Simple and Budget Friendly Bedroom Wall Panelling for Under £100
Adding wall panelling in a room can add visual interest and character. It is no wonder wall panelling is an extremely popular option when decorating a room. Not just a trend, wall panelling has been used in interiors for a long time. Wall panelling is a great choice for new build homeowners looking to add layers to some of the bland boxes in our homes. It is a design feature I use often and plan to use more in our home!
There are a wide variety of styles, materials to use, and installation methods to choose from when installing wall panelling. Panelling can also range in costs with some styles being more expensive than others. Due to its popularity, there are many tradespeople offering to install panelling for customers, and there are companies who offer ready-made panelling projects to make the job easier for DIY-ers.
Our guest room wall panelling was easy to do and budget friendly!
For our guest room, I wanted to create a feature wall behind the bed using MDF wall panelling. Due to time and budget constraints I installed a panelled wall that was budget-friendly and time-friendly. I managed to keep the cost of materials under £100 for the panelling. I also ensured the panelling would be easy breezy to install (at least compared to other panelling projects we have completed in the past!).
Read on for what I sourced and how I completed this project in one weekend and on a budget!
Which materials did I use?
MDF Strips!
My first priority with sourcing materials for my panelling project was to find MDF that was already cut to the measurement I needed. Reducing the amount of time spent cutting panelling materials would be the key to keeping my project quick and simple.
I discovered a company called CutMy who specialise in MDF products and offer MDF strips for wall panelling. The MDF strips can be customised to different sizing options, ordered online, and then delivered. The MDF strips I ordered were 1500mm long, 9mm thick, and 100mm wide. I ordered the 15 pack which came to about £80 including shipping.
For the top of the wall panelling, I used dado rail leftover from a previous panelling project. However, dado rail can be sourced easily from B&Q or Wickes. The dado rail sourced should fit over the thickness of the MDF strips.
In addition to the MDF strips, I completed the project using adhesive, my nail gun and nails, caulk, filler, primer, and paint.
Which paneling design did I choose?
The paneling style I chose was a shaker style paneling, sometimes referred to as board and batten. The decision for the actual measurements of the design came after I sourced the MDF panelling. Since I wanted to minimise the cutting of the panelling, I used the measurements of the strips as a basis for my panelling design. I also calculated the number of panels I would have based on the width of the wall so there were no partial panels. My goal was to use the full length of the MDF strips as much as I could.
This is the design incorporating the 1500mm length MDF strips. This design meant I would only need to make two cuts of the top and bottom pieces for them to fit the wall width perfectly. I also would need to make cuts for one outlet (the other outlet fell perfectly between two strips).
See below for a diagram example of this paneling design (I did not include the awkward little window on my wall) for an illusration of the MDF strips I used. The red “X” are the only places I would make cuts with this design since this design incorporates the existing measurements of the pre-cut MDF strips.
How did I install the panelling?
In order to install the panelling on the feature wall, I used the below tools and materials.
Nail gun
Nails
Adhesive (No More Nails is always worth it!)
Mitre Saw
Caulk
Filler
Primer
Paint
Paint tools
Dado rail
MDF strips
Here is a step by step guide detailing how I installed the panelling:
Using a large straight edge (or level) and a pencil, mark out the panelling design on the wall. I calculated the space between each MDF strip based on the quantity MDF strips I had and ensuring I wouldn’t have any “partial” panels on the wall (to minimise cuts and complications).
Install the MDF strips on the wall from bottom to top. The first strip should be placed horizontally on top of the skirting board. I worked from the right side of the wall to the left.
Apply adhesive to the back of the MDF strip and position in place on the wall.
Using a nail gun, shoot an ample number of nails into the strip.
Continue to follow steps 3 and 4 with all panels, making cuts where necessary. For outlets, use a tool that can create an exact cut for the outlet. I took a shortcut for the outlets by simply cutting the MDF strip so it would stop above and below the outlet. This isn’t as neat as an exact cut (nor is it something a tradesman would do) however since my feature wall and outlet would be behind a bed, this does not impact anything and is not noticeable.
Add the dado rail to the top by using applying adhesive to the back, positioning the dado rail accordingly, and using a nail gun to secure in place. Make any cuts as needed.
Use caulk where needed, specifically at the below spots:
Wherever the strips meet the wall.
Where the dado rail meets the MDF strip at the bottom of the dado rail.
Where the dado rail meets the wall at the top of the dado rail.
Use filler where needed, specifically at the below spots:
Where each MDF strip meets another MDF strip and there is a seam.
Where there are any noticeable flaws with the MDF, including where nails were inserted.
Top tip! Smooth over the filler with a baby wipe.
Allow all caulk and filler to dry.
Paint the MDF strips with primer and allow to dry.
Paint the MDF and wall with paint, as many coats as needed.
Marking the panels on the wall (Step 1)
MDF Strips glued and nailed to the wall (Steps 3 and 4)
MDF Strips glued and nailed, along with the dado rail (note the cuts around the outlet).
Caulked, filled, and painted!
Job done!
Final Thoughts…
This project was so easy and is one of the few DIY projects I have completed which took me less time than I had predicted. The key to ensuring this project was simple was that I was panelling a single, flat wall. I also used MDF strips that were pre-cut and I customised the design to those measurements, I didn’t design a wall and THEN customise the strips to those measurements. This meant I spent almost no time making cuts. I also had the help of a mitre saw and a nail gun- these tools almost always make any DIY project I complete much more efficient.
It was a really straightforward project I hope others are inspired to complete in their homes as well!
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