How to smooth out the edge of VJ Panel wall?

[RJ2]

After seeing many posts around the VJ Paneling, I am inspired to do a feature wall in our living area (gyprock wall) but have many questions as I am not handy with DIY and will be seeking help from a professional.

One hurdle I have is that the wall I am putting VJ Panels on is 3.7m wide while 3 VJ Panels would only cover about 3.6m in width. So my question is how do I manage the gap of the remaining wall of 100m - should I get another VJ Panel (noting that 1.1m of that will be wasted) or can someone point me to a timber skirting or something similar that can be used on the wall vertically to cover that gap?

Lastly, how would we get a smooth finish at the edge of the wall with VJ Panels? 

These are the panels that I intend to buy, but I would like to order everything in one go (including timber skirting etc) to avoid paying twice for the delivery fee.

Can any kind soul assist me with my questions so I can move forward with my project?

[JacobZ]

Hi @RJ2,

Thank you for your question about finishing the edges of VJ panelling and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you join us.

If you wanted to use 3 sheets with 50mm gaps on the edge, once the VJ panelling is attached, you could use some strips of 9mm plywood to pack the wall out flush with the VJ panel before attaching a piece of 66 x 11mm 5.4m Moulding White Pine FJ Primed DAR to each end to cover the gap. You can then seal the lines between the outside walls, the mouldings and the VJ panel using Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose Gap Filler before painting.

If you wanted to purchase an additional sheet, assuming you have a small gap between the wall and the end of the panel, you would simply need to use a bead of No More Gaps on either end of the sheets to conceal the gap before painting. 

If your cuts aren't exactly perfect and the gap is not as small as you had hoped, you could use a piece of 18 x 18mm 5.4m Moulding White Pine FJ Primed Quad alongside your No More Gaps to conceal the gaps on either end.

Much of the finish will come down to your paint preparation. You might like to have a look at How to paint like a professional for some tips.

Allow me to tag some of our helpful members to see if they have any other ideas @robchin, @Dave-1, @DIYGnome.

Let me know if you have any further questions or require some clarification, I am more than happy to assist further.

Jacob

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @RJ2 

It comes down to how much you want your feature wall to look solid or a little different. 

You could go for the extra piece and have a consistant look across the wall.

You could go for a staggered look where you put timber trim between sections, say split the wall into thirds and use vertical trim to give it a sectioned look so it overlaps or is inbetween the 3 sections. Think old style english homes as in Tudor style.

With the skirting question, if you have existing skiting in your house and dont intend to change it Id probarly stick to the same type, however if you intend to change all the skirting then here is your chance to see what you can do. When I was trying to decide on what type (the old was only 40mm high and curved on top) I used offcuts and had them lean against the wall just to see if I found it appealing.

I would like to offer a warm howdy and Welcome to the Bunnings community Its apretty friendly place with loads of ways of doing things.

Dave

[DIYGnome]

Hello @RJ2 🖐

Given you will be assisted by a Professional, they may already have left over VF panels from a previous job... always worth an ask when discussing your Project with them, some "old school" Professionals used to assist Clients when/where they could in this fashion.    

As for the requirement of a replacement skirting board, the paneling is only 8.5mm thick and as such depending on your desired aesthetics may not be necessary (as seen in the project linked below) 🤔 

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/VJ-panelling-feature-wall/ta-p/74695


Or re-use the original skirting board (as appears to be the case in the project linked below)

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/Bedroom-makeover-using-VJ-panels/ta-p/2040...

[RJ2]

Thank you everyone for your great suggestions - I have now ordered the VJ Panels and can't wait to show you the transformation - well I am hoping it won't be disastrous. 

I have another question that you may be able to assist with. On the same wall where the VJ Panel is being installed, I will be mounting a floating tv cabinet that weight around 60kg. It is 2.4mtr long and came with 4 mounting brackets so should be able to hang it on the studs. My question is, what kind of screws/anchors I should be buying to hang this rather heavy cabinet? 

The cabinet came with this kind of anchors but I understand that these are more for the concrete walls than for a gyprock wall. 

