Do-it-yourself finishing and fastening of decorative wooden slats to the wall

Types of wooden slats

When encountering wall slats for the first time, the consumer understands that they can be made of a variety of materials:

The finishing material made from pine will be inexpensive, but at the same time durable. Resistance to warping, chipping and discoloration is average, which makes it possible to conclude that the service life is acceptable. But the resistance to mold is high.
Beech slats on the wall in the interior will look more expensive than the previous option. This is due to the dense structure of the wood, with high hardness and attractive structure. But one feature of beech should be taken into account - it intensively absorbs moisture, so to prevent rotting and warping, treatment with special protective agents in the form of varnish is necessary.
Oak slats, perhaps, have absorbed the optimal properties, both from the point of view of operation and from the point of view of aesthetic qualities.
It can also be used to decorate walls with slats - red and black wood. Exotic - verdi, padauk, ramin, boxwood, manzonia, mucalli, mahogany, teak, Tanganyika and others. This method is financially expensive, but it makes it possible to realize the most unusual design ideas and add gloss and chic to the interior.
Veneered MDF is an inexpensive option, but has a number of positive characteristics. The slats are durable and not subject to deformation. Externally they can be varied depending on what kind of wood they were veneered with.
In addition to traditional wood, slats or strips made of metal have often been used in interiors. They can be untreated, blackened or covered with wood-imitation film.

Oak slats, perhaps, have absorbed the optimal properties, both from the point of view of operation and from the point of view of aesthetic qualities.
Which of the above options to choose depends on a combination of factors. It is important to consider the cost of the final finishing. From this point of view, pine will be the most budget option, which is quite easy to find on sale. But they are necessarily covered with protective materials to increase their service life.

The second factor that people pay attention to is practicality. Here the leadership is with metal. It is important to understand that this material can be used even when you want to get wooden decorative slats for walls. After all, a metal surface can be covered with a special adhesive tape that imitates any surface and texture.

Elite and expensive design is realized using uncharacteristic wood species. Thanks to shades and unique textures, it is possible to achieve original solutions in room decor.

Elite and expensive design is realized using uncharacteristic wood species.

Materials

Warm natural materials are more suitable for interior decoration of a house - wood or its substitute products made of MDF, laminated chipboard. Metal slats are used in interior design with an industrial or urban slant.

Wooden

Wooden wall slats are most suitable for creating a spectacular and cozy interior. Wood is warm and tactilely pleasant, it is environmentally friendly, and modulates good energy. Wall buffels have a wide variety of patterns and colors, which allows you to match them to any design.

The disadvantage of wood is its reaction to moisture and high temperatures. In one case it swells, in another it dries out and cracks.

To avoid this, you should not decorate bathroom surfaces or walls equipped with radiators with planks.

It should be noted that only cheap soft varieties of trees, such as pine and spruce, are sensitive to temperature changes and moisture. The higher the wood hardness, the more resistant it is to drying out, swelling, and mechanical stress. Our ancestors built ships from wood and nothing happened to them in the water. And today you can find designer bathtubs made from solid wood in expensive interiors.

The hardest tree species grow in equatorial climates. Among domestic varieties, you can choose materials from oak, beech, Karelian birch, and acacia. It is worth paying attention to larch. Over the years, it hardens so much that it cannot be cut and sawed even with modern equipment.

Anyone who wants to have a reliable and durable decorated wall must be prepared to pay the appropriate price.

From laminated chipboard

Laminated chipboard is used to make slats. Veneered options are used with a wide variety of patterns and colors, repeating the surface of natural wood. Buffels made from laminated chipboard are quite rigid and hold their shape well. But they are difficult to mill and emboss, and they cannot be used to create special design projects.

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The material cannot be installed with self-tapping screws; chips may result. The slats are attached to the walls using special glue.

It is not advisable to use laminated chipboard in bathrooms, since such a structure will not last long. But this material has the most affordable price and is available to everyone.

From MDF

The cost of products made from fiberboard (MDF) is higher than chipboard, but lower than natural wood. The performance characteristics of the material are, accordingly, at an average level. Veneered MDF can imitate any type of tree, even the most exotic.

The slats are durable, do not deform under conditions of temperature fluctuations, and can be embossed, which allows for the production of original works.

The material is resistant to damage and is easy to mount on the wall, but it is better not to use such buffels in rooms with high humidity.

Other

Today the construction market is represented by a large number of slatted finishing materials. Laminated chipboard, MDF and classic wooden baffles are popular, but not the only products with which you can build a beautiful and unusual interior. We suggest you pay attention to a number of materials.

Planken. Attractive planks made of hardwood, differing from ordinary planks in having rounded or beveled ends on all sides.

Thermowood. Wood that has undergone chemical, thermal and mechanical treatment has received durable and improved characteristics. Slats made from this material are used for arranging bathrooms, bathhouses and even street buildings.

