Installing wood panelling...

Feb 07, 2005 5 Replies

Why are you putting up paneling anyway? In 5 years it's just going to look outdated and you'll have to rip it out. When I was a kid, we had paneling in our basement, and it was the same kind of paneling all my friends houses had. It all look outdated before I even knew what that word meant. The rooms with the paneling also had tile floors. Sometimes all black, sometimes all white, but usually a checkerboard sort of look. Perhaps it was chessboard, I don't recall exactly.

... over sheetrock on wood studs, 16" O/C. I know the grooves in the panels are spaced to fall over the 2 middle studs, but is there a pattern or sequence to nailing them? TIA


...is it advisable to nail from the middle out toward the edges, or doesn't it matter?

Paneling is not structural, so you just use the amount of nails that it takes to hold it in place. As a guideline, go about 8" apart on the edges and 10-14" in the field.

In addition, if you want more security, use paneling adhesive in addition to nailing, but not if you plan to remove it.

Another tip is to use a black magic marker or paint to color the wall where your joints are going to be. This makes imperfections in the edges less visible (you don't see white wall through the gap).

Nailing schedules:

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Interior paneling is item 29, and notes 10 and 11.

--Goedjn

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