Want to feel good about your home? Consider simple decoration ideas that can instantly spruce up the look in your home with a new breathe of style. Interior designers recommend updating a room’s decor every five to 10 years. And one simple idea you can try is peel and stick wall panels.
Removable wood paneling adds depth and transforms interior space designs with a custom look that redefines wall paneling. If you’re installing peel and stick wood panels, here are key considerations to make before and during the project.
1. Wood Acclimation
Wood acclimation, also referred to as conditioning is an important step during peel and stick paneling installation, which involves opening and placing the panels in a climate controlled environment to allow proper wood conditioning. This process allows the wall planks to attain a balanced moisture level to a point where your pick and peel panels will neither expand nor shrink under a differential surrounding air humidity.
Generally wood, like any other hygroscopic material will absorb moisture when exposed to a humid environment causing it to expand. Likewise, wood loses moisture and contracts in low humidity or dry environments. How long should you acclimate peel and stick wall panels before installation? For proper acclimation, experts recommend at least 2 to 3 days, but again this will depend on the humidity levels in your region. Add two more days if you reside in a high humidity area.
2. Avoid Installing Wood in Spaces with Relatively High Moisture Level
Peel and stick paneling can be installed in almost any part of the house including the bedroom, study room, living rooms, kitchen, and bathroom. However, interior spaces with poor ventilation or leaks could increase the moisture level in the surrounding air compromising the functionality of peel and stick wood.
The best condition to install wood peel and stick decor paneling is in a room with 30% and 65% relative humidity, and on a surface with less than 8% moisture. This will ensure the wood neither expand nor shrink due to differential moisture content.
3. Ensure the Surface is Clean
A clean surface will allow the peel and stick wood to adhere properly whether you’re installing on wall, floor, ceiling or even a blank column. Start by first removing any decor, nails, fixtures, outlet covers and light switch covers from the surface. Then clean the surface to remove dust and debris, which can affect the adhesion ability of stick on wood panels on the surface.
4. Ensure the Surface is Well Leveled
You can tell if a surface is perfectly level by just looking at it, and that’s why you need to use a level for accurate measurements. A wall, floor or ceiling that isn’t quite level will result in a wonky peel and stick installation.
5. How to Properly Install Stick On Wood Panels?
Whether you want to achieve a vertical, horizontal or any other style with your peel and stick paneling, experts encourage installing a single row at a time to ensure a level and uniform rows. You need to start from a single point and advance to complete a single row, then move to the next row. Resizing the panels can help you achieve different designs.
In conclusion, you shouldn’t overlook the need to acclimate your wood for the best results. Clean the surface and ensure no dirt is left behind for maximum adhesion. On a level surface, peel and stick paneling a row at a time for a uniform layout.
