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How to prepare Pine boards for wall lining?

KPD

hi everyone – I am planning to line the interior of the main rooms of my home with a pine board – shiplap style – that is available at Bunnings. My aim is to stain each board and then go over the top with a light oil to have a nice matt finish (perhaps with slight sheen). My question is - am i best to stain the boards first before attaching to the walls - or should i stain and oil first. Would appreciate thoughts and ideas on process / workflow for this :-). Ive upload the board i propose using and an image (prob ambitious) of what inwould like to achieve. Cheers

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MitchellMc

Hi @KPD,

That's a great look you're aiming for, and I think those shiplap boards will suit it well.

I would recommend staining and oiling the boards before installation. It's much easier to achieve an even finish when the boards are lying flat, and you'll avoid having to work stain and oil into all the grooves once they're on the wall. Pre-finishing the boards also means that if the timber shrinks slightly over time, you won't end up with unstained edges becoming visible.

Once the boards are installed, you can always do a light touch-up on any cut ends or areas that may have been marked during installation.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

KPD

thanks Mitchell- that makes a lot of sense cheers

KPD

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/profile/14838/MitchellMc

Hi Mitchell - a couple of other questions - would you suggest measuring the floor to ceiling length and then getting the pine boards pre cut to size first - then staining - then making any other trims as needed. Also if i am planning to do the ceiling as well would u suggest doing ceiling or walls first - or does it not matter ? I would prefer to do the walls first but would appreciate your thoughts? Also - if there are additional power sockets to go in - would these go in first as well ? Cheers

MitchellMc

Hi @KPD ,

Happy to help.

I'd suggest cutting the boards to their approximate lengths before staining and oiling, but leave them 5-10mm over-length if possible. Walls and ceilings are rarely perfectly square, so it's much easier to make a final trim during installation to get a neat fit. Once you've made those final cuts, you can simply touch up the exposed ends with your stain and oil.

If you're lining both the walls and ceiling, I'd generally recommend doing the ceiling first. That way the wall boards can finish neatly against the ceiling, and any small gaps at the edge will be covered more cleanly. It's certainly possible to do the walls first, but it usually creates a bit more work when it comes to achieving a tidy junction.

If you're planning on adding extra power points or relocating existing ones, I'd definitely organise that before installing the lining boards. That gives the electrician access to run any new cabling behind the walls. Once the lining is installed, they can cut out the openings for the power points and fit extension rings or mounting blocks as required.

Please note that any electrical work involving 240V must be carried out by a licensed electrician.

Please let me know if you have any other questions as you plan the project. It sounds like it's going to look fantastic.

Mitchell

KPD

Thanks Mitchell - great help. :-) - im sure ill have more questions down the track

KPD

hi @MitchellMc - I’ve started the project test and using a sheet panel instead of- the ship lap seemed a bit awkward to assemble. I have stained one coat with Cabots walnut water based satin finish. I really like the result

however there are some funny dark patches that look like dust particles- photos attached- any ideas how to overcome these? Also what oil would you suggest to finish ? It is patchy in parts - i am using a brush - would roller be better do you think ?

MitchellMc

Welcome back @KPD,

It's looking great so far, and I can see why you're happy with the Cabot's Walnut colour. It has a nice warm tone.

Just a quick question about those dark marks. Do they feel proud of the surface, or are they sunken below the surface?

If they're proud of the surface, they're less likely to be dust particles and more likely to be raised timber grain caused by the water-based stain. If that's the case, I'd give the panel a very light sand with a fine-grit sandpaper, around 320 grit or finer, just enough to knock the raised fibres back before applying another coat.

If the marks are actually sunken into the surface, they're likely within the timber itself. Unfortunately, there isn't a simple fix for that. Your best option would be to sand that area back and apply a sanding sealer before re-staining, although depending on how noticeable they are, you may decide they're part of the timber's natural character.

Regarding the patchy finish, I think a brush is still the best application method for this type of stain. The key is to keep a wet edge, apply it evenly and avoid going back over areas once they've started to dry, as that can create lap marks. A roller tends to apply the stain too heavily and still requires back-brushing, so I don't think it would improve the finish.

