Interior décor is an art and a craft that makes our home an ambient sanctuary after a tiresome day’s work. One of the most ancient methods of interior decoration is wood paneling for walls as it dates back to the Victorian era. Their manors and castles used to be paneled with beautiful and lustrous wood with a pattern of exposed grain designs rich and elegant in its splendor. Though many neo modern techniques and materials are available from fiber to glass and metal, the appeal of shaded and varnished wooden sheets cannot be replaced.
Wood panels – An overview
A wood panel is typically a four by eight foot plank of wood with a thickness of less than 1/4th of an inch. These panels are cut to shape and bent under heat and dampness using a variety of techniques like planning, cutting and pressing to render the desired shapes and sizes according to the walls and conjectures. Wood panels are light in weight thereby making it easier to handle. Different varieties of wood provide innumerable natural colors and grains.
Purpose of wood paneling
Wood paneling is done for a variety of purposes including decoration, partition, mounting of artifacts and to hide uneven surfaces or structures like shelves that we would rather not have in a room. Since the wood panels gain darker shades and hence more beauty over time due to the natural curing of wood and last for a long time, it can be considered as a onetime investment for a permanent décor unlike painting or whitewashing.
Artistic possibilities:
Natural wood veneer is full of patterns crafted by the hands of Mother Nature and therefore surpasses any other man made work of art. The craft of a panel maker is to save as much of these beautiful designs as possible in a continuous or contradicting pattern based on the imagination to being out the appeal. Different types of wood can be used to create colorful patterns and mosaic style paneling while care must be taken to ensure the same quality of wood to ensure an equivalent aging process.
Choosing wall paneling
- Collect as many samples of panels and place them over the wall to get an idea of the right look and feel
- Though aged timber may look appealing as a choice, do remember that it will change to a darker shade with time
- The best bet would be to choose a moderately aged panel and visualize a bit darker shade to get the right idea
Source: Magicbricks.com Bureau