Using MDF panels is the easiest way to decorate the walls of a room, especially if you need an additional layer of thermal insulation. At the same time, it is quite possible to install MDF panels with your own hands in a very short period of time.
To install the panels you will need:
One of the main advantages of MDF panels is that there is no need to completely level the surface to which you are going to attach them. In this case, it does not matter at all whether the wall was pre-painted or not, and what material it is made of (brick, concrete, blocks, wood). It is enough to simply cover the plastered or wooden surface(2 times) with a primer (or a special composition for protecting wood), and then either immediately fix the sheathing for mounting MDF panels, or first fix a layer of thin thermal insulation (such as foil insulation) to the wall (using “liquid nails” glue).
If desired, MDF panels can be easily mounted on the ceiling. In this case, it is better to follow the rule that MDF panels should be positioned perpendicular to the wall with the window. The principle of installing MDF panels on the ceiling and walls is the same, with one small exception: to cover the ceiling, you will most likely need an assistant who will support the panel and supply tools.
The process of installing MDF panels with your own hands means that you will attach them to a wooden sheathing, which is bars of any cross-section fixed at a certain pitch (in the direction perpendicular to the direction of installation of the panels). In this case, the size of the block (its width and thickness) does not have of great importance(that is, any of the same thickness will do).
If you are going to lay a layer of insulation under the MDF panels ( mineral wool or glass wool), the thickness of the block must correspond to the thickness of the thermal insulