Planking Tutorial

New England Classic offers a wide variety of paneling options to aid you in your DIY Planking projects. There are some amazing blogs that offer wonderful tutorials and amazing pictures of their planking projects.  Our paneling is perfect for many types of planking projects!  This tutorial will review how you can use 4x8 sheets of grooved wall paneling to create a beautiful DIY planking wall design.  You can use either a 4" beadboard patterned panel, or a random plank and grooved panel to complete either a horizontal or vertical plank look.

Begin, of course, by measuring your space.  We would be happy to assist you in this process to help determine the desired amount of paneling to order.  First, we always suggest erring on having some extra to account for waste, cutting errors and to have some to store away in case you need to repair or replace a panel at some point!  The next step should patching and priming the walls; getting them ready for the panels. After the paneling has arrived it is time to begin the process.  

Most ceilings are not completely level so it is recommended that you start at the top. Make sure the first board is completely straight and level, leaving a bit of an uneven gap along the top, if necessary.  Later you will simply fill in with white caulk or use a trim molding strip. It's especially important that your FIRST board is perfectly level, because if not, then your whole wall may appear lopsided or crooked in the end.

Once that first panel is up, everything moves pretty quickly.  The great thing about 4x8 grooved paneling is that the edges are grooved, as well, and where two panels meet, it has the look of just another groove or plank edge. 

Larger, straight walls are reported to be very easy and super quick.  The tedious project is when you have to work around windows and doors, beams or other offsets.   After this, all that’s left is patching nail holes (if needed) and trimming the top and bottom with molding, if desired.

Whatever your planking project consist of, New England Classic offers the materials and expert customer support to give you a great start.  After you have finished, please send us pictures of the project; we love seeing our products at use in our customers’ homes!