What backboard to use for a photo wall?

[FC]

Hi, i want to make a photo wall.  Do you have any suggestions for the back board ?

[EricL]

Hello @FC

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Thank you for joining us and sharing your question about a photo wall.

Making a photo wall is an excellent way of adding a feature without having to spend a great deal. However, if you wish to place a backing board for the photos to hang on, I suggest counting the number of frames you will be putting up and measure the size of each one. Arrange the photo frames in the order that you like. Once the frames are arranged, you can now measure the approximate size of the backing board you will need.

You can use CustomWood MDF 1200 x 900 x 9mm Standard MDF Panel or Easycraft EasyVJ 900 x 1200 x 9mm Primed MDF Interior Wall Linings. Both panels are available in bigger sizes and can be painted to whatever colour you want. If you want a more natural finish you can use SpecRite 1200 x 600 x 18mm Finger Jointed Beech Panel. These panels can be mounted directly to your wall with the appropriate fixings and the hooks and nails can be placed directly on the panel. Any updates you can provide while building your photo wall would be much appreciated. 

Let me tag our experienced members @prettyliving and @Peggers for their recommendations.

Please keep us updated, we look forward to seeing your photo wall up on display.

Eric

[prettyliving]

Hi @FC 

what type of photo wall did you have in mind? Did you want to use frames or were you thinking of attaching photos to a backboard and then hanging that on the wall?

If it was the photos on a board I would suggest using mdf as @EricL suggested and you can always paint it if the photos don’t cover the lot. 

[FC]

Thx both @EricL and @prettyliving.

My thought is randomly attach pieces of photos without photo frame to the photo wall.

Eric's suggestion is good but I prefer the board to be less than 5mm thick.

I'm not sure whether there is such thin board or not.

Would you please give me some more advices ?

Below photo is downloaded from web so that you can understand my thought.

Thx.

[EricL]

Hello @FC

Thank you so much for posting a photo of your idea. I recommend using three pieces of the 1220 x 610 x 6mm AA Grade Mixed Hardwood Marine Plywood. I suggest painting and installing them together to form your backboard. However, if you need a bigger panel you can use the Custom Wood MDF 3mm 2440 x 1220mm White Melamine Backing. The edges will need to be painted white, but this board is ready to be installed and used. 

How will you be sticking the pictures to the panel? Will you be adding and changing pictures often? You could use Rust-Oleum 887ml Primer Magnetic Paint in combination with Everhang 3000 x 13mm Self-Adhesive Magnetic Strip to mount the pictures. This allows you the freedom of changing the pictures without damaging the finish on the panel. This sounds like a fantastic project, any updates you can provide would be much appreciated.

If you need more advice or information, please let us know.

Eric