How to smooth out the edge of VJ Panel wall?

It's great to hear that you're all over it, @RJ2. Great move speaking with the manufacturer. Mounting the unit directly to the wall with longer screws into the studs would likely provide the most secure fixing. That way, you ensure all screws are into solid timber.

The only other thing I could suggest would be to have a few angle brackets fixed into the studs at a height that matches the bottom of the unit. The top of the bracket will run behind the cabinet. The cabinet can be placed onto the brackets, which will bear its weight, and you can then secure the unit to the wall with longer screws into the studs or use the brackets. Screws can be driven up through the brackets into the bottom panel of the cabinet. Just make sure to use screws short enough, so they don't penetrate through the bottom of the cabinet. These brackets would be in addition to the fixing method recommended by the manufacturer. However, I'd consult with the carpenter/handyperson as the additional brackets might not be needed.

It sounds like you're on the right track; I just wanted to ensure that it would be secured sufficiently, as I'd hate to see someone be injured.

Mitchell

All comments

JacobZ

Hi @RJ2,

Thank you for your question about finishing the edges of VJ panelling and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you join us.

If you wanted to use 3 sheets with 50mm gaps on the edge, once the VJ panelling is attached, you could use some strips of 9mm plywood to pack the wall out flush with the VJ panel before attaching a piece of 66 x 11mm 5.4m Moulding White Pine FJ Primed DAR to each end to cover the gap. You can then seal the lines between the outside walls, the mouldings and the VJ panel using Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose Gap Filler before painting.

If you wanted to purchase an additional sheet, assuming you have a small gap between the wall and the end of the panel, you would simply need to use a bead of No More Gaps on either end of the sheets to conceal the gap before painting.

If your cuts aren't exactly perfect and the gap is not as small as you had hoped, you could use a piece of 18 x 18mm 5.4m Moulding White Pine FJ Primed Quad alongside your No More Gaps to conceal the gaps on either end.

Much of the finish will come down to your paint preparation. You might like to have a look at How to paint like a professional for some tips.

Allow me to tag some of our helpful members to see if they have any other ideas @robchin, @Dave-1, @DIYGnome.

Let me know if you have any further questions or require some clarification, I am more than happy to assist further.

Jacob

Good Evening @RJ2

It comes down to how much you want your feature wall to look solid or a little different.

You could go for the extra piece and have a consistant look across the wall.

You could go for a staggered look where you put timber trim between sections, say split the wall into thirds and use vertical trim to give it a sectioned look so it overlaps or is inbetween the 3 sections. Think old style english homes as in Tudor style.

With the skirting question, if you have existing skiting in your house and dont intend to change it Id probarly stick to the same type, however if you intend to change all the skirting then here is your chance to see what you can do. When I was trying to decide on what type (the old was only 40mm high and curved on top) I used offcuts and had them lean against the wall just to see if I found it appealing.

I would like to offer a warm howdy 🙂 and Welcome to the Bunnings community 🙂 Its apretty friendly place with loads of ways of doing things.

Dave

DIYGnome

Hello @RJ2 🖐

Given you will be assisted by a Professional, they may already have left over VF panels from a previous job... always worth an ask when discussing your Project with them, some "old school" Professionals used to assist Clients when/where they could in this fashion.

As for the requirement of a replacement skirting board, the paneling is only 8.5mm thick and as such depending on your desired aesthetics may not be necessary (as seen in the project linked below) 🤔

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/VJ-panelling-feature-wall/ta-p/74695

Or re-use the original skirting board (as appears to be the case in the project linked below)

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/Bedroom-makeover-using-VJ-panels/ta-p/204024

Thank you everyone for your great suggestions - I have now ordered the VJ Panels and can't wait to show you the transformation - well I am hoping it won't be disastrous.

I have another question that you may be able to assist with. On the same wall where the VJ Panel is being installed, I will be mounting a floating tv cabinet that weight around 60kg. It is 2.4mtr long and came with 4 mounting brackets so should be able to hang it on the studs. My question is, what kind of screws/anchors I should be buying to hang this rather heavy cabinet?

The cabinet came with this kind of anchors but I understand that these are more for the concrete walls than for a gyprock wall.

