How to install plywood panelling on wall?

[RonnieM]

Hello all, I’m new to this community and seeking some advice for a newbie! I’m looking to install this plywood paneling (https://www.bunnings.com.au/project-panel-2400-x-1200mm-9mm-lining-panel-plywood-v-grooved_p0390169) to my existing plasterboard as a partial wall height wainscoting feature. The research so far is telling me to affix wood panelling with a combination of adhesive and nails, but I’m not keen on using adhesive as it would damage my walls if I decide to remove the panelling in the future. Therefore can I use nails only to install this type of panelling onto my wall? Note that I’m not planning to hang anything off this panelling as it’s only going to be 0.8 metres high. And also note that I don’t want to paint the panelling, I just want to stain it, therefore it’d be ideal not to have large screws showing that I can’t fill and paint over. So would brad/finishing nails be suitable?

Thanks so much in advance.

[JacobZ]

Hi @RonnieM,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

As your research has suggested, in an ideal situation, you would use a combination of Liquid Nails and brad nails to fix the panelling to the wall. This is because nails need to hit a stud for them to be as effective as possible. Due to the spacing of studs, you will have an area between them where the panel is not held strong to the wall. In the space between the studs, adhesive makes up for this lack of fixing.

You should be fine just using brad nails, but there may be a bit of a hollow sound if you tap on the panel between the fixings. This isn't really an issue, but it is certainly something to be aware of.

I'd suggest using a stud finder to mark out your stud locations and plan your layout accordingly. Ideally, the joins between panels should be centred over a stud so fixings can be shot through the join into the stud. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you'll be able to perfectly space the joins, so where a join occurs off a stud, you should fire brad nails at opposing angles to make it more difficult for the join to open up or pull away from the plasterboard.

Use a brad nail with adequate length to pass through the panel, the plasterboard and into the stud with some length to spare. Something around 45mm should be perfect. Fire nails into every available stud at 200mm spacings, the full height of the panel.

Once everything is fixed in place, you can use a timber filler to cover your nail holes before staining.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[RonnieM]

Thanks @JacobZ, that’s really helpful information. No further questions at this stage but I’ll be sure to reach out again if any come up as I progress.