Also, I was looking at liquid nails to support the VJ Panels on the wall but the options are overwhelming. There is selly regular liquid nail, liquid nail fast grab, liquid nail heavy duty etc? Is there any particular type recommended over other types? Along with liquid nail, we will be using nail gun to secure the panels to studs.

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @RJ2 

Before you install the VJ paneling I would take not of where the studs in the wall are as that is what you will need to attach your floating tv cabinet to. You can either mark in pencil/tape the floor or ceiling or even sketch and measure it out as long as you know where they are.

Liquid nails regular is probarlly what id use, If you are using a nailgun id suggest to make sure it dosnt punch through the VJ sheet (note Ive used a nail gun only twice ish) 

The green rawl plug that you linkedto is for concrete walls but their are other options that may be better. (concrete screws are ones i prefer)

Cant wait to see the pics  

Dave

[EricL]

Hello @RJ2 

It's great that you've received excellent advice from our members. In order to give our members a better idea of what the floating TV cabinet looks like, would it be possible for you to post a photo of the cabinet? Can you also please include a picture of the brackets that came with the cabinet? We can then make recommendations on how to proceed.

If you need assistance in posting the photos, please let me know.

Eric

[RJ2]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your response.

I have attached the picture of the tv cabinet (please ignore the 4 square cabinets on the wall), the mounting brackets, the screw and the wall plug.

Please note, there are 8 mounting brackets (4 for the wall and 4 for the cabinet). Please let me know if you require any further information. 

I have also seen these anchors on Bunnings website, not sure if they will be ideal for this use especially given I want to mount them to the stud and these grippit screws don't seem to be compatible (pardon my lack of knowledge if they are compatible).

Brackets

Cabinet

[EricL]

Hello @RJ2 

Just to give you a perspective about the weight of the TV cabinet, 60kg is equivalent to three Stylus WELS 3 Star 6L/full Allegro Link Toilet Suite. Keep in mind that anything placed on top of the TV cabinet will add to its weight. For example, the TV, flower vase, books and accessories.

The hook that came with your cabinet has to be installed on the stud. I propose using Zenith 10G x 75mm Gold Passivated Type 17 Countersunk Head Timber Screws. Please make sure that the screws fit into the mounting holes of the hook. I strongly advise drilling pilot holes to prevent the timber from splitting.

As for the bar which is the flat piece that goes on the cabinet, it's important to find out how thick the back timber wall is. This will be your guide on how long a screw you'll need to use.   

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @WoodenGregsWood for their recommendations.

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

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @RJ2 I'm a little late in replying, but the advice of both @JacobZ and @Dave-1 has suggested would be as mine with regards to fixing the VJ boards. 

From an aesthetics POV, as far as how you finish the short fall of 100mm, it depends on how fussy you are? I would probably and redundantly use another panel as 100mm is a fair bit. But thats costly, so my suggestion would be to use at each end only the 66mm x 11mm DAR pine that @JacobZ suggested and rip the last VJ board to accomodate. Placing the pine in-between boards in my opinion will not as clean as installing them on the ends. 

Before fitting the boards, use a stud find or a nail to locate the studs at approx. 450mm centres. I like to use a nail because you're covering the wall anyway and its 100% accurate. It's important for the cabinet you want to float that you mark each studs actual width (left and right edges) on the floor with painters tape.

Use a squiggle of just the standard liquid nails on the back of each board and along near the edges and brad (18ga, 15ga or 16Ga) them into place. The boards have an overlap or a tongue and groove depending on the type you buy. Either way the joins will be clean and wont need any extra finish work, only the two ends. I tend to not use skirting with VJ, just take it straight to the floor and have the side wall skirts but up to it.

The brackets for the cabinet are hook type and will only allow for one side of each one to be fixed to the studs. This should be fine if you use something like a 12Ga x 45mm hex screw through a predrilled hole in to the centre of each stud. The other side of each bracket can be simply supported by 10Ga x 30mm flat head screws in to the VJ boards. The shared weight across each bracket by the hex screws will easily take the total weight.. Your only concern here will be what if any electrical cables you might be unlucky enough to strike?

Hopes this helped. Nailbag