Also, I was looking at liquid nails to support the VJ Panels on the wall but the options are overwhelming. There is selly regular liquid nail, liquid nail fast grab, liquid nail heavy duty etc? Is there any particular type recommended over other types? Along with liquid nail, we will be using nail gun to secure the panels to studs.

Afternoon @RJ2

Before you install the VJ paneling I would take not of where the studs in the wall are as that is what you will need to attach your floating tv cabinet to. You can either mark in pencil/tape the floor or ceiling or even sketch and measure it out as long as you know where they are.

Liquid nails regular 🙂 is probarlly what id use, If you are using a nailgun id suggest to make sure it dosnt punch through the VJ sheet (note Ive used a nail gun only twice ish)

The green rawl plug that you linkedto is for concrete walls but their are other options that may be better. (concrete screws are ones i prefer)

Cant wait to see the pics 🙂

Dave

EricL

Hello @RJ2

It's great that you've received excellent advice from our members. In order to give our members a better idea of what the floating TV cabinet looks like, would it be possible for you to post a photo of the cabinet? Can you also please include a picture of the brackets that came with the cabinet? We can then make recommendations on how to proceed.

If you need assistance in posting the photos, please let me know.

Eric

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your response.

I have attached the picture of the tv cabinet (please ignore the 4 square cabinets on the wall), the mounting brackets, the screw and the wall plug.

Please note, there are 8 mounting brackets (4 for the wall and 4 for the cabinet). Please let me know if you require any further information.

I have also seen these anchors on Bunnings website, not sure if they will be ideal for this use especially given I want to mount them to the stud and these grippit screws don't seem to be compatible (pardon my lack of knowledge if they are compatible).

Brackets

Cabinet Cabinet

EricL

Hello @RJ2

Just to give you a perspective about the weight of the TV cabinet, 60kg is equivalent to three Stylus WELS 3 Star 6L/full Allegro Link Toilet Suite. Keep in mind that anything placed on top of the TV cabinet will add to its weight. For example, the TV, flower vase, books and accessories.

The hook that came with your cabinet has to be installed on the stud. I propose using Zenith 10G x 75mm Gold Passivated Type 17 Countersunk Head Timber Screws. Please make sure that the screws fit into the mounting holes of the hook. I strongly advise drilling pilot holes to prevent the timber from splitting.

As for the bar which is the flat piece that goes on the cabinet, it's important to find out how thick the back timber wall is. This will be your guide on how long a screw you'll need to use.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @WoodenGregsWood for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @RJ2 I'm a little late in replying, but the advice of both @JacobZ and @Dave-1 has suggested would be as mine with regards to fixing the VJ boards.

From an aesthetics POV, as far as how you finish the short fall of 100mm, it depends on how fussy you are? I would probably and redundantly use another panel as 100mm is a fair bit. But thats costly, so my suggestion would be to use at each end only the 66mm x 11mm DAR pine that @JacobZ suggested and rip the last VJ board to accomodate. Placing the pine in-between boards in my opinion will not as clean as installing them on the ends.

Before fitting the boards, use a stud find or a nail to locate the studs at approx. 450mm centres. I like to use a nail because you're covering the wall anyway and its 100% accurate. It's important for the cabinet you want to float that you mark each studs actual width (left and right edges) on the floor with painters tape.

Use a squiggle of just the standard liquid nails on the back of each board and along near the edges and brad (18ga, 15ga or 16Ga) them into place. The boards have an overlap or a tongue and groove depending on the type you buy. Either way the joins will be clean and wont need any extra finish work, only the two ends. I tend to not use skirting with VJ, just take it straight to the floor and have the side wall skirts but up to it.

The brackets for the cabinet are hook type and will only allow for one side of each one to be fixed to the studs. This should be fine if you use something like a 12Ga x 45mm hex screw through a predrilled hole in to the centre of each stud. The other side of each bracket can be simply supported by 10Ga x 30mm flat head screws in to the VJ boards. The shared weight across each bracket by the hex screws will easily take the total weight.. Your only concern here will be what if any electrical cables you might be unlucky enough to strike?

Hopes this helped. Nailbag

Hi @RJ2,

I have concerns regarding your installation of this cabinet. As you mentioned, those brackets were supplied by the manufacturer with the intention of being mounted to masonry. My concern is that the holes might be spaced too wide for you to get all six screws into a single stud. Even if you could, unless the locations of the brackets are relocatable, I doubt all the brackets will align with studs. How wide is the bracket between the two sets of holes?