To protect the stain while keeping a natural, low-sheen appearance, I'd look at products such as Feast Watson Scandinavian Oil, depending on the level of protection and sheen you're after. I'd recommend testing your preferred finish on an offcut first to make sure you're happy with how it affects the colour. You won't find a heap of interior oils, as most typically people apply a varnish over stains.

Mitchell

KPD

thanks @MitchellMc - that all makes sense - i will give it a go - cheers

KPD

hi @MitchellMc - i have come back to the site and my test board has bent a little (see pic) - i will leave on a flat surface as i prep boards but wondering if this reaction from the board will compromise its fastening to the wall. I would prefer to leave as the full length but wondering if they should be cut and fastened in smaller lengths - or is it the case that they will remain in place (and stay flat) if securely attached using nail gun all along the length ?

MitchellMc

Hi @KPD,

Thanks for the update and the photo. That's certainly more movement than I'd normally expect.

Can I ask how the panel was stored when this happened? Was it lying completely flat on a supported surface, or was one end left unsupported, or perhaps it was leaning against a wall?

I think there's an important distinction to make. If the board developed this curve while lying flat and fully supported, it suggests there are internal stresses within the timber causing it to distort. If, however, it was leaning against something or only supported at one end, gravity could certainly have contributed to the bowing.

If you can at least partially straighten the board by laying it flat while you prepare the remaining panels, I think it should be fine once it's fixed to the wall. With a nail gun securing it along the full length, I'd expect it to pull in nicely and remain flat.

I'd avoid cutting the panels into shorter sections if at all possible. Keeping them full-length will give you a much cleaner, more seamless finish, and I don't think this amount of movement alone is enough to justify introducing additional joins.

Let us know how you go.

Mitchell

KPD

hi @MitchellMc - thanks for that - u are spot on - it was laying on a small bench and one end was not supported- the other was up against the wall. I will store flat moving forward. I am thinking of using a 18 gauge brad nailer (ryobi) to attach these (with liquid nails too) - i am hoping this will be sufficient rather than 16 gauge which seems a little weighty to me - this will be my first project using a tool like this. What are you thoughts.

MitchellMc

Hi @KPD,

A Ryobi 18-gauge brad nailer will be perfectly suitable for this project, especially when used in conjunction with Liquid Nails. Just make sure you use brads that are long enough to penetrate well into the studs. As a general guide, aim for a brad that's around 2½ times the thickness of the board. So, if your lining boards are 12mm thick, a 30mm brad would be ideal.

18-gauge brads should work fine with those boards. For wall panelling, the adhesive is doing much of the long-term work, while the brads simply hold everything firmly in place while the adhesive cures, so I think you've got a good plan.

Mitchell

R4addZ

Hi @KPD

Just a quick point on the wall outlets. I would suggest you cut out the mounting holes in the timber before closing it up (unless it will be accessable from the other side) as the electrician coming along afterwards will have to cut blind where the cable may be, potentially damaging the cable. I would speak to your electrician first to find out the size of the hole required because if you want them flush fitting the hole size may need to allow enough timber for them to fix to and needs to be smaller than the plate it's self. You also need to agree the height of each of the sockets (most will be the same height around the room) as you may want some that are at different heights to make them more accessable such as in the vicinity of a desk. Also with the framing as open as it is, it may be worth considering if you want any data cables installing such as from your router to the tv as with higher definition streaming getting more available, wired rather than wifi is better and more secure. It is also worth putting as large a conduit as you can down to a wall plate near your router to allow for future additions as technology is changing fast and a conduit is a really cheap way of future proofing You may also want to put conduits in to other areas if you even think you may one day want something there.

KPD

thanks both - appreciated

KPD

Hi there - because i have to stain quite a number of boards. I am thinking of using the Wagner 350 spray gun to use waterbased stain and varnish (Cabotts) - picture attached. Would this work ok - i will do a number of coats and would likely stain once boards are up before trim.

JacobZ

Hi @KPD,

The datasheet for Cabot's water-based stain and varnishes does not mention application with a sprayer as a tested and approved application method.

For this reason, it would be best to stick to the recommended application methods of a brush or roller.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob