Modern and traditional types of wood wall paneling

No longer just a product that suits period properties, wooden wall paneling is suitable for all house types. From new builds and contemporary homes to Art Deco and retro 70’s houses, there’s a type and style of wood wall paneling that will reflect the era of your property and complement its walls.

Having seen a huge revival in popularity over the past few years, wood wall paneling adds so much more than just interest to the walls by enhancing the space. In fact, most wood wall paneling ranges will add some amount of thermal insulation, with some even offering specialized acoustic sound absorption properties too!

If you’re considering updating your home’s interior and fancy a change from simply painting the walls or applying wallpaper, wood wall paneling might be the answer!

There are many types of panels available, with some still being constructed using traditional methods. This in turn makes them a costly and often impractical way to add features to your walls. However, companies such as The Wood Veneer Hub have worked with leading designers to create 21^st century wood wall paneling equivalents, which are both easy to install and practical, whilst emulating the looks and style of these timeless wall panels.

With an undeniably elegant feel, the ‘flat panel’ style dates back to the 19th century, and offers a simpler wall paneling solution than the looks of the more formal ‘board and batten’ panels.

The stability of the material is of paramount importance when fitting panels of a larger size, as the larger the surface area of the wood, the more prone the wood is to warping.

A recent addition to the The Wood Veneer Hub’s portfolio is ‘Lusso’, a select range of engineered wood veneer which has been carefully fixed to a rigid, stable backing, making it a suitable material for cladding wardrobe doors and walls themselves. Plus, as each rigid panel uses a sequential piece of veneer, the overall appearance is one of a book-matched surface, where the grain appears to precisely repeat from door to door.

Instantly recognizable as a key feature in many period properties, this distinguished style of wall paneling would have historically been stained, varnished or waxed to accentuate the grain and knots of the wood.

Like so many styles, the evolution of ‘board and batten’ paneling has led to it not only being painted, but also emulated to add period character to many modern built homes.

Each raised ‘batten’ is placed over the joints between each board to create this signature detailing, which tends to be finished with architrave and skirting, and capping if it’s only fitted to a certain height within the room.

It’s an effective way of disguising an uneven walls’ surface, but owing to the amount of timber and intricate fitting required, this style of wall paneling can become expensive.

Being made from sustainable materials, Orac® Décor is one of the latest additions to The Wood Veneer Hub’s portfolio of ever expanding products, providing a cost effective, modern alternative to traditional ‘board and battening’ that’s easy to install too!

With three different profiles to choose from, Orac® Décor can be easily customized with color, due to its almost plaster like, paintable surface.

‘Shiplap’ is a style of wood wall paneling reminiscent of the classic looks of many New England homes.

Originally used to clad the exterior of houses, each panel is fitted horizontally with minimal joins, with the intention of forming a water tight seal.

Like so many trends, the ‘New England’ style with its clean, crisp lines and nautical color palette has seen a surge in popularity, especially as high street stores such as John Lewis’ have even choosen to identify this as a key interior style in their stores.

Because of the grooves between each panel, ‘Shiplap’ can be a difficult surface to keep clean. If fitted externally, it can also be prone to warping over time due to the weather conditions.

At The Wood Veneer Hub, our Eco-Slat range not only closely resembles ‘shiplap’, but it’s a product range that’s specifically designed for external use too. Being manufactured from wood plastic composite (WPC), it’s an incredibly stable product which will withstand the elements. Offered in a choice of four colors, including ‘New England’ white, it will not discolor and is easy to maintain and keep clean.

There’s a certain rustic charm when choosing to fit planks to a walls’ surface. True reclaimed wood will naturally give a vintage look, but the preparation, sanding and sealing of each panel will be both costly and labor intensive. Equally, opting for new wood planks will never achieve the same authentic appearance, making the decision of ‘new versus reclaimed’ a tricky one!

At The Wood Veneer Hub, our aptly named PLAANK range features genuine reclaimed wooden panels that have been sourced from across the globe, and weathered due to the conditions in which each species grew.

