Powder Room Makeover Update: Installing Wall Panels
I have been busy at work in my powder room and have progress to show you. This is not a pretty post – no glam shots or pretty colors or decorations, but the basics of installing wall panels of beadboard and picture ledge to the long focal wall in my powder room.
This powder room is small and narrow. If you remember from my post on how I stripped the wallpaper, I don’t even call it a room – it is a space…a dark one. My vision is to add lots of light.
I like the classic look of this wide bead board panel that I bought at Lowes. I would love for the space to have a white sink and toilet, but I have to work with what I have – which is off-white. There is no budget to buy new. I am intentionally using the color as part of the color scheme. White, off white, and turquoise, along with a mix of a few other colors that I still have not decided on yet.
supplies needed:
- 1 – WallDesign 5/16-in x 4-ft x 8-ft Ultra White HDF Wall Panel
- 1 – 3/4″ x 1 – 1/2″ x 8′ board
- 1 – 21/32″ x 3 1/2″ x 8′ primed board
- Measuring tape
- Jigsaw
- Bubble level
- Finishing nails – 4D 1 – 1/2″
- Nail punch
- Hammer
- Liquid Nails
- SPACKLE
- Caulk – my favorite is made by DAP and comes in a “CheeseWiz” style bottle. No caulk gun is needed.
- Dust mask to wear when cutting the wood and wall panel.
I attached the left side panel against the wall with finishing nails. The other panel had to be cut with a jigsaw to fit around the sink cabinet.
To cut the panel to go around the sink cabinet, I fitted cardboard around the cabinet and made a template. I laid the template on the panel and drew around it to get the exact shape and fit.
This is when I asked Ed to help. Four hands are better than two when working around a saw. He cut and I helped hold the panel still. We had to run back down to the basement a few times for more precise cutting, but it finally popped right into place.
We made one cut that took the white surface off along the edge against the counter because we moved the board after cutting it while the blade was still turning. Note to self: Wait for the blade to stop, then slide the board away from it and you will have a nice clean cut. Our boo boo…nothing a little SPACKLE and paint can’t fix.
To attach the wall panels, I found the studs and hammered in finishing nails along the upper section of the wall panels. Where the two boards meet, there was no stud, so I used a few dollops of Liquid Nails to hold the edges to the wall. I used a nail punch to countersink each nail. I put SPACKLE over each nail hole and sanded the areas smooth.
I also added a top board and a narrow board to act as a picture rail. I used the same finishing nails to attach each board.
1. – 3/4″ x 1 – 1/2″ x 8′ board 2. – 21/32″ x 3 1/2″ x 8′ primed board 3. – WallDesign 5/16-in x 4-ft x 8-ft Ultra White HDF Wall Panel
This is how it looked.
Time to fix all the gaps. If you have ever worked with wood and molding then you know that caulk is your best friend. It makes all your mistakes – gaps and uneven joints, look perfect or at least much better.
I used my favorite “CheeseWiz” style caulk to hide all the gaps between the wood joints and the wood and cabinet. I can only find it at Walmart. I like using it because the can is small and you only need one hand, plus it stores easily and there is no waste.
I don’t have a photo of the caulking step. To caulk around the cabinet and where each piece of wood meets, simply apply a line of caulk along the gaps and then use your finger to smooth. Have a wet paper towel handy to clean up any smudges.
TIP: You can also smooth a line of caulk by running an ice cube over it.
This is as far as I have gotten. I am going to finish caulking and painting everything this weekend. Next week I will have some pretty in-progress photos to share with you.
Happy Weekend!