Metal slats. Similar slatted material is used in high-tech, minimalism, loft, techno, and industrial designs. The steel is coated with anti-corrosion compounds. You can purchase lamellas covered with wood-like film. Metal strips withstand temperature fluctuations, moisture and mechanical shocks well; they are reliable and durable.

Plaster. To decorate the walls, gypsum panels are used that imitate rack corrugation. They harmonize well with the rest of the room’s decoration, differing from them only in the surface structure.

Plastic. Used to decorate bathrooms, kitchens, toilets. Plastic panels produced in the form of rack embossing improve the geometry of the room, making it strict and laconic.

Advantages of using wooden slats

The main positive aspects of using this finishing method are:

Naturalness of the material.
Health safety and environmental friendliness.
The absence of allergens that cause undesirable health reactions in residents.
The ability to create compositions of different dimensions and shapes.
Lifetime.
Little or no susceptibility to changes in appearance.
Maintainability in relation to wood. The resulting chips are treated with wood putty and the original color is restored. If the metal slats are bent, then only one element will have to be replaced.
Possibility of updating and changing the appearance by applying a layer of paint.
Increasing the level of sound insulation.
Also, a room decorated in this way retains heat inside the space more reliably.
Suitable for implementing a variety of interior design styles. The versatility of the material allows it to be used in different rooms.
Recreates a feeling of comfort and authenticity.

A room decorated in this way retains heat inside the space more reliably.
But there are also negative points:

A slatted wall, due to its volume and the formation of a cellular structure, is capable of intensively accumulating dust. Therefore, caring for it requires more time, effort and attention.
Before finishing, it is important to bring the wall to a level state to avoid distortions. Horizontals and verticals are also carefully set. The slightest deviation will be noticeable and make the space look careless and makeshift.
The complexity of fastening, which requires compliance with technological steps. If you miss these points, the result will be unsatisfactory.
The final cost of hard or valuable rare wood can be significant.
Wood must be covered with special materials, since it is intensively exposed to moisture and mold. At the same time, environmentally friendly materials are chosen that will not subsequently release harmful substances into the indoor air.
It is also important to consider the high level of flammability of wood. From a fire safety point of view, this is not the best material.

Wood must be covered with special materials, since it is intensively exposed to moisture and mold.

Advantages and disadvantages

We can start listing all the positive properties of wooden slats with the fact that it is an absolutely natural material. All issues with environmental friendliness and possible health hazards are resolved by themselves. The tree is absolutely safe and does not cause allergies, except for some of its species. However, this happens very rarely.

At the same time, such a design can look very beautiful. You can create compositions of any shape and size from wood. Processing the material is not difficult and for this you will need the most primitive tool available to any craftsman. Even without experience working with wood, it’s easy to learn all the operations in a couple of hours.

If you treat the parts with a special compound that prevents the appearance of rot and mold, the coating will last a very long time. However, its appearance will not change in any way. In addition, it is very easy to create an additional protective layer on the surface of parts by covering them with varnish. This will not only give the slats additional protection, but will also give the structure a more beautiful appearance, emphasizing the natural grain of the wood. If necessary, the surface of the structure can be repainted many times, giving the coating the desired color.

In a room decorated with such material, sound insulation will improve and heat will be better retained. This property is especially relevant for country and country buildings. In addition, the coating has high mechanical strength and can be used not only indoors, but also outdoors. This explains the popularity of slats when decorating balconies or loggias.

An important point will be the cost of finishing. In the case of a wooden lath, it will be quite acceptable, especially in comparison with other options for natural coverings. Even with the most budget renovation, you can afford this material. Taking into account the fact that the work does not require complex and expensive tools, the finishing will be affordable for anyone.

However, the tree is not without certain disadvantages. They must be taken into account when choosing finishing materials. The list of shortcomings looks like this:

Without special treatment, wood does not tolerate contact with water very well. Such processing must be carried out without fail.
To mount such parts on the walls, you will need to assemble a sheathing of bars or a metal frame, which take up a lot of space.
Wood is a fire-hazardous material, and even special impregnations that reduce its ability to ignite help little.

As you can understand from the points listed, finishing walls with wooden slats has more positive qualities than disadvantages, but these disadvantages are very significant. That is why this design is still rarely used in city apartments and is more common in dachas.

Wall decoration and methods for attaching wooden slats with your own hands

There are several options for how you can attach metal strips, wooden baffles or MDF slats to the wall.

The Canadian fastening option is to create a continuous surface without gaps. Also called herringbone. Used only when wood is used that is not subject to warping under changing temperatures or for wood-polymer composites. Nails are driven mainly along the upper line of fastening of the horizontal lamella. This is done so that the caps are not visible. This option is ideal to use if all wall surfaces are covered with wooden slats.

