Interior wood cladding has gone in and out of fashion over the years. However, contemporary wood cladding is both stylish and functional, as it’s more resistant to moisture, staining, and damage than drywall. We’ll walk you through types of wood paneling and some of the installation options to help you decide if this interior cladding is right for your home.
Wood Cladding at a Glance
Here are some quick answers to common questions about interior wood paneling.
What Does It Cost?
Home improvement stores sell individual boards for under $1 per linear foot for unfinished pine, and up to $20 per linear foot for reclaimed options. A standard 4-by-8-foot MDF (medium density fiberboard) beadboard panel runs about $30, while individual beaded pine boards go for about $2 per linear foot, unfinished.
DIY or Hire a Pro?
Particularly if you choose MDF sheets, this can be a good project for experienced do-it-yourselfers (DIYers). The biggest challenges are starting off perfectly level (or plumb) and working around obstacles such as windows and doors. Doing a ceiling? You may want to hire a pro.
Where to Buy It?
Home centers sell a variety of manufactured-wood and MDF products, sometimes as kits. You’ll find higher-quality wood cladding at lumberyards, though it may be a special order.
What Are the Maintenance Requirements?
As long as wood cladding has been properly installed with sufficient room for expansion, it should last the life of the house. MDF may be more susceptible to dings and moisture damage.
Types of Interior Wood Paneling
Here’s a look at some of the most popular types of cladding—how simple or detailed the profile is, and what type of finish you choose, will influence the overall effect.
Shiplap
Shiplap actually refers to a type of joint rather than a decorative cladding treatment, but the term is often used in interior design to denote a distinctive type of wood paneling. To create shiplap, horizontally laid boards are rabbeted along their sides to interlock for a tight seal. Long boards highlight the amount of space in a room and can make it appear larger.
Today it is common to have shiplap boards milled with a “nickel gap” of about 1⁄8 inch along the top edge to create a shadow line that highlights the individual boards. DIYers often install lauan plywood or MDF strips on the wall with space in between to suggest shiplap. These create the proper appearance but take much less time and effort to install.
“Shiplap House,” so named for this 1815 shed addition to an early 18th century house in Annapolis, Maryland, showcases a well-preserved historical example of the flush, flat-backed siding. At the time, clapboards were the norm, their beveled profile designed to shed water. Shiplap boards have interlocking lapped joints along their edges to seal out the weather.
Beadboard
Beadboard is traditionally “stick built,” using 2 1/2-inch-wide strips of wood with a beaded edge milled along the tongue side and a matching rounded (or a chamfered) edge on the groove side to hide the joint. These are installed vertically and fit together to form one continuous wall covering.
Today, wider planks with multiple beads and plywood or MDF sheets with rows of beads milled in replicate the look while saving installation time. It can cover whole walls or be used as wainscotting, offering walls extra protection from scuffing.
V-Groove
V-groove boards are milled with chamfered edges on both sides, forming a V shape when the tongue-and-groove (or shiplap) joints come together. V-groove planks in varying widths were a common wall cladding in colonial-era homes, often given a matte-paint finish.
Like square-edged shiplap, V-groove boards are prized for their modern simplicity. V-groove boards are available in wood, MDF, and synthetic materials for various applications.
Board-And-Batten
Board-and-batten is traditionally built as a series of vertical boards overlaid with strips of 1x material, or battens, covering the joints. When it serves as siding, the lumber is often rough-cut, though interior panels are usually smoothed and primed.
Plywood may be used indoors, with 1x strips installed every 8–10 inches, covering joints as they occur. A popular DIY shortcut is to adhere battens directly to the wall, then unify the assembly with trim paint.
Drop Siding
Drop siding, also called Dutch lap or German lap, is a historical type of horizontal shiplap typically featuring a cove along the top of the board to encourage water shedding. If you were to square off that concave curve, you’d have channel siding.
Because it is a flat-backed siding, drop siding easily makes the transition to interior use, unlike beveled styles such as clapboards. Millwork shops can add a bead along the bottom or any other custom details that you like.
Rustic Planking
Rustic planking can be anything from barn boards to pallet wood to common lumber made to look old through a finishing process. Planks can be nailed up with little to no space end-to-end, but the joints should be staggered to match the rustic look.
Keep in mind that rustic boards may not have milled edges to conceal gaps and will need space for expansion. Painting the wall black before installing this paneling will keep another color from showing through.
Types of Wood Paneling Material
All of the above types of siding were traditionally made out of wood, but today they may be manufactured out of either natural or synthetic materials to fit different styles and budgets.
