Wall Panel Installation

Q: I’d like to install some wood on the walls of my office to create a sectioned panel look, like the kind you find in old home libraries. I’ll eventually also build shelving. What can I do to figure out how to get the look I want? I’ve seen some nicely decorated rooms in magazines, but I’m stumped on how to actually do the work.

A: I like the dark, old-library-look too. The best way to start is with a base of 1/2-inch thick hardwood-veneered plywood fastened to the walls. Cherry is a wonderfully rich wood that's great for this job. It darkens to a reddish brown colour with exposure to light. Fasten this paneling with screws located in places you'll be covering later with the solid wood trim that creates the paneled appearance. The main thing is to prepare some scale drawings before you begin. This is the only way you're going to home in on the look you want. It'll take time, but you'll be able to proceed with confidence once you’re done. An architect’s ruler has many different scale graduations on each side, making drawings easier to create accurately. Think of the entire job like building furniture that’s attached to your walls. Polymerized tung oil or Minwax’s Wipe-On Poly both do a particularly good job on cherry.