Wooden Paneling

Throughout history, people have always found ways to make their homes more visually appealing by implementing different materials and patterns. And as with all things, home design trends come and go. Some make a comeback, while others are long forgotten.

Wooden paneling, which was once quite a popular design trend, has made a comeback and is now being used in the most modern of spaces. And if you’re thinking about incorporating it in your home, this article will give you the 411 on wooden paneling and how it’s been used throughout history.

We’ll also give you tips about how you can use it today to make parts of your room pop out and go over the different types of wood paneling available on the market today. So, let’s get to it.

What Is Wooden Paneling?

Wooden paneling has been used throughout the ages to beautify spaces due to it being a warm material that adds depth and its low cost. This type of wall paneling concept often refers to the 1.2m by 2.4m wood panels that you could find in a lot of homes, especially in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

These panels looked similar to cherry, beech, oak, or other wood species, but often the only part of the panel that was real wood was the visible part of the wood veneer positioned on top of the pressed board. Other times, wooden panels were just very cheap panels that had a plastic-paper laminate that would give the impression of wood.

While this type of wall paneling was quite common back in the day, it lost a bit of its popularity in the ‘80s, but it’s slowly gaining popularity today. The difference is that the wood paneling options today have changed significantly compared to the ones used back in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Traditional vs Modern Wood Paneling

In the past, wood was one of the most commonly used materials to decorate a room. And if you wanted to put some extra focus on the wood panels in your home, there were options for purchasing higher quality woods, such as oak, mahogany, pine, or walnut. They not only elevate the appearance of the room, but also possess sound-absorbing qualities. Even today you can purchase some of these vintage wood panels at a slightly larger price point.

On the other hand, veneer paneling is still available for purchase, however, it has been swapped for hardwood veneers which aren’t the same as solid wood panels, but are an improvement on the old option. But can you find solid panels such as the ones in old colonial mansions nowadays? The only option is to purchase some in an antique store; otherwise, you aren’t very likely to find solid wood panels today unless you make a special order.

Compared to the thin veneers of the past, veneers nowadays are made of teak, mahogany, birch, oak, maple, and other wood species, and are on the thicker side. The characteristics of modern wood paneling include sourcing the wood more sustainably, adding metal suspension fasteners, and having premium plywood backing. They also come with better mounting systems and improved edges, and you can order them in custom sizes.

Sizing

As we mentioned above, wood panels used to come in standard sizes of 1.2m by 2.4m. While they were quite popular in the past, they can often feel a bit overwhelming to the overall design of a room. To improve the appearance, many manufacturers add vertical grooves to the boards so they look as if they consist of thin longboards.

Other options include ordering smaller sizes of wood panels or even positioning the panels differently. For example, positioning them horizontally instead of vertically will make your room feel a lot more spacious.

Wood Paneling Prices

We know that the cost of materials is quite important when considering a budget for a renovation, and this is also true for wood panels. Depending on your budget, you can find wood panels at various price points:

• Traditional pressed wood panels range between $12 and $40 per sheet
• Typical hardwood panels made of higher quality wood, such as walnut, can cost about $90 per sheet (and only $20 if you’re purchasing a photo-generated panel that looks like walnut)
• Higher-quality wood panels can go for about $400 per sheet for wood species like horizontal-oriented ebony (keep in mind that solid ebony will be pricier)

Veneered panels are the more budget-friendly option and generally, a higher grade of hardwood is used on the front, while a lower grade is used on the back. Both sides need to be veneered so that the rate of the expansion and contraction of the material is controlled.

An even more budget-friendly option is the peel-and-stick panel strip that has self-adhesive strips on the back. You can just peel the back and apply them to the wall without needing to use any nails, and there are a lot of layouts you can choose from.

Wood Panel Mounting Systems

We previously mentioned that you can use peel-and-stick panels on your walls, but what if you want the real deal? How do you mount the standard wood panels?

Back in the day, wood panels were placed on the walls with finishing nails and some construction glue to hold everything together. However, mounting them this way is risky if the wall is uneven and has some imperfections, as they can be transmitted to the panels and after a while, the wall panels may dislodge.

An alternative method of attaching wood panels is to add suspension metal fasteners at the back of the board and slide the board into the metal rails that are attached to the wall. Keep in mind that you won’t even see the metal as the metal fasteners stand about 0.6cm off the wall, which can do wonders if you have uneven wall surfaces.

Wood Paneling Types

Now that we’ve seen the characteristics of different wood panels, we can discuss different wood paneling types so you can decide which one works best with the style in your home.