The Canadian fastening option is to create a continuous surface without gaps.

If a local aesthetic design is created on the wall and with a transition to the ceiling, then the following technological steps are used:

For panels on the wall, fiberboard is used as a base.
Then arrange the desired pattern on the wall and check the front surface of each buffel.
Then sand the visible surface of the wood. Keep in mind that the end parts also need to be processed.
After sanding, a layer of paint or varnish is applied, depending on the effect to be achieved. It is important to consider the number of layers of paintwork. So for the Provence style, one is enough so that the structure of the wood is clearly visible through the layer of paint. In other options, apply as many layers of varnish and paint as intensely glossy the surface you want to get as a result.
If the base has been installed correctly, the slats can be attached with liquid nails.
And only then the structure is installed on the wall.

But this option is not always possible. Most often it is used when finishing with slats is used in local areas of small overall dimensions.

If the base has been installed correctly, the slats can be attached with liquid nails.

If you need to build a partition from slats for zoning, then perform the following sequence of actions:

Install the guides, measuring vertical and horizontal. First of all, attach a vertical block to the wall, maintaining plumbness. Horizontal guides are attached to the floor and ceiling.
Then a base made of chipboard or fiberboard is attached to them and the strips are glued to it.
Or it will be possible to fix it directly to the existing baffle guide, if you need to get the final design with transparent gaps. In this case, it is important to use thick lamellas so that they do not sag, but have a strict linear vertical shape.
In addition to them, guides are first attached, which serve as a skeleton. And only then are the buffels attached to them.
The last step is the final finishing, which gives the entire composition a finished, processed look and a high level of aesthetics.

The actual method of attaching the partitions depends on the material chosen for finishing and the type of panel wall itself. But, in any case, it is necessary to purchase professional tools and consumables.

The actual method of attaching the partitions depends on the material chosen for finishing and the type of panel wall itself.

Thin

The thickness of the slats starts from 2 mm. Such plates are not much different from plywood veneer. Thin slats (planks) 3x60, 5x5, 5x11, 5x20 mm are used in the production of containers, blinds, panels, souvenirs, and in modeling work. If necessary, the planks are easily bent; moistened and fixed, they take the desired shape, which they retain when drying.
Products with a thickness of 6-8 and a width of 30-50 mm are used as flashing. It hides the joints of more substantial 25x150 mm edged boards, which are used to cover verandas, summer houses, and outbuildings. Such slats significantly improve thermal insulation, prevent water and dust from entering the skin, and allow significant savings on building materials.
A 10x10 mm rail is called a glazing bead and holds the glass in wooden window frames. They also make stretchers for canvases and tapestries from it. For large canvases, take a section of 10x25, 15x25 mm.

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Options and methods of using wooden slats in interior design

A slatted wall in an interior can be varied, both in appearance and in functionality. Using the material you can:

One or two surfaces in the room have been finished. Moreover, they can be adjacent or located opposite each other.
It is original and popular to decorate the wall with wooden slats in such a way that the finishing extends to the ceilings and affects part of this plane.
A wall of wooden slats can also be erected, which serves as a space zoning element. Most often, it has certain gaps, although it is possible to create a blind partition design.
It is important to consider that absolutely any room can be decorated using buffels. A suitable way to decorate walls for a bedroom, living room, kitchen, corridor, balcony and loggia.

It is original and popular to decorate the wall with wooden slats in such a way that the finishing extends to the ceilings and affects part of this plane.
It is also necessary to understand that decoration with this material can be used in almost any style of the room:

Classical and English. Here, wider slats are often used, which are attached close to each other to form a kind of panel. It often occupies approximately 1/3 of the lower part of the wall.

Wider lamellas are often used here.
Loft. Buffels are chosen narrow and attached at a certain distance from each other, creating a textured surface. Naturally colored wood is predominantly used.

Naturally colored wood is predominantly used.
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High-tech, modern minimalistic. Here the method of application is similar to the loft option. But more often for high-tech they choose slats painted white, in black, or metal with an untreated surface.

More often, for high-tech, lamellas painted with white paint, in black color, or metal with an untreated surface are chosen.
Scandinavian - the slats can be narrow or wide, but they are painted in a light color, which tends to cold tones and approaches white.

The lamellas can be narrow or wide, but they are painted in a light color.
Provence and Swiss chalets traditionally use wood in design. Therefore, it can be natural or painted paint, always in one layer so that the structure of the wood is visible from under the paint coating.

Provence and Swiss chalets traditionally use wood in design.
Another original way to complement such a design is to create lighting. The intense play of light and shade, which is enhanced by the depressions between two adjacent buffels, is an ideal solution for any modern style.

Another original way to complement such a design is to create lighting.

But no matter what method and type of buffels is chosen to create a particular style direction of the room, it is very important to know all the technological steps during installation. Especially if the work will be done with your own hands.

