Features of wall decoration with MDF panels

It's more common to hear about a material like MDF in the furniture industry. Now, however, you can often find this material in construction, moreover, as a decor. If the issue of finishing remains unresolved, MDF wall panels should be taken into consideration.

MDF (fine fraction) is made from the smallest wood particles, which are formed into a board by pressing. The strength of such a bond is provided by lignin, which is released from the wood fibers as a result of high-temperature heating.

Wall panels like these have valuable characteristics that make them so popular.

• Security. Since the particles that make up the panel are derived from wood, and no toxic chemicals are used to bind them together, this material does not pose a threat to human health.
• Practicality. Subject to all the rules of operation, the panels serve for a very long time. They perform a protective function and also improve sound insulation.
• Aesthetics. Different decor options can be selected in accordance with the design of the room.
• Ease of installation and maintenance. Installation does not require drastic changes to the walls and is quite fast.
• Environmental friendliness. They do not require special disposal procedures, they are biodegradable.

• Profitability. More affordable compared to solid wood products. Cost-free throughout the entire service life.
• Masking of building defects of walls, wires and pipes.
• Variability. A wide range of models will allow you to find the right option depending on your preferences, purpose and budget.

At the same time, if a frame is used as a base, the area of ​​the room is reduced. Water, and sometimes even high air humidity, can stratify the internal structure of the slab. And hitting such a surface can cause serious damage, up to the appearance of a dent or destruction. Of course, such a mechanical effect on the walls is a rarity, but in order to hang a shelf or cabinet on it, you will need to purchase special fasteners.

The main difference between the panels can be the peculiarities of their manufacture. They can be divided into several types.

Regular (also called solid-pressed) - are sheets of wood fibermade by dry hot pressing. The surface of the sheets is not treated with anything, but it is very smooth due to the fact that the fibers are very fine and tightly pressed against each other. But in color they are completely heterogeneous, inclusions of fibers of different colors are visible, since all kinds of residues after wood processing are used for their manufacture. And the shade of slabs from different batches may differ slightly. This type of panel can be processed or used as is for finishing non-residential premises.

Special ones differ from the usual ones in that a higher grade of wood is used for their production, and they are pressed longer and at a higher temperature.

These include several types of panels.

• Moisture resistant - in their properties they are comparable to plastic, since it is in no way affected by a humid environment.
• Heat resistant (i.e. fire resistant).Unlike other fire-resistant materials, instead of phenols and resins, they contain paraffin and lignin, which are not toxic. These include products marked KM1 and KM2.
• Flexible - have greater plasticity for creating bent and arched structures. They can be single-layer and double-layer.
• High density (such as krones) - can withstand heavy loads.

Any MDF panel for wall cladding can have a coating that not only gives it a certain aesthetic appearance, but also serves to varying degrees of protection from environmental factors.

Various materials can serve as a decorative coating.

• Foil or plastic (melamine, PVC). In fact, plastic is a thicker film. A material laminated in this way can look almost anything: imitate any natural material (stone, wood), be glossy or matte, smooth or textured, plain, colored or patterned. The laminate can have a holographic or 3D effect.
• Veneer - a thin layer of wood, specially processed - a high-quality veneer product based on chipboard practically does not differ from a solid wood panel. However, it is this coating that provides the least protection against moisture or scratches. The veneer can be painted in almost any wood shade and has the appropriate texture.
• Enamel or any other suitable type of paint - less durable than plastic, but in case of damage it can be restored locally or replace the painted layer with a new one completely. The coating turns out to be monochromatic, but the choice of shades is huge.

Furniture, doors, interior partitions are made of MDF boards. Thanks to different installation methods, they can be fixed to almost any base - that is, the wall can be concrete, brick, and the like. Panels of different properties can be used to sheathe walls, floors and even ceilings.

Solid pressed raw panels are used for wall decoration in non-residential, household and utility premises. It is important that the room is kept at a constant temperature and dry. In conditions of high humidity, a special type of product must be used. The same can be used to decorate a bathroom or toilet, an alternative to them can be laminated sheets.

