Finishing the hallway with MDF panels: types of panels and installation

Selecting the appropriate materials for your hallway décor can have a big impact on how it looks and works. MDF panels’ adaptability, low cost, and simplicity of installation have made them a popular choice for finishing hallways.

These panels are available in an array of designs, hues, and textures, so you can create a unique aesthetic that blends in with the interior decor of your house. There is an MDF panel that suits your style, whether it be sleek and contemporary or more traditional.

It is a simple process that doesn’t require a lot of experience or specialized tools to install MDF panels in your hallway. You can achieve a polished finish that gives your space character and durability with a little preparation and the right materials.

MDF panels provide a fashionable and useful way to finish your hallway. They combine durability with a variety of design options to fit any space. This post will discuss the various MDF panel options—from smooth to textured finishes—as well as offer a step-by-step installation tutorial to help you give your house a polished, finished appearance.

Distinctive properties wood fiber boards

The hallway serves as the apartment’s front door, and you can drastically alter the aesthetic direction by selecting wall décor. The general idea of your hallway is formed by the visual image created by the color and texture of the finishing materials used. Thus, one of the most crucial tasks is to carefully consider the wall’s design:

• The first advantage of the panels is simple installation, which you can handle with your own hands. During installation, not much debris, dust and dirt are formed.
  There are several ways to fix MDF panels, so you will be able to choose the one that is suitable for your home.
• The second advantage is the ease of cutting strips with a hand saw or jigsaw. If you need to replace a damaged part, there will be no issues with detaching it from the base.

Citation. Because there will be empty space between the plates and the walls, your room will also have good thermal and sound insulation. Insulation can be used to conceal the wires in that area.

Necessary materials for installation work

Everyone knows that finishing a hallway with MDF panels is a simple process, but requires preliminary preparation. First of all, you need to buy the material itself and the necessary components and accessories.
You can determine the required number of panels by taking into account not the volume of the space to be covered, but its width. If individual panels touch each other on the wall, then special moldings will be needed, and this will entail additional costs and time spent.
Therefore, it is best to cover the wall with whole panels. The typical width of an MDF panel is 148 mm, but there are also panels measuring 190 mm and 240 mm.
It is better to divide the width of the wall by the width of the MDF panel used, which will result in the required number of panels for finishing.

Advice: It is advisable to buy more material than what is calculated, accounting for mistakes, trimmings, and defects.

Types of MDF panels

They can be categorized into different types based on how the panels’ fronts were finished. Laminated boards that have PVC film applied to their surface are the most widely used. Benefits of it:

• This film has aesthetic properties.
• It can imitate the texture of even natural wood (you can look at the photo and see for yourself).
• It has dust-repellent properties.
• Highly resistant to mechanical damage.
• Veneered panels are faced with veneer of the best wood, to which you can add one or another shade.
• For painting painted panels, high-quality compounds with high resistance are used.

Suggestions. For a clean, even cut, it is preferable to use a jigsaw to cut the material.

Materials required for installation:

• Finishing corners (consist of 2 strips), between which there is a gap of 2 mm, with an applied film of the same color as the required MDF panels. This film holds these 2 strips together.
  Thanks to this design, such an angle can be easily bent both inward and outward. These devices are especially convenient to use when the corners in the hallway are not ideal.
• You will need wooden slats to prepare the frame for cladding. The ideal size would be if the width of the slat is 40 mm and the thickness is 20 mm.
  You should not choose slats of a larger cross-section, since the panels themselves are lightweight, and besides, wooden slats with a cross-section of 40×20 mm can always be found in hardware stores.
• To fix these slats to the wall, you will need wood screws up to 80 mm and plastic dowels.
• You will also need elements for fixing the MDF panels to the frame, clamps. You can find them in the same department where the panels themselves are (in most cases, they are included in the kit).
• To glue the corners, you need to buy liquid nails.

Suggestions. The glue needs to be given extra care. In this case, either glue won’t work; instead, a composition with specific qualities is required.

• Firstly, even after hardening, the glue must be flexible – after all, MDF panels made of pressed cardboard are very susceptible to changes depending on the humidity and temperature in the room. Therefore, you need glue that can combat these very temperature modifications.
  Usually, the instructions on the packaging describe this property in detail.
• Secondly, the glue used for MDF panels should facilitate their installation even in those places where the walls are slightly curved. In other words, the texture of the glue should allow it to be spread thinly or thickly – in general, it should be thick.
  Liquid nails, which are successfully used to solve the issue of how to install MDF panels, best meet these requirements.

