Wood wall paneling is one of the oldest interior designs many believed to be out of vogue. These walls are back, but with a stylish look and modern essence. If you intend to incorporate them into your new home, you must understand the type of wood wall paneling that’ll suit your space.
Shiplap, beadboard, flat panels, tileboard panels, tongue and groove, and raised panels are some types of wood walls paneling. Other types include Board and Batten, Reclaimed Wood, and Horizontal Wood Panels.
Each type has its unique characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. However, they’re all fantastic options for your home’s interior. This piece explores each paneling and gives you suggestions on the most suitable one for you.
Shiplap
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Inexpensive, beautiful, and suitable for any space, shiplap is one of the most common types of wood paneling. Its popularity has escalated in recent years due to its excellent characteristics.
Aside from being a fantastic option for walls, they are easy to install, stain, and paint. In other words, you can design these panels with any color of your choice, allowing them to blend with other items in your space.
You can identify shiplap with its panels as they’re made with wood or medium-density fibreboard. They are slim boards with slits at the top and bottom that allow you to install them horizontally or vertically.
Shiplap is also durable and can withstand more misuse than drywall. Therefore, it is a reasonable choice if you have children around.
However, the downside is its complex maintenance. Unlike other wood types, you’ll have to use more effort to get stains off the wall. It can also be a bother if not correctly installed as it starts to rot after a while.
Beadboard
Beadboard was one of the many wood types introduced in the Victorian age. Its panels are beautiful, cost-effective, and easy to install. It also has several styles to choose from, depending on quality and style.
The width of each board ranges from 1.5 to 3 inches, but you can get smaller or wider boards depending on your preference. In addition, you can find two types of Beadboards – sheets, and tongue-in-groove.
Sheets are easier to install as they come in 5 to 8 inches in length. On the other hand, tongue-in-groove comes in single files, which means you’ll have to install each individually. However, there’s hardly a difference in both types as they give the same look once installed.
Flat Panels
Flat panels are perfect if you want to achieve a classy and distinctive appearance. These panels are made out of high-quality wood variants. Its manufacturers then make them into trim planks for framing drywall.
As you would with any paneling, you must determine the height that would be perfect for your home. For example, you could use the 28 inches variant, framing only a third of the wall or longer boards for full length.
Despite their flat appearance, the flat panels’ texture is a perfect match for the other elements in the room. Aside from wood, these boards are available in vinyl and MDF. They also come ready-made and only require you to nail or glue the boards to the wall.
Tile Board Paneling
MDF is used in the construction of tile board paneling. Afterward, its manufacturers cover it with melamine to give it the look of porcelain tile. Aside from being easy to install, keeping them clean is easy.
There are several styles and sizes to choose from. However, note that the smaller the size, the more frames you’ll require and vice versa.
Tile boarding can give your home a nice look, but it’s best to use it to cover only half of the walls. Then, you could paint or use wallpaper for the other half to make your home more attractive.
Tongue and Groove
Tongue and groove wall panelings have a similar appearance to shiplap but a different method of joining. Instead of using rabbets like shiplap, you join these using a tongue and groove. Though rabbets connections are easier, tongue and groove last longer.
Despite this, it’s difficult to tell the difference between shiplap and tongue and groove panels after installment. You can only tell them apart if you’re an expert or saw them before installing.
Raised Panel
Raised panels gained popularity in the 17th century when they graced most royal residences. Their charm hasn’t reduced; instead, they have become more appealing over the years.
Unlike flat panels, these boards are more elegant and formal. Many love them for their unique style, durability, and essence. They were expensive back in the day and still remain one of the highest valued wood panels to date.
Board and Batten
Board and batten wainscotting is made up of various types and sizes of plywood boards and moldings. You use them to create a sophisticated, textured wood wall. Board and batten were originally used outside houses as side paneling, but it has now found a place inside homes.
Its only downside is its cost. Unlike most wood panels, they are quite expensive. The material also determines the prices of your boards.
Horizontal Walls
Horizontal walls are stunning and don’t need a lot of effort to maintain their appearance. Though they are primary options for building exteriors, they’re also perfect for a home’s interior. These boards lend a modern and classic look to dwelling due to their slim boards.
What Are the Advantages of Wood Wall Paneling?
Wood walls are beautiful and elegant, offering your home a warm and comfortable feeling. They are also flexible and can blend with a mixture of paints or wallpapers.
Wood walls sit well with any furniture and interior decoration. If you don’t want their natural brown color, you can paint them to your taste.
Wood is a natural noise insulator, meaning that it keeps noise away. Aside from this, they are easy to install, maintain and fix when there’s a fault. For instance, homeowners can easily sand scratches and renew them to their original shape.
This quality makes wood walls the perfect option for a house with children. When your little one scratches or stains your wall, you wouldn’t have to worry.
One of its most prominent advantages is its eco-friendly nature. Since wood is from a renewable source, it’s environmentally friendly and easily recycled. Opt for other variants like medium-density fibreboards if you’re against using trees for wall panels.
What Are the Disadvantages of Wood Wall Paneling?
Though there are several advantages of using wood walls, there are a lot of downsides. As we all know, wood isn’t waterproof; therefore, it rots after exposure to humidity over a long period. As a result, it’ll be a bad idea to use wood walls outside your home.
Wood is also susceptible to damage from both wet and dry interior conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the panels regularly to survive for a long time. You can protect the panels by applying beeswax or mineral oil to the surface.
Wiping the panels also prevents dust from gathering on its surface. However, some require more than basic cleaning. As a result, they can be difficult and sometimes expensive to maintain.
Fortunately, not all panels have these disadvantages. Some are less expensive, easy to maintain, and long-lasting. As a result, ensure you use wood panels that’ll fit your purposes.