Of course, for the decoration of an apartment or house, it is important that the walls complement the decoration of the room. In the living room, you can show all the variety of decor of such panels. Veneer or wood grain film will perfectly complement the classic interior. Matte neutrals will come in handy here. For modern trends, you can choose more daring solutions. Bright painted surfaces or glossy film with a pattern will allow you to put accents in the right places. Practical embossed variegated coatings are convenient to place in the kitchen, in the corridor, hallway and other common areas, where the most dust and dirt accumulates. It is very easy to clean them, and small scratches will be simply invisible.

MDF panels can be safely mounted in a nursery or bedroom, since this material fully complies with sanitary and building standards. And with the help of well-chosen colors, you can calm your child down or, conversely, create a mood for active developmental games.

In public places: educational institutions, hospitals, train stations, theaters, as well as corridors for evacuation of people, in addition to ensuring environmental safety and a pleasant appearance, panels

Fire-resistant chipboard panels can be fixed directly next to stoves, fireplaces, heating boilers.However, there will be no harm from simple room heating elements (pipes or batteries), even the usual kind.

During the installation process, situations occur when building materials need to be adjusted to the desired size. And to install the first panel, you need to cut off part of it (comb). According to experts, cutting MDF products practically does not differ from cutting wooden products.

Some difficulties can still arise during this process.

• The edge along the cut line may crumble.
• The film coating may peel off or wrinkle under the influence of tools. Especially if the quality of adhesion to the panel itself is poor.
• The glossy surface is very easy to scratch and therefore requires special care.

For cutting with your own hands, you need to make a markup. For the calculation to be correct, you will need: a ruler, square, tape measure, level or laser level. We draw the cutting line so that it can be easily erased. In this case, the decorated side should not be below, so that there are no scratches on it. We put it on the workbench, fix it securely and start cutting. To make the cut smoother, you can glue it with tape, or guide the tool immediately along the pressed bar.

The main controversy concerns instruments. Any tool used for this purpose in the woodworking industry can be used.

Suitable for this:

• hand saw (both for wood and metal);
• jigsaw (regular or electric);
• a circular saw;
• milling cutter.

In order to save time and effort, it is better to carry out a large constant volume of work with power tools. One-time work can be done manually. The main thing is that the teeth of the nozzles are small. We start from either side, we drive the saw smoothly, without jerking. Small chips and irregularities in the film can be smoothed out with sandpaper.

There are two main ways to mount MDF wall panels:

• glue;
• put on a metal or wooden frame.

In the first case, you need a glue suitable for working with wood products. They can not only glue, but also align the grooves in the places where the screws are screwed in. The glue can be colored or transparent.

In the second case, a wooden lathing or metal structure is applied to the wall. The advantage of wood is ease of installation, environmental friendliness and the use of fewer hardware and fittings. But wood is more expensive than metal, so this method is less affordable. Installation of a metal frame has its own difficulties - it requires a certain skill and the acquisition of special tools.

Let's take a closer look at the process of fixing MDF wall panels to a frame base in more detail.

• The working wall needs to be prepared. Remove baseboards and switch and socket boxes. Take care of the output of the wires for the sockets, which will be located on the panels. Damaged wall cladding must be cleaned off to the ground.
• The wood slats or blocks you will be using must be pre-treated to make them resistant to mildew, mildew, or pests.
• Additionally, you need to take care of fastening the planks to the wall. For wood, you can use screws or dowel-nails.
• We start with angled vertical slats. They are placed in pairs to form an angle. Having made the markings, we drill holes in the wall for the hardware (with an average step of about 7 cm) and put plastic sockets from the screws in them.

• We apply the rail to the wall, transfer the markings to it and drill, connect it to the wall.
• Horizontal parts are attached in the same way.
• Door and window openings deserve special attention.The slats are fixed along their perimeter, regardless of whether they have a step mark on them or not.
• The evenness of the vertical battens and crossbars is checked using a level or plumb line. Irregularities at the joints of the rails must be sanded with a plane.

The technology for mounting a metal frame has its own characteristics.