If you are not able to have all screws driven into the studs, they will instead be into the VJ boards, and a 9mm MDF board can't bear the kind of weight as a solid stud does. When loaded with the TV, ornaments, DVDs, etc, the cabinet could weigh around 100kg. That's a large amount of weight, and if it were to fail and fall, it could result in the loss of a child's life. Crushing from cabinets is a very real risk. I'd encourage you to follow the manufacturer's directions on installation or contact them for further assistance with mounting to a plaster and stud wall.

Mitchell

Morning @RJ2

@MitchellMc has raised an important point in fixing those brackets to the wall, I had not really given it a thought and then it was like a light bulb that the brackets width (space between the holes) is probarly wider then the stud in the wall you are fastening to. So you would only be able to secure one side which wouldnt carry the load.

You could go down the track of securing the backplane of the floating cabinet to the studs in the wall directly as @EricL has suggested but then you will be relying on the backplane to be solid enough to hold that weight (The screws could be fanned out across the length into studs with washers)

Apart from the tv and associated equipment if cousin Bob comes over for a party and leans on it or sits on it...These things I would factor in thinking about how to secure the floating cabinet.

Dave

Hi Mitchell,

Thanks for your advice - I have spoken with the manufacturer and they advised that if the brackets are too wide for the stud then I can either use longer screws and mount the cabinet directly (without brackets) onto the studs or a timber board can be installed (horizontally) on the stud wall to support this brackets. The support person gave me an example of how dryers are installed on the wall with this method.

How wide is the bracket between the two sets of holes? The brackets on the cabinet are not installed - they need to be aligned and installed in accordance with how much gap we are leaving on the wall.

BTW, are there any other types of brackets that you can recommend that may be more suitable for stud installation or does the idea of installing with the horizontal timber make sense to you? Either way, I will be getting a carpenter/handyman to instal it professionally to ensure its done correctly.

Worse case - the unit will be returned and I will get something more traditional that sits on the floor.

Thanks a lot for your input - I really appreciate that!

Edit: Just editing to update that the TV was going to be mounted separately on the wall and won't be sitting on the cabinet.

It sounds like you're on the right track; I just wanted to ensure that it would be secured sufficiently, as I'd hate to see someone be injured.

Mitchell

Excellent suggestion Mitchell regarding the use of angle brackets, something like this might do that job? Would you also be able to recommend some longer screws that can be used to go into the stud through the cabinet?

Thanks again for your assistance.

Oh, sorry, @RJ2. I didn't add the link to them. I'd go for something like these brackets. They are far stronger than the ones you've shown, better suited and are not as thick. You should be able to see them under the cabinet. Remember, we are not going to install them as you typically would. They'll go up behind the unit.

Mitchell

Hello wonderful people of the Bunnings community - Just wanted to give you all a progress update about this project.

I had professionals help me with the VJ panels and install TV cabinets, and they did an amazing job ensuring that everything, especially the cabinet and TV, is secure. As suggested by @MitchellMc, he installed four brackets on the studs where the cabinet is sitting. To secure it further. he also installed horizontal timber on the studs. The cabinet was then flushed with the wall and screwed to both the brackets at the bottom and the horizontal timber (see the pictures). The powerpoints were also moved inside the TV cabinet drawer where the TV one connect box sits to power the TV."

The brackets were so secured that the tradesperson even demoed standing on them (I had my heart in my mouth when he did that). Now, we need to paint the wall and add some lighting to it - I will post a final picture once it's all done.

Thank you everyone for your contribution, without that - I wouldn't have been able to achieve this amazing (and secure) result. On a side, special thanks to @ProjectPete as I took inspiration from his project. I couldn't do the recessed cabinet, but still very happy with the outcome and may consider the recessed cabinet at a later stage :).

JacobZ

Hi @RJ2,

Thank you for sharing the update. It's looking brilliant.

I'm a big fan of VJ and this is a great install. It gives a brilliant backdrop for the wall-mounted TV.

It's always good to know that a tradie will back their work, and standing on the floating bench is definitely a theatrical way to do it. I'm sure they'd done it before so were confident it would be fine.

I can't wait to see it after the finishing touches.

Jacob