Responsibly harvested, each pack comprises a number of different length planks, all pre-prepared and ready to install, ultimately saving you both valuable time and money!

Typically installed horizontally, each plank can also be fitted vertically, on the diagonal and even in a herringbone pattern.

Long used in woodworking, each ‘tongue and groove’ plank connects to the adjacent panel with a lip that is designed to snugly fit under the next panel, and hold together tightly. Once fitted, the overall appearance is very similar to that of shiplap – it’s only prior to installation that the main difference between the two wall panels is apparent.

Closely resembling both ‘tongue and groove’ and ‘shiplap’, our Eco-Slat range can be used both externally and inside too, thanks to its unique wood plastic composite (WPC) composition, which is offered in three colors plus woodgrain effect.

This style of paneling is a fairly new addition to the many different types available. Having seen a huge surge in popularity, what was once an iconic wood wall paneling of the 70’s is now a highly sought after surface in so many homes!

Closely resembling the original linear design of the 70’s wooden wall paneling, which typically tended to be made from teak, Slatpanel® leads the way in contemporary wall paneling.

Coupled with its extremely stylish looks, Slatpanel® has been designed with ease of installation in mind. So, rather than fit each linear panel separately (as was the case with the 70’s version!), Slatpanel® is supplied with a number of narrow veneered panels already applied to a rigid or flexible backing, dependent on whether acoustic sound insulation is required or not.

Exclusively available from The Wood Veneer Hub, the range comprises both rustic and contemporary finishes, along with colorful options too. With all these different combinations to choose from, it’s no surprise that Slatpanel® is by far the most popular wooden wall paneling on offer!

To assist you in your decision making on which type of wooden wall paneling is right for you, we have listed the most commonly asked questions below:

How easy is wood wall paneling to install?

At The Wood Veneer Hub, we always aim to make the installation process as simple as possible. Along with step-by-step ‘how to install’ videos, which are bespoke to each product, any competent DIYer should find fitting a relatively easy process, and the majority of the tools required to complete the job can be found in a standard toolbox.

Does the wall need any preparation, prior to fitting?

As long as the walls’ surface is sound, with minimal hairline cracks, there is no need to fill, sand or prepare the wall prior to installation. Loose plaster and holes or larger cracks will require some attention prior to fitting, but in the main, very little preparatory work is required.

How high should the wall paneling be fitted to?

This is purely down to personal choice, and whilst some people opt to create a low level section on their walls, or panel behind a bed to create a bedhead, the majority choose to create a feature from floor to ceiling.

Single walls and even sections of a wall can look extremely effective, as can an entire room fitted in wooden wall paneling – ultimately the choice is yours!

Is wood paneling more expensive than wallpapering?

The cost of a roll of wallpaper varies immensely, from budget options to luxurious hand printed designs that command an equally high price tag! However, wallpapering is an art in itself, using requiring the services of a professional decorator, whereas wood wall paneling can frequently be fitted by a competent DIYer, offsetting the cost of the product against the labor required to fit the product.

Coupled with the thermal insulative properties that most wooden paneling offer, in the long run wooden wall paneling may actually be the more cost effective solution!

Is wall paneling only suitable for period homes?

With so many contemporary wall paneling designs available, the majority of wall panels that we supply are fitted in newer homes and modern office spaces, where an injection of character is required in the room.

Can I customize my wall paneling? 

The majority of products that The Wood Veneer Hub supplies are supplied ready to install, with no requirements to retrospectively stain, wax or paint. Orac® Décor is the exception, and whilst it does not need to be painted once installed, the charm of this product is that it can be customized.

Are there any rooms in my home that wood wall paneling can't be used? 

Unless the panels are likely to come into direct or prolonged contact with water, such as in a shower enclosure, then wood wall paneling can be used in almost every interior space and even on ceilings!

Wood wall paneling has been the discerning choice for so many homes, cladding walls through the ages and appearing in stately homes and even palaces, and whilst these historical styles remain iconic of their era, they have evolved into the many modern designs of wall paneling we see today.