractor, wood coverings adopt an attractive appearance. Therefore, read on to familiarize yourself with two posh, yet modern coverings.

1. Shiplap

This style gives your house an authentic and refreshing appearance; exactly what every homeowner wants. The woods are placed horizontally. The grove boards are tightly positioned together to make them waterproof (note that due to this feature, this covering is commonly used in the exterior of houses).

2. Broad and Batten

What distinguishes this covering from the rest is that it gives your house a three-dimensional texture, as it adds a touch of sophistication. In addition to that, you can have them in whatever color you want. Therefore, this gives you the option of keeping it simple.

If you maintain it well, the covering can last you a lifetime. However, do note that it was initially used as an exterior covering.

Things to consider

When painting, do not add too many coats. Some wood panels tend to absorb too much paint to the point that it begins to pull apart from itself. However, if this happens, you can easily put it back together using glue. To avoid any imperfections, be sure to get in touch with a professional and licensed contractor who will help you with the installation process. This will help you save a lot of money; plus, they will be able to plaster a smile on your face due to a job well done.