Advice: Since MDF panels are what you’ve chosen to finish the hallway with, you should be aware that they don’t fall under the category of moisture-resistant materials. As a result, you shouldn’t use it in a hallway with a high level of humidity because the panels will eventually become saturated with moisture and start to deform.

Stages of fastening panels

Installing paneling in a hallway can be challenging for first-timers. You must understand exactly what order the various work stages are in. Measure the space you want to remodel and determine how many sheets you’ll need first. In addition, figure out how many finishing corners are needed to complete the corner; internal and external joints can be made at any angle. Use a specific disinfectant to areas that are prone to mildew and mold growth.

It is best to use wooden slats (size: 40×20 mm) to form the frame where the boards will be attached first. Use self-tapping screws, dowel nails, or plastic filler to secure the slats to the wall. Using a building level, you must ensure that the structure is level before installing the lathing. A wooden base should be fastened to the sheets using tiny, thin nails or clamps.

Technology of wall finishing with MDF panels

Paint, wallpaper, or plaster do not need to be removed from the original surface of brick, wood, or concrete. The surface doesn’t even require plaster or putty. One of the key benefits of wood fiber is this. However, removing outdated skirting boards is essential! Choose the area of the wall where the most protrudes; this is where installation should begin. Because the plates are spaced vertically, you can do this and lay the sheathing horizontally over the whole area in steps no larger than 40 cm. The pattern might become distorted if the step distance goes beyond what is acceptable.

Suggestions. Plank installation starts at the corner and should ideally be completed in one piece for the final section. It is preferable to double-check your calculations first, then attach the purchased plates to the wall to determine where the material will lie completely and where the slatted base will need to be built up.

It is important to finish the hallway panels so that the panel tenon is in the corner where it will be mounted. Cutting it off at the very first piece is advised by experts. Next, a holder-clamper is inserted into the groove, and five to six pieces are spaced out over the length.

Each holder-clamper is attached to a wooden beam with a screwdriver. The opposite end is fixed with self-tapping screws for drywall.
But before starting to attach the self-tapping screws, make a hole in the strip with a metal drill. Use a diameter of 8-10 mm. Then the cap will not stick out.
The next strip is fastened with a tenon into the grooves of the previous one, then each subsequent board is assembled in exactly the same way. All joints at the joints, the edges at the top and on the side are fixed with corners, they are fixed with liquid nails.
The boards are sometimes laid diagonally or even horizontally. It is important that the wooden base is perpendicular to the new coating.
If there are deep depressions, holes and cracks, put wedges and bars in them. From below, the joints are hidden behind a regular baseboard, which can be fixed with nails or glued with sealant.
Under the ceiling, the joint is decorated with a corner.

Advice: The lower wall rail needs to be positioned so that it can eventually be used to fasten the baseboard. It should be fixed at a height above the floor. This rail is typically positioned on the ground.

Existing mounting options

If there are no distortions on the concrete surface, it is perfectly flat and clean, there is a layer of strong plaster, the putty does not peel off, then you can glue directly on the adhesive sealant. Spread the glue in zigzags or dots over the entire board, then press it to the surface for a few seconds. Later, remove it from the wall for a second and re-apply it permanently. Remove the protruding excess with a knife or spatula. It is better to watch the video of how experienced specialists do it.
A metal frame can also be a reliable way of foundation. For these purposes, you can use profiles – UD and hangers.
This technology is suitable if you are going to:

• lay insulation,
• want to hide a huge number of large communications,
• if the original brick or concrete base has large deviations.

Suggestions. In this instance, installing bars will make the structure stronger and more stable in place of metal slats. Use an electric drill to drill a hole with the necessary diameter where an electrical outlet or switch needs to be installed.

The mounting box, or socket box, is chosen in the same way as the plasterboard sheets.

Anyone who wants to blend style and functionality should finish the hallway with MDF panels. With the variety of design options these panels provide—from sleek modern finishes to more classic wood looks—you can tailor your space to your own preferences.

Installation is easy, even for inexperienced do-it-yourselfers. You can create a warm and long-lasting area in your hallway with the correct equipment and a little perseverance. The panels are a practical long-term solution because they are simple to install and require little upkeep.

MDF panels are a flexible and affordable choice for remodeling or simply updating your hallway. They are a popular option for many homeowners wishing to improve the appearance and feel of their entryway because of their strength and visual appeal.

Video on the topic

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