DIY Wall Panelling Guide

Firstly, take the MDF strips and paint them using a good interior wood primer. I used spray paint for this step but if you can’t spray in a well-ventilated area like a garage or a garden just use a normal tin of wood primer and a Harris Interior woodwork brush or roller. Make sure to apply a little extra primer to the thin sides of the MDF strips.  These edges have a rougher surface then the wider sides and so absorb more paint. The extra will help to avoid the wood absorbing the normal paint when you paint on the topcoat colour meaning fewer coats. Whilst letting the MDF strips dry, lightly wipe the wall that you are panelling and surrounding skirting board with a damp cloth to remove dust etc. that’s settled on the surface.

Next is the most important and the part I found the hardest – getting the measurements right. Start by measuring the width of the wall and consider how close you want the panelling. This will help you figure out how many panels you want. I used 7 strips vertically, at a height of 150cm (around 2/3rds of my wall height). Start by marking the very centre of the wall so that the central strip is your focal point. Then measuring outwards, mark each point where you will have a panel; make sure to mark where the centre of the panel will go. I started out marking the full width of the panel at each point but for some reason I couldn’t get this right and it seemed my wall kept changing widths! I found marking the centre of where the panel will be much easier to calculate. Once you have this right, you can then mark the actual width of the strip – this helps once gluing the strip to the wall to make sure it’s in the correct position, but you don’t have to do this.

Now you have the wall marked up, it’s time to cut the strips to the right length. I decided to cut mine down to 150cm. I used a measuring tape and pencil to mark the lengths, then used a saw to cut the strips to size. I’m sure there is a better tool you could use to cut them straight, but as they were only thin strips the saw worked perfectly fine! When applying the strips to the wall, place the rough edge at the bottom just in case the cut was slightly off straight. Later you will fill in any holes, so things don’t need to look perfect at this stage.

I started with the panel that runs along the top of the skirting board. Apply the glue directly to the MDF strip, and then press the strip to the wall with a slight pressure. You have 5 minutes of movement before the glue starts to dry so if it doesn’t look straight first time, there is room for adjustment. Use a spirit level on the top to help with getting it straight – this is particularly helpful when doing the vertical panels. Once in the correct position, apply more pressure to put it in place and reduce the gap between the wall and the panel. You may get some glue oozing out the sides which is fine, actually it’s good. Using your finger, smooth out the oozing glue along the joint between the wall and panel and this will act as a filler saving you time later when filling the gaps!

Repeat this for all the strips starting with the centre strip, the outside strips and then the inside strips, making sure that the strip that runs along the top horizontally is done last. You can then tell if they are equally spaced out as you go along. Note: some people choose to nail the panels to the wall as well as glue, but I found the glue is strong enough. Some panels may need a bit more pressure on them if the wall isn’t completely straight. It is recommended to leave the glue for 24-48 hours for it to set properly, so just lean something against them for a while.

Once complete, leave to dry for a few hours before filling in any gaps between the wall and the panels. Run the filler down the joint between the panels and the wall, then either using a filling knife to push the filler into holes and cracks on flat surface. If the hole is in a corner use a putty knife instead and push the filler into the gap so you have a smooth finish between surfaces. Check the filler pack instructions and leave to dry for the recommended time. Then use a fine or medium grit sandpaper or sanding block to sand down the surface until smooth. Finally clean the whole area with a microfibre cloth to remove any dust before painting.

Now you are ready to paint in the colour of your choice. You will probably need a couple of coats, but it’s all dependent on your choice of paint. I used a Harris Ultimate Walls & Ceilings 1 inch Brush to cut in around the edge of the MDF strips, keeping things neat with the masking tape. It’s important to use a brush which is smaller than the surface you are painting, or you will find it harder to get a good result. When the edges are finished, I used a 4 inch mini roller to get a great top coat finish on the MDF strips.

And that’s it! We hope you have found this Tip Exchange article helpful. For more helpful guides why not check our How To section. Or if you are looking for help and ideas on how to transform a room in your home head over to our Lets Plan pages for loads more help and advice.