How to cover timber panel walls?

[r1ta02]

  

Hey guys so I’m sure this has probably been asked a bunch but I’m looking for some advice. I recently fully purchased my first house. It’s an older style Queenslander house and I’m up to finally getting my studio ready. It currently has the same type of timber panel walls as the rest of the house and it even has timber panel ceiling (which I really don’t like)

are there any suggestions on what I could use to either cover it up or fill it in before I paint over it? Some of the boards have bigger gaps than other and some are a couple mm more recessed than others so it’s quite uneven. I’m not looking to tear down the walls and replace them, just some suggestions on what to put over them or to fill them in.

[EricL]

Hello @r1ta02 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about the gaps in your wall.

I propose using Poly 475g Polyfilla Flexible Gap Filler, it's affordable and can be painted after the filler has cured. It is possible to use multipurpose fillers, but it is much more difficult to apply and will take more time to fill the gaps.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Jason]

Hi @r1ta02,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and congratulations on your house purchase. This must be such an exciting time for you.

Just thought I'd tag some of our members who have renovated Queenslanders for their thoughts. It would seem a shame to cover your beautiful timber panels with plasterboard - a lot of our members put timber boards over plain plasterboard walls to get this look! 

What are your thoughts: @RenoRach1, @Lhapp, @Renowayoflife, @Martin_Smythe, @OldQld, @Traveller? 

Thanks,

Jason

[r1ta02]

I’m not planning on doing the whole house. The rest of the house is set out to match and feel like a real Queenslander house. However it’s just the studio I’m looking at doing by it to as the panels sadly just don’t match the aesthetic/feel I’m going for

[JacobZ]

Hi @r1ta02,

I'd also like to extend a warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. 

My suggestion would be to install plasterboard over the top of the existing wall panels. This will give you a flat finish with less plastering required than in @EricL's solution.

You can locate the studs using a studfinder and screw the plasterboard to them using plasterboard screws.

Check out How To Plasterboard a Stud Wall for an example of the process.

Once the plasterboard is installed, you will need to follow the Gyprock Jointing Guide to achieve a consistent, smooth finish across the face of the wall.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[Traveller]

Hi @r1ta02,

I own a renovated Qlder, but have mostly done the opposite and used VJ style MDF panelling downstairs and in the renovated bathroom to keep the VJ look walls. However an early job I tackled was to repaint inside, and I first "gapped" the VJ joints with "no more gaps", which greatly improved the look of the walls and ceiling, and stopped a lot of dust coming from the roof. It was labour intensive. That is not the look you want in your studio, but might help in the other rooms. I also suggest you consider if the studio wall change you are making will be permanent, or a future owner might want to change the look back to VJ and that might alter your solution. I don't have any specific recommendation however. It is exciting having bought your first house. Good luck.