Wood and Plywood
You can find solid-wood tongue-and-groove or shiplap boards in a range of species, from budget-friendly pine and poplar to pricier woods like redwood, cedar, and cypress. Since wood expands and contracts over time, it’s critical that installers leave room for it to move. Solid wood may be heavier than manufactured products, so it needs proper fastening and likely another pair of hands to install, making wood less DIY-friendly than other options. However, thin plywood sheets milled with bead or V details and lap joints at the ends are more stable, less pricey, and go up fast.
Finishing Tips
Ask for a stain-grade clear wood that’s smooth and free of knots for the optimal paint job—or for staining. Otherwise, knots need to be filled, sanded, and primed before painting. You can leave wood bare, but it will be susceptible to dirt and stains. A coat of water-based polyurethane or wax will protect it while also highlighting the natural color.
Salvaged Wood
Reclaimed wood boards can be found in a variety of species and dimensions, whether rescued from old barns or factory floors. The wood is unmatched in character and saves trees from being cut down, but it won’t always be in ready-to-use condition. Salvaged boards should be cleaned, planed so they lie flat on the wall, and ideally kiln-dried by a dealer—otherwise, they may warp. Kiln-drying also eliminates any insects hiding inside. Reclaimed boards may be prefinished or milled into any style of wall cladding you want.
Finishing Tips
Reclaimed wood is a good candidate for a distressed or weathered paint finish, or a stain that doesn’t completely hide the wood grain. Often, reclaimed wood is left as-is, but old paint could be lead-based, so make sure to seal it with a water-based polyurethane or shellac.
Fiberboard
Milled sheets of MDF (medium-density fiberboard) are a popular choice among DIYers since they are budget-friendly, and manufacturers can achieve a convincing bead or groove while requiring fewer joins between panels. MDF is also more stable overall than wood during swings in temperature, but if it gets wet it can soak up moisture like a sponge, swell, and crumble. Some companies offer moisture-resistant MDF for wet-area installations. For wall cladding, MDF is most commonly used as battens or sheets.
Finishing Tips
Smooth MDF takes paint beautifully, and since it cannot be stained, it typically comes pre-primed. If you’re priming it yourself, be sure to use a shellac primer on all six sides, paying special attention to any cut edges. Avoid water-based primers, which can cause cut edges to swell.
Installation Advice
Shown: This Old House general contractor Tom Silva puts up beadboard using high-tack panel adhesive.
Before installing wood paneling on your own, take time to understand the intricacies of the project. Here are some tips to get you started.
- Wood needs room to move: Always leave at least a 3⁄8-inch gap for expansion along all four edges of a wood-clad wall. This means you need to leave room above the baseboard, where it meets the ceiling, and at both corners where the adjacent walls begin.
- Use construction adhesive: Construction adhesive can provide up to 30% of the bond, so you’ll need fewer nails. With lightweight material like MDF, adhesive may be all you need.
- Start with a flat surface: On uneven plaster or masonry walls, begin by hanging a grid of strapping, shimming as needed to make a completely flat surface. Nail vertical boards to horizontal furring strips or plywood.
- The first board must be level, or plumb: Don’t rush installing that first board—if it isn’t level (or plumb), you run the risk of every piece after it being crooked. If walls aren’t plumb or floors level, you may need to scribe the board to fit.
Design Ideas
A wood panel project isn’t all technical specs. Since interior wood cladding doesn’t need to repel rain or stand up to weather damage, the type and size that you pick will mostly depend on your aesthetic preferences. Consider the following style ideas as you imagine your new paneling or wainscoting.
- Go wide. When using shiplap and V-groove, Georgia-based designer Katie DeRario suggests sticking with 10-inch-wide planks so they look more like paneling and less like siding, which is typically narrower. Similarly, with beadboard, she prefers 3–4 inches between beads for a more modern look.
- Exploit optical illusions. As a general rule, running planks vertically adds height visually, while horizontal boards can make small rooms look more expansive. “But it also depends on how you enter the room and what is in your line of sight,” says Massachusetts-based designer Jonathan Raith. That means a typical hallway can look extra-long when lined in horizontal planking.
- Mix and match … with caution. With so many styles of cladding to choose from, it’s easy to go overboard. Raith suggests keeping it simple. “I wouldn’t mix more than two in one room, and I wouldn’t do more than three in one house,” he says. “And it’s critical to use them thoughtfully and proportionately in the space.”
- Let hardwood work hard. If you use wall cladding in just one space, a mudroom or a laundry is a great place to put it. “Mudrooms take a lot of wear and tear,” says DeRario. “Kids kick off their shoes and backpacks, and wood walls hold up a lot better than drywall.” Plus, you can install hooks anywhere that’s convenient, rather than planning around the wall studs.
