DIY: Wood Paneling
By installing wood paneling on your walls, you will add beauty and value to your home. Wood paneling adds a look of richness and texture to plain walls, and comes in a variety of styles and colors. Bead board paneling is popular in bathrooms and kitchens, and dark wood paneling is popular for libraries and studies. If you are capable of basic carpentry, you can install wood paneling on your walls without hiring a professional. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Straight edge
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Paneling
- Paneling adhesive
- Paneling nails
- Molding
- Baseboard trim
- Level
- Stain or Paint
- Paint roller
- Paintbrush
- Sawhorse
- Hammer
- Circular saw
- Studfinder
- L-shaped corner molding and cove molding
- Wood putty
- Putty knife
- Sandpaper
Instructions
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1
Stain or paint the wood paneling pieces, along with the baseboard trim and molding. This will be much easier than doing so after the paneling has been installed. Place each piece on a sawhorse and use a paint roller to paint or stain the panels and a paintbrush to paint or stain the molding. Let the paint or stain dry for two full days before proceeding.
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2
Mark a line on the wall with a pencil and straight edge where the top edge of the paneling will sit on the wall to use as a guide. Be sure to leave enough room at the top for the molding. Hold a level against the mark to make sure it is level.
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3
Run a stud finder along the wall to find the studs. Mark the location of the wall studs above the line for the top edge of the paneling with the pencil so you can use these as guides.
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4
Install the first panel at a corner of the room; put an "S" pattern of adhesive on the back of the paneling with the caulking gun. Place the paneling against the wall and apply pressure to adhere it. Hammer paneling nails into the paneling where the wall stud is located.
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5
Continue to install the paneling in this manner, cutting pieces to fit with a circular saw. When cutting, always cut from the backside of the paneling.
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6
Install the molding on top of the paneling by hammering paneling nails through the molding and into the wall studs. Install the baseboard at the bottom of the paneling and hammer it in place with the paneling nails, hammering into the wall studs. Install cove molding and L-shaped outside corner molding to the outside corners hammering paneling nails into the molding where the wall studs are located.
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7
Fill the nail holes with wood putty using a putty knife, sand when dry and touch up with paint and a paintbrush.
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References
- Photo Credit panel image by Dave from Fotolia.com
