elegant wall treatment Archives - Sincerely, Sara D.

Before I share how to DIY paneled walls, I wanted to show the prep work we had to do first – which is most likely not something you will need to do.

One of our first projects in our home was a square paneled wall. When I designed the wall, I never considered it going beyond the back wall. As time went on, I really wished the wall treatment continued throughout the entire room. There really wasn’t a way to extend it since the square sizes wouldn’t work on the other walls. So, Steve and I decided to start over, and I wanted to create a less heavy paneled wall that was truer to the design aesthetics of our “French Chateau” in central Indiana.

We removed all the old wall treatment and was left with a wall that required quite a bit of repair work. However, once the wall was fixed, it was go time!

DIY Paneled Walls Tutorial

Supplies for Paneled Walls:

1-1/4-in x 8-ft White Hard Unfinished Chair Rail Moulding
Compound Miter Saw
Finish Nailer and nails
Level
Pencil
Wood Filler
Tapping Block

To begin, drawing out a plan is key. I used graph paper, and I found it very helpful. Start with the chair rail between 30-36 inches high (from the floor) and go from there.

I drew the entire plan on my walls which proved to be very helpful. I ended up tweaking the design in that I originally had 6 inches between the panels and sides, but I ended up enlarging the panels and created 5 inch gaps.

I used painters tape (over my pencil lines) so I could better visualize the space.

It may seem like overkill, but I also wrote the dimensions for the panels on the walls. This helped cut down on the time since we were able to cut the panels in batches knowing the sizes of all the panels, but I’ll talk more about that in a minute.

Cutting the Panel Pieces:

To cut these panels, you will be creating picture frames. You will cut each end at a 45 degree angle.

It gets a little confusing – especially if you’re using chair rail molding like mine that isn’t symmetrical on both sides. Make sure you are keeping the same side out when you create the frames.

How to Install a Panel:

We began with the top of each panel and made sure it was level before nailing it down.

We used a nail around every 10-12 inches.

Once the top was level and secure, we moved on to the sides. We only added nails to the top of the sides so there was a little wiggle room when adding the bottom piece.

Be sure to use the level when adding every piece.

Once you have the bottom piece level and in place, you can go back through and add the additional nails to the sides.

Once all the panels are installed, you will need to go through and fill the nail holes and evaluate if you need to caulk. Once the wood filler (and caulk – if needed) is dry, it’s time to paint!

Helpful Hints:

Here are several helpful hints to make the installation go smoother and faster:

Write down the panel piece dimensions so you can cut them in batches.

Use a labeling system to keep all the panel pieces organized.

Create a spacer to aid in keeping panels from going wonky.

We created a little spacer (piece labeled “s”) to help the long panels from staying straight. We checked to make sure they weren’t being inverted (or vice versa) before nailing down.

The spacer only works if your panels are all equally distant.

When cutting in batches, use the wall to save time on measuring each piece.

We used the wall to help us determine length of the panel pieces. We lined up the saw and then placed the panel pieces against the wall. It proved to be more accurate for us than marking each piece.

Level, level, level!

I used the level constantly and found it helpful to match up one panel to another.

Work with a partner.

I recruited my dad to help me with this project, and I don’t think I could have done this alone.

He did the majority of the cutting while I worked on the installation.

Buy a Tapping Block

My dad introduced me to the tapping block, and it was SO helpful. There will be times you need to move the piece just a smidge, and this tool will help you do that!

When planning the paneling design, consider the height of doorways and windows.

The tops of my panels are flush with the top of my window for a cohesive look.

Installing the Chair Rail

Our Chair rail met in the corners of the room. To have it match up neatly, use a 45 degree angle to miter the piece.

I hope this post was helpful, and I’m going to share a few more photos showing how we dealt with obstacles such as a return vent.

Here’s an overall shot of the space.

And here is how I dealt with the gap on top of the doorframe.

A special shoutout to my dad for all his time and expertise with this project!

And Steve was sweet enough to spend his weekend helping me paint.

We love the final product!

The walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Storm Cloud Gray.

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

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I wanted to give my family room an entirely new look, and this Elegant Wall Paneling updated the space.

I do not claim to be a woodworker, but I am pleased with the result and spent around $300.

How to Install Elegant Wall Paneling:

Materials

Here’s what I used:

(4) 4.5″ corner blocks
(20) 1 3/8″ x 8 ft primed base cap molding
(15) 4.4″ x 8 ft primed corner blocked square edge
(8) tubes of caulk plus some wood filler
(1) gallon of Valspar Reserve Paint in Night View.

You’ll also need a basic miter saw, nail gun and compressor. This is what the primed base cap looks like.

And this is the primed corner block square edge.

Step-by-Step Installation Instructions

I began on the top of the wall and worked my wall down. I cut a piece of the corner block square edge to size and made sure the top piece was level while attempting to have it as close to the ceiling as possible.

This is where things get tricky pretty fast. I cut pieces of the corner caps and created a frame around the corner blocks. I then cut pieces of the corner block square edge to fit around the framed corner blocks. I had bigger gaps than I would have liked, but I used caulk to fill those in (again, I am new to solo woodworking)!

Once that top part is done, the rest is easy! I added a piece of the corner block square edge to the bottom of the wall above the existing trim. I then cut more corner block square edge to frame in the lower portion of the wall.

And then framed in the rest of the lower portion with the block square edge. Then I framed inside that with the trim cap.

After all the trim was hung, I went through and caulked everything. This took forever, and I would suggest using a caulk gun over the individual tubes like I did. Once the caulk dried, I painted the entire paneled wall with two coats of paint.

I added a couple hanging lamps to both paneled walls, and I was done!

Wall treatments can make a high impact in a space for low cost.

Want to know how I hid the lamp cords? Go here to see the easy tutorial!

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.