1. The process itself is similar to installing a wooden one. However, for a metal structure, you will need CD profiles and UD rails.
2. CD profiles are inserted into vertical posts (UD) and pushed in to the required place.
3. Then we drill holes in the wall by analogy with wooden logs. Long self-tapping screws are used for fastening to the wall surface. And the profiles are connected to each other by short ones. The CD profile requires connectors (also called ears).

After installing the frame, the panels are laid.

1. You should start from the corner. The panel with the sawn-off ridge is placed first, and the next one is attached to it with the help of a lock, in which the ridge of one workpiece is aligned with the groove of the other.
2. The panels are fixed with small nails (if the frame is wooden) or with clasp brackets (if metal).
3. To attach the last two panels correctly, the last one needs to make the ridge less wide. Then join both at an angle and press on them, straightening the joint.
4. The last blanks should be tightly pushed together and fixed with screws to the frame.
5. The slots in the corner, as well as between the wall and the floor (ceiling), are closed with corners and decorative skirting boards (they can be glued).

To install MDF panels correctly, follow the advice of professionals.

• For reliability, panels along their length must be fastened along vertical slats or profiles.
• Additionally, when installing panels on a frame, you can insulate the walls with mounting foam or sheet foam materials, and increase the level of sound insulation. They can be fixed in cells between the planks. Such sizing reduces heat exchange with the external environment and allows you to reduce the cost of maintaining heat in the room and its air conditioning.
• If pipes are hidden behind the panels. The height of the profile must be calculated based on the thickness plus the margin. It is better to place the wiring in special protective pipes, since ordinary MDF does not protect against water ingress.

• Since laminated panels are vapor-tight, mold or mildew often develops behind them. This is also influenced by the material of the walls. Brick is moisture permeable, so a primer must be applied to it. And the gaps between the wall and the panel in the bathroom or kitchen are best treated with a sealant.
• With the adhesive installation method, the wall surface must be perfectly flat. If this is not the case, the wall panel will, of course, hide them, but there will be gaps between it and the wall.
• When distributing the panels, the drawing must be taken into account. For example, the direction of the wood grain. Perhaps alternating vertical and horizontal patterns looks creative, but in most cases it is better to choose the details carefully.

• If paneling is part of the wall, pay attention to the visible edge. It should not remain untreated, since it is from this place that deformation can begin. If the factory cover is broken, you need to take care of it yourself. Usually, the edge is made of a polymer tape material. It can be in contrast or in the color of the front part.

Since a material such as MDF was created as a cheaper replacement for wood, all kinds of coatings that imitate wood, not only visually, but also by touch, are very popular. All kinds of woody shades - pastel yellow, beige, brown - can form the background basis of any interior.

If the decorative wall covering, painted in restrained colors, seems boring, you can use brighter ones. Nowadays you can find MDF panels of almost any color.You can soften the color and make it less intrusive by using a matte finish. The main task of such an interior is to maintain a good mood and energize.

It is not necessary to completely cover the wall with panels. Sometimes, to revive the interior, a few color accents are enough, the main thing is that all the details are combined with each other.

Of course, gloss will be the most spectacular wall decoration. Such a surface requires more attention from the hostess, but the mirror shine will always attract all eyes. In terms of the degree of effectiveness, only panels can be compared with it, the surface of which creates an abstract or geometric picture. Similarly, you can decorate almost any room - from the living room to the bathroom.

An alternative to gloss can be a coating with a delicate pearlescent sheen. It looks sophisticated and sophisticated.

Wall panels do not have to be strictly horizontal or vertical to the floor. The diagonal arrangement looks pretty fresh and interesting.

MDF cladding can favorably highlight a specific area, draw attention to it, especially if it finds its continuation not only on the wall, but also on the ceiling. This zoning technique proves once again that such a coating goes well with different types of finishes.

The design of the lower part of the wall with panels has become a classic, which is very popular. The embossed processing of facades can be complemented by the same motifs on plinths, fillets and porticoes - together they make up a wonderful ensemble.

For more information on the installation of MDF panels, see the following video.