How to Use Wood Paneling for Your Home’s Interior Design

Wood paneling is a type of wall finish made from thin wood panels. Originally, home builders used wood paneling for structural purposes before plaster walls came into fashion. The style made a strong comeback during the mid-century modern period, and it is still common in today’s new construction and remodeling projects. Most contemporary wood paneling, though, does not serve a structural purpose but exists purely as a way to add character to plain walls.

You can create wood paneling from a variety of wood materials. These include solid wood, plywood, salvaged wood (also called reclaimed wood), corkboard, or types of fiberboard such as presswood or MDF. Using these types of wood, architects and designers enjoy a variety of wood paneling styles, including:

1. 1. Beadboard: Beadboard uses wide strips of wood with specially milled edges. A common style features two-and-a-half-inch-wide strips with a beaded edge on one side (the tongue side) and a rounded edge on the other side (the groove side) that covers the joint. Some beadboards use a chamfered edge instead of a rounded edge.
2. 2. Shiplap: Shiplap paneling is a centuries-old design. Shiplap boards have interlocking joints that allow them to overlap with a minimal gap (although some builders intentionally insert an eighth-inch gap to make each individual board stand out). If the millwork on your wood planks is high quality, the installation process for a shiplap wall should be easy.
3. 3. Drop siding: This variant on shiplap paneling has a curve on the face of one side of the board, which makes it good for horizontal alignment. Whether you're building an exterior or interior wall covering, use real wood for drop siding since it showcases the grain of natural wood.
4. 4. Board-and-batten: This style of wood wall paneling is useful for both interior and exterior walls. It features wide strips of wood laid side by side; the seams between these wide boards are covered with a much thinner strip of wood called a “batten.”
5. 5. V-groove: A popular interior style, v-groove boards are chamfered on both edges. Beneath these edges, a tongue-and-groove-style carving lets the boards easily interlock.

When properly used, wood paneling can look great in modern design. The design ideas below can help you get the most out of wood panels in your own space.

1. 1. Use wainscoting. Wainscoting is a decorative paneling that covers half of a wall with one type of paneling and leaves the rest of the wall as plaster or drywall. Add wainscoting by running high-quality wood paneling from the floor and stop it midway up the wall. To create a narrow shelf around the edge of the room, add a three- to six-inch lip to the top of the wood paneling. You can also combine wood wainscoting with a brick wall.
2. 2. Use wood paneling as a backsplash. Tile backsplashes are common in kitchens and bathrooms. Wood can serve the same purpose, provided you finish it with a watertight seal. Wood paneling can also serve as the backing for bookshelves.
3. 3. Embrace texture. Use wood paneling like drop siding to create three-dimensional texture on your walls. Rather than make the wood completely flush with the wall, choose beaded wood panels or chamfered v-groove boards.
4. 4. Mix woods. You can create beauty by mixing different species of wood or different stains. A mixed collection of wood slats can bring a fresh, new look to a previously uninspired room.
5. 5. Try painted colors. If wood grain texture isn’t right for you, give your wood-paneled walls a makeover with either colored or white paint. Once a coat of primer and a coat of paint is on the wood, there’s no need to finish it with lacquer or polyurethane. You can also whitewash the wood paneling for a faded look. Painted wood paneling can look good behind bookcases, in dining rooms, or for kitchen cabinets—and painting wood paneling is a doable DIY project.
6. 6. Embrace a rustic look. By using reclaimed wood (such as barn wood, weathered wood, or knotty pine) and sanding minimally, you can use wood paneling to create an intentionally weathered, rustic look for your home decor.
7. 7. Use wood paneling on ceilings. Although this kind of paneling is best left to a professional contractor, running wood panels (either broad or narrow) across a high interior ceiling can create a uniquely elegant look.
8. 8. Add wood paneling to a single accent wall. Ease into wall paneling by creating one single feature wall. A decorative wall can establish a focal point in anything from a living room to a home office.
9. 9. Use plywood and veneer. For home improvement on a budget, use plywood wall board, and cover it with the veneer of your selected species of wood—such as white oak or maple. Rather than buying pallets of solid hardwood, you can buy peel-and-stick wood veneer (made from real wood), and affix it to your plywood wall planks.

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