Plank Paneling Installation Tips
CRITICAL: The most important installation tip is to leave 3/8″ to 1/2″ expansion space at all corners. All spaces can be covered by a piece of moulding trim, which Ozark Natural Paneling supplies as well.
SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT INSTALLATION: Most problems with wood plank products occur because of improper installation and/or not allowing enough expansion space at all corners.
Although plank paneling can be installed using only a finish nailer and a miter saw, consider using construction adhesive behind the panels as an extra precaution. Using a trim nailer to attach the panels is best.
The nails will be well-hidden, and you need only to fill the small nail holes with wood filler or caulk to hide any traces of nails. If your panels are to be 4 feet long, cut them 1/4-inch short, and don’t allow them to touch the floor. The top horizontal framing board should be perfectly level and set at 4 feet, so line the panels up with the top of the framing.
After all paneling has been installed, trim the top with chair rail and the bottom with base molding.
Wall Preparation for Plank Paneling
The framing for the wall onto which you will be installing the paneling will run vertically, so you must create horizontal boards that extend as high as the paneling will run.
Three-inch screws should be used to attach the horizontal boards to the wall studs. This method of framing can be used on top of drywall or any other type of wall sheathing, as well as on top of wall framing without sheathing.
You can extend the horizontal framing as high as you wish. Attaching a nylon string to each end of the horizontal framing and stretching it across the wall will help determine whether the framing is straight. Any dips or bows in the wall will show up after the paneling has been added. Use shims behind the horizontal boards until the wall is completely true and straight.
A New Level of Luxury in Plank Paneling
Whether you use plank paneling on one wall or an entire room, wood wall paneling brings a level of luxury that is hard to duplicate.
Ozark Natural Paneling recently donated plank paneling and wainscoting to the Newport, Arkansas Chamber of Commerce during the renovation of their large conference room.
Finishing Natural Plank Paneling
Installation and on-site finishing is straight forward and easily performed by both professionals and do-it-yourself homeowners alike.
After installation, many of our customers merely apply a penetrating oil to protect the wood and reapply only as the wood appearance dries over a period of years.