Dark, light, colored, black or white slats in the interior: we analyze color options

Tone to match the surface. A solid, clean design option is often used to add visual complexity to minimalist settings with white walls, as in the photo.

Design: studio "Dom"

Design: ZROBYM architects

Darker or brighter than the main space. The alternation of slats and spaces between them already provides an expressive contrast, so usually designers do not make too much of a difference in lightness and tone between the main finish and the slats: a difference of one or two tones will already be clearly visible in the setting.

Instagram @grib_asya

Design: Alexandra Nikulina

Lighter than the rest of the space. A rare option, usually found in complex, multi-component finishing solutions.

Design: DEREBAS WOOD

Instagram @atmosphera_interiors

Tips and tricks for finishing and decorating the interior with wooden slats

Before purchasing decorative strips, you need to pay attention to the following points:

They should not have more than 50% through cracks.
Check for rot - it is unacceptable.
Wormholes are not critical from a functionality point of view, but can spoil the visual appearance.
When installing, take into account that vertically directed buffels will make the room taller. They raise the ceiling in rooms with a height of 2.5 m. If the room is narrow, then you can use panels with horizontally directed slats. This will make the space seem wider. But you should not use too dark types of wood or those that are painted or tinted with dark drying oils.
The combination of horizontally and vertically oriented slats gives originality to the room. It is worth considering that in this case an active cut-off game will be created, especially if the backlight is correctly installed.
Diagonal fastening creates an original impression of the room, but does not affect the visual perception of the width and height of the room dimensions.
When arranged in fragments, unique panels are formed.
You should not use this method to decorate more than 2 walls. Especially if there is a gap between two adjacent planks. Since in this case there will be too much visual load. The room will be annoying on a psychological level.
For zoning, choose only structures that have gaps between the slats.
But if you need a stationary partition, then the buffels are attached to a dense, stable base.
Recently, a design technique has become very popular when buffles are attached only to the wall, but also extend evenly onto the plane of the ceiling.
If you make LED lighting, you will be able to successfully complement the high-tech or modern minimalist style.
In small rooms, use medium lamella widths and light shades. For large rooms there are no restrictions on color and shape.

Vertically directed buffels will make the room taller.
Using these recommendations for decorating walls with wooden or metal slats, you can create an attractive interior that will functionally fulfill its purpose and create a stylish living space.

Examples in the interior

Amazing slatted designs completely transform a room for any purpose. This can be seen using examples.

The brown living room is dominated by elegant slats. In their surroundings, furniture and lamps virtually dissolve.

Laconic slatted corridor.

Partitions with vertical and horizontal strips.

Original wall in the living room.

The slatted design creates the impression of a room that “wraps up.”

An impressive wall made of planks.

The slats are varied in color, texture, size and material, they can be arranged in different ways. If the design allows, feel free to introduce them into the interior, giving free rein to your imagination - the room will only benefit from this.

Options for wall decoration in different rooms

Construction companies produce a wide variety of types of slats, from which you can create delightful decor on the walls, using wood-like material, as well as white, black, and metal slats. If you put patterns on the boards or decorate the wall with lighting, it will become doubly attractive. We suggest using examples to consider options for slatted products in room interiors.

Living room

In large living rooms, baffle decoration is used as an accent wall, a zoning partition, or as an element that adjusts the size and shape of the room. By looking at examples of slatted decors, you can understand how much they change the interior.

The design of the living room is entirely made up of wood finishing materials - laminate, plank, wooden beams, slats. The direction of the stripes skillfully forms a voluminous and geometrically adjusted space.

Bedroom

This room needs natural, soft and warm material. The decor of thin wood planks is calm and harmonious. The monotonous alternation of lines helps you relax and fall asleep. Let's look at what kind of bedrooms there are in slatted design.

Black slats lined up on a gray wall behind the TV set the tone for the entire interior, creating a modern, stylish room.

Kitchen, dining room

There should be enough space in the kitchen to sacrifice one of the walls for the sake of beauty. Using slats, you can get a light and expressive decor. The technique of separating the kitchen and dining room with a translucent linear partition is especially convenient.

To decorate the table, slats are used on the walls and ceiling. The buffels, placed at different intervals, form a geometric pattern, adding effect to the non-standard design.

Hallway

In the corridor, the presence of slats looks especially organic. You can nail hooks onto them to create an impromptu hanger, hang a mirror, changing the geometry of straight lines to a circle. Here are a few photographs as an example:

the dimensions of the small hallway are masterfully played out with long slats and mirrors;

Balcony

On the balcony, using slats, you can try to play with the space, expand or stretch it, depending on the configuration of the extension. The photo shows how the slatted balcony changes.

Using horizontal slats, an attempt was made to visually increase the width of the loggia. Decorated shelves and framed photographs add volume to a flat wall.