🖼️
The project:
We wanted our hallways to feel like a feature of the home rather than simply a passageway, so we installed wall panelling throughout every hallway. We combined a classic picture-frame design with a fluted feature band at dado height to create a more modern look. Every wall was carefully planned before being marked out full-size using a laser level, ensuring the layout remained consistent throughout the house. Batch-cutting the mouldings on the drop saw helped achieve clean, repeatable joins, and the finished panelling was spray painted using an Ozito spray gun with Dulux Wash&Wear, creating a seamless, professional finish that completely transformed the space.
- Materials:
- Sugar soap – to clean and prepare the walls before installation.
- Porta pre-primed mouldings and fluted panelling (Bunnings stock a range of similar pine mouldings and boards).
- Selleys Hold Up 290ml Construction Adhesive – the instant grab holds each moulding in place while securing with brad nails.
- Brad nails.
- Gap filler – for filling nail holes, joins and finishing edges.
- Dulux Wash&Wear – used as the topcoat over the primed mouldings and walls for a seamless finish.
- Tools:
- Laser level – the key tool for the project, used to project and mark every line before cutting.
- Brad nailer.
- Tape measure and pencil.
- Level or straight edge – to check alignment and assist with measuring.
- Caulking gun.
- Drop saw (Ozito).
- Spray gun (Ozito).
- Step 1:
Planned the panelling layout using inspiration photos and an online wall panelling design tool, working out panel sizes, the height of the fluted band, and how the design would flow around doorways, corners and light switches.
- Step 2:
Marked the full layout onto the walls using a laser level, drawing every horizontal and vertical line before making a single cut.
- Step 3:
Walked through each hallway to check the layout visually, making small adjustments where needed to keep the spacing balanced across different wall lengths.
- Step 4:
Measured directly from the wall markings and batch-cut the mouldings on the drop saw, cutting matching lengths together for consistent mitres and cleaner installation.
- Step 5:
Laid all of the cut mouldings out on the floor before installation to double-check the layout, confirm every piece had been cut, and make sure nothing had been missed before fixing them to the wall.
- Step 6:
Installed a flat moulding beneath the fluted band to provide additional support and prevent any movement while the adhesive cured.
- Step 7:
Applied Selleys Hold Up construction adhesive to each moulding before securing it with brad nails. The instant grab made installation much easier by holding each piece in place while fixing.
- Step 8:
Worked one hallway at a time, installing the fluted feature band first before completing the surrounding picture-frame mouldings. Filled all nail holes and joins, then caulked the edges to create a seamless, built-in finish.
- Step 9:
Finished by spray painting the panelling using an Ozito spray gun, blending the mouldings and walls into one continuous, professional-looking finish.
- Step 10:
Enjoy!
