Wall panelling is a popular and surprisingly simple way to redecorate your space and bring a fresh look into your home. Panelling can make your bathroom, hallway, bedroom, or living room feel modern, regal, or traditional depending on what moulding your panels follow and the colour you decide to paint it.
But, before you get stuck into decorating, you need to do the hard work and panel the wall first. Luckily for you, we’ve got a simple guide to make the job a breeze.
- MDF Panels
- No More Nails Adhesive
- Sander
- Spirit Level
- Hammer
- Tape Measure
- Pins
- Paint
1. Plan your design: If you have a clear picture in your mind of what you want your finished panelling to look like, it’s going to be easier to cut your wood. If you’re stuck for ideas, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are great places to scour for inspiration outside of homewares and DIY sites.
2. Measure your wall: Measure the full height and width of the wall so your panels are even, and you can accurately work out how many panels you need for your design – remember to consider the horizontal base and top rails too. Make sure you write down every measurement and you measure at least twice.
3. Cut your MDF: If you’re feeling particularly handy, you can do this yourself, however, if your DIY skills aren’t up to scratch, you can ask your local hardware store to cut the panels to your measurement.
4. Sand and prep your wall: Sanding the wall to a smooth and even base will make it easier for you to stick your panels to the wall whilst reducing the risk of an uneven look when finished.
5. Apply the panels: Using No More Nails glue to avoid damaging your wall, although traditional hammer and nails work too. Begin with the base rail and leave to dry before using a spirit level to apply your top rail – this way, your vertical panels should be able to slide easily between the two rails. You can use pins with your horizontal panels so they stay in place until set.
6. Fill any gaps: With polyfilla. Mistakes happen, but you don’t need to worry! If your panels are slightly too short, you can fill the gaps with the polyfilla and sand it down to create a more seamless look.
7. When completely dry and set, paint your brand-new panels with your favourite shade. We have so many colours to choose from, this might actually be the most difficult part of the whole job!
If you’ve got the DIY bug after applying your panels, you can explore our DIY section for a myriad of products and articles to help you get started on your next handy project!
