When it comes to installation, the process is slightly different for our wood wall cladding compared to our general wall panels. If you have the right tools and follow the instructions carefully, you shouldn’t have any trouble applying your new wood cladding.
You will need construction adhesive, a caulk gun, a hammer, 2” finish nails, a saw, a pencil, a tape measure, and a level. Before starting the installation process, you must let the wood acclimate. Remove the cladding panels from their boxes, leave them strapped together, then set them in the room you’re installing in. Let the cladding acclimate for 2-3 days. You always should install your wood cladding panels on a dry, smooth, structurally sound surface.
Follow these steps to apply your wood cladding panels:
- Trace around electrical outlets and light switch plates in pencil, then remove them.
- Remove the straps from the wood planks and lay them out on the floor in your desired pattern. Make any adjustments to the design as necessary.
- An optional step is painting the surface behind your cladding panels a dark colour to make gaps between the planks less noticeable.
- Use a pencil and a level to make a straight reference line on your wall (or the surface you’re mounting the cladding to). Put the line at about eye level and draw it all the way across your surface.
- Use the caulk gun to apply construction adhesive to the back of your first plank. Draw it on in an “S” shape, avoiding putting adhesive too close to the edges of the plank.
- Stick the plank with adhesive on the wall, just below and flush with your penciled reference line.
- Secure the plank with four nails, one on each corner. Each nail should be about one-half inch from the edge of the board.
- Repeat steps 5-7 with a second plank. Complete one row of boards on your surface, ensuring they’re placed along your reference line.
- Start your second row of planks. Stagger the edges of the boards from the row directly above it, otherwise you’ll create ugly seams. Leave about 8 inches in between the edges of boards from row to row.
- For the edges of your wall or ceiling, you’ll have to measure a plank and saw off any excess before applying it.
- When you get to spots on your wall with outlets and switch plates, follow the same method you used for edge pieces in step 10.
- You may have to make horizontal cuts to your wood planks when applying them at the top or bottom of your surface, as well as near outlets and light switch plates. Use a jigsaw for smaller horizontal cuts.
