Transform Your Room With Wood Accents on Walls

Ready to take your room’s décor to a whole new level? Whether you’re in the process of installing new hardwood floors or simply want to give your room a fresh new look, adding solid pine or engineered wood flooring wall panels can lift your style to new heights. Here’s a look at what’s involved in adding wood to your walls and how it can dramatically change the look of your space.

What Flooring Can You Put on Walls?

You can clad your walls with a number of different flooring products, but if you want actual wood, then you should go with solid pine or engineered hardwood. Solid pine panels have the wow factor of solid wood with all of its unique knots and whirls. Engineered hardwood is constructed with a top layer of hardwood, so you’ll still get the look and feel of real wood because that’s exactly what it is. Beneath that solid hardwood layer is the engineered part, which is made of plywood, lumber, MDF, or a stone-polymer composite. This below-the-wood layer is what increases the dimensional stability of the product. This is particularly important for areas that may experience greater fluctuations in temperature and humidity. For areas prone to more moisture—including splashes—we recommend opting for our AquaSeal engineered hardwood.

What Walls Are Suitable?

Suitable walls must be flat and clean so your wall cladding can be installed properly and perform at its best. Do not install engineered wood flooring on exterior walls or directly onto concrete/block walls. And, although our AquaSeal engineered hardwood has a level of water resistance, please don’t try to install it inside your shower!

How to Install Engineered Hardwood Flooring on Walls

Installing engineered wood flooring on walls or solid pine on walls can be a DIY project if you have the right tools and materials. In the Warranty, Installation, and Care (WIC) guide for your flooring product, you’ll find specific step-by-step instructions for installing your engineered or solid wood flooring on walls. This will include acclimating your boards beforehand, just as you’d do when installing them on your floor.

For your walls, we recommend using both nails and a polyurethane adhesive, which you can find among the floor prep and tools we offer here at LL Flooring. The basic process involves using a caulk gun to add glue to the backs of your boards, then nailing those boards to the wall studs, staggering them as you would for your flooring. You can also find detailed instructions for installing your boards vertically for wainscoting. One thing to keep in mind is that you should use nails long enough to reach into your wall studs.

While this is something you can DIY, if you’d rather not, you can call in the professionals. You can always turn to LL Flooring to arrange for professional installation through our network of professional independent contractors.

Can Tongue and Groove Flooring Be Used on Walls?

Sure, it can. Engineered hardwood comes in either a tongue and groove profile or a click profile, both of which can be used for attaching to your wall. Nails would be placed at an angle along the grooves at the top of each board to secure to the wall studs (countersunk so as not to interfere with the board that will go above it). You would fit the next row above according to whether it’s a click or tongue and groove profile.

Style Options: From Cozy to Light and Bright

When we talk about wood on walls, we’re not only referring to 1970s chic that might come to mind. At LL Flooring, we have a wide variety of colors and styles of engineered hardwood flooring that you can use to create just about any look you want.

Rich brown and red tones will add a cozy, more rustic atmosphere to your room. Or, you could contrast very light décor with one intensely dark wall to add drama to your contemporary living space. Choose classic browns or light browns to complement your mid-century modern living room, or use them to create a backdrop for lots of plants and earthy decorative items to bring the outdoors in.

Gray tones, particularly in weathered textures, would go great in a beach house or any place where you’d like that casual coastal ambiance. Select whites, creams, and very light grays to brighten a space and create a clean and crisp look. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one wall, either. Feel free to surround yourself with the beauty of wood.

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Maintenance and Other Considerations

Walls take less wear and tear and collect less dirt than floors, so you’ll likely not have to spend much time cleaning them. But when the occasion arises, simply dust or wipe down with floor cleaner. Consult your WIC for more guidance. Remember that this is wall décor and, therefore, shouldn’t be used to support heavy objects like cabinets. To hang other items, such as paintings, sconces, or shelving, be sure to drill directly into the wall studs with screws.

Want more ideas? Browse our Flooring 101 for additional style inspiration, and other tips and guides for choosing, installing, and maintaining wood flooring.