Reclaimed Wood Wall Paneling

If you’re into sustainable living and recycling, this type of wood panel will be perfect for your home and your budget. While they’re often used in commercial properties, like restaurants, pubs, and bars, you can also use reclaimed wood panels to give your home that authentic, vintage vibe.

They’re a win-win option since you’re not only repurposing limber that would have been discarded or burnt, but you’re also preserving hardwood trees from being cut unnecessarily. A lot of companies nowadays offer thick reclaimed hardwood planks, so you can choose which ones work best for your space.

Shiplap Wood Wall Paneling

These types of wood panels consist of flat boards that have overlapping rabbet joints, allowing them to fit very well. The rabbet joints create a small gap between each of the boards, giving the wall or ceiling a rustic charm that’s timeless. They can be installed horizontally, vertically, and even diagonally. And if you manage to incorporate them well with the overall design of your home, shiplap wood wall panels can even look good in modern homes.

Tongue-and-Groove Wood Wall Paneling

Similar to shiplap wood wall panels, tongue-and-groove wood panels connect with tongue-and-groove joints that interlock the boards and create a good fit. It’s a great idea if you add them to ceilings, as they look very polished once they’re installed. Just keep in mind that it may take you a bit longer to install these types of wall panels compared to shiplap wall panels.

Beadboard Wood Wall Paneling

If you’re a fan of more traditional wall paneling, beadboard wood wall panels may be the perfect solution for you. They’re made up of narrow strips of wood and have a small ridge called a bead between each of the boards. You can find these types of wall panels used in the lower parts of the wall, which is a technique called wainscoting. And if you already have a chair rail or another type of border on your wall, beadboard wall panels are a great combination.

Board-and-Batten Wood Wall Paneling

Next on the list, we have the board-and-batten wood wall panels. These types of wall panels combine whiteboards and thin strips called battens to create a pattern that’s three-dimensional. They look very clean and polished since they hide the seams of the larger boards.

Even though there aren’t standard sizes for board-and-batten layouts, this can be a great thing if you want to design the pattern yourself, or even hire a professional. As they aren’t prefabricated, you’ll have to do a bit of research and look at different design options in order to choose the one you think would work best with the overall design of the room.

Raised Wood Wall Paneling

If colonial mansions got you into the whole wood paneling concept, raised wood wall paneling would be just your cup of tea. These types of wall panels are elevated and beveled as well as framed by molding and rails. They can be custom-made to fit the precise measurements in your room.

Raised wood wall panels are ideal for formal areas in your home, like dining areas, reception rooms, and even private areas such as an office or a home library. Generally, the central panel is made of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), although you can hardly notice it since it’s surrounded by wood elements.

Pallet Wood Wall Paneling

Also called barn wood paneling, these types of wood panels are perfect if you’re into the farmhouse style. The pallet wood planks are unfinished and often have some knots, blemishes, and spots that only add character to the wall. They’re perfect to use in creative places, such as art studios, workshops, and even pool houses, just make sure that they don’t clash with the design in your other rooms.

Since pallet panels are imperfect and can often have uneven widths, it’s a good idea to paint the wall on the back of the pallets black so you don’t have light paint peaking through. The great thing about pallet panels is that they’re low cost or even free if you know someone who will give them to you, like someone who works in distribution and has a warehouse. You can also transform some old boards that you have lying around to create DIY boards.

3D Wood Wall Paneling

3D panels have an irregular pattern both in the width of the board and in the thickness, which makes them really unique compared to other panels. While they’re easily installed and look very appealing, you need to know that it’s more of a challenge to keep these types of wall panels clean compared to the others we’ve mentioned so far, and you’ll also need to dust the offset ledges regularly.

But if you don’t mind the cleaning and you want panels that are quite unique, you should definitely go for 3D panels.

Vertical Wood Wall Paneling

Last but not least, we have a recreation of the retro ‘70s panels with the vertical wall panels that bring those vibes to a contemporary home. While they’re made of real wood, they’re a lot thinner than other panels so you can install them very easily, which is another benefit. Vertical wood panels are pre-finished but you can repaint them to match the color palette in your room.

Final Thoughts

Wall paneling made of wood makes your home look classic and timeless. It can accentuate a ceiling or a feature wall or add texture and a 3D depth to any wall. When browsing the types of wood wall panels, it’s best to have a consultation with a professional designer, but if your budget doesn’t allow it, you can always research yourself so you can make the most out of your buck.

We believe that wood panels are here to stay, we just need to think about creative ways of using them and how implementing them will make our home look more unique.

And last but not least, don’t be afraid to experiment when it comes to the type of wood, color, and patterns, as you may be pleasantly surprised with the final result. But whichever option you go for, we can say that choosing wood wall panels nowadays seems like choosing a timeless wall decorating option.