Wood Panelling Made of Recycled Planks

So you’ve got a stack of unwanted planks and no idea what to do with it? Look at this cool wood panelling design from a luxury house near Earls Court in London. It is currently offered for sale by Foxtons property agents. I bet the current owner has spent a tidy little sum to create this effective wall, however, I’m sure that you can replicate this by using any old bit of reclaimed wood. The thing that makes it look luxurious is the surface finish; and you don’t have to be a top interior designer to make the most of your wood panelling design.

You need a belt sander with belts of various grain. After you’ve sanded the planks, apply different wood dyes or leave the natural colour. When the dyes are dried, use varnish to bring out the best of the wood. You can use wax or an eco-varnish.

As for installing the panelling, you can screw battens (long wooden strips) onto the wall and then add the panelling elements on top of the battens using headless nails. Apply the varnish after you’ve driven the nails to hide them.

If your wood panelling is predominantly vertical, like the one in the picture, you might want to use horizontal battens.

Before you decide if your design will be vertical or horizontal, think about the effect you want to achieve. If it’s a narrow room and you want it to appear wider, use horizontal pattern. If the ceiling is low and you want the room to look more spacious, use vertical pattern.

There are two possible approaches in creating the pattern. You can design the pattern on a sheet of paper and then cut the pieces to create the shapes; or you can see what shape you already have and try to create patterns using what you have. The first option is easier, though.