Wet Area Options
When moisture is an issue, you’ll need to give extra thought to materials.
On bathroom and even kitchen-sink walls, wood planks and plywood sheets stand up to moisture better than standard MDF, which can swell with water. Vinyl beadboard made for wet areas isn’t convincing, though painting it can help. Solid-surface versions made for bath and shower enclosures may be too costly to cover full walls.
While there is water-resistant MDF, This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers prefers to stick with wood where walls could get wet. “Any wood cladding will fare fine with a coat of paint or water-based polyurethane,” he says.
A product to consider is Westlake’s TruExterior Beadboard siding, made of polymer-bound fly ash. The material is lightweight and easy to work, inexpensive, impervious to water, and doesn’t off-gas. It costs about $2 per linear foot, and you can visit the TruExterior website to find a store that sells it.
DIY Made Easier
While one-site wood finishing is traditional, off-the-shelf products save time, money, and installation headaches. Here are a few to consider.
Prefinished Pine Board
These shiplap boards have a distressed red finish reminiscent of old barn wood. You’ll receive random lengths of 3 3/4-inch red cedar boards, so all that’s left to do is trim them as needed and glue and tack them up.
Shown: American Pacific 3-3/4 inch x Random Length Aromatic Red Cedar Shiplap Planking, $40 for 15 square feet, The Home Depot
Prefab Panels
These interlocking reclaimed-wood panels are meant to cut install time by 90%. The maker claims a typical 8-by-10-foot accent wall can go up in about an hour.
Shown: Prefab Wood Wall Panels in All Natural Pallet Wood, $12 per square foot, Sustainable Lumber Co.
Plank Kit
The kiln-dried boards in this kit come in random shades and varying widths with lengths of 4 feet. Each pine plank comes with its own unique markings, without the hassle of prepping salvaged wood.
Shown: Barnline 3/8-inch x 4-foot Multi-Width Multi-Color Kiln Dried Barnwood Kit, $75 for at least 10.2 square feet, The Home Depot
Preprimed Shiplap
If you plan to paint your cladding in place, primed boards get you there a bit faster. And these pine planks have a nickel gap already milled into the joint, so you don’t have to fuss with spacers.
Shown: 1-inch x 6-inch Shiplap Paneling Nickel Gap, $5.16 per square foot, Stonewood Products
Interior Wall Paneling Design Ideas
For some visual inspiration, check out the designs and products below.
Cottage Appeal
White battens pop against sunny-yellow walls, adding texture and dimension, and accentuating high ceilings. Running a couple of horizontal bands saves them from looking like stripes.
Similar to shown: 1-inch x 4-inch x 10-foot whitewood board, $6.85, Lowe’s
Bold Accent
This feature wall of custom-milled nickel-gap shiplap packs a lot of design punch. Though shiplap is often considered rustic, bright blue paint and sleek furnishings make it feel modern.
Similar to shown: Arauco 9/16-inch x 5-1/4 inch x 8-foot Primed Pine Nickel Gap Ship Lap Board, $76 for a box of six, The Home Depot
Aged Patina
This finish was a happy accident—the homeowners regretted painting the natural cypress planks, and started scraping with a putty knife. They liked the distressed look so much, they added glaze to give it depth.
Similar to shown: Cypress Tiger Mooth Natural 2.0, 1-inch x 8-inch boards in random lengths, Delta Millworks
Refined Pine
Tongue-and-groove boards milled with two beads flanking a cove detail go from knotty to natty with a warm, neutral paint job.
Similar to shown: 3⁄4-inch-thick Pickwick Tongue-and-Groove Premium Pine, from $2.39 per linear foot, Stonewood Products
Sleek Look
A smooth face gives reclaimed planks a more sophisticated finish, as do cool colors like gray and blue. Using them on one wall creates an eye-catching focal point.
Similar to shown: Reclaimed barn wood, $8 per square foot (unmilled), Salvage Solutions
Ceiling Upgrade
Extending beadboard onto the ceiling and alternating its direction in squares adds architectural interest. Battens covering the seams create a pleasing panel pattern.
Similar to shown: Eucatile 3/16-inch x 48 inch x 96 inch Beadboard White True Bead Panel, $26 per 32-square-foot panel, The Home Depot
Our Conclusion
Interior wood cladding provides a cozy, rustic appearance that can make any room feel homier. Contemporary wood cladding can even be used in high-humidity environments like kitchens and bathrooms. Although this can be a project for homeowners with a bit of DIY experience, you may want to speak to a professional contractor for the quickest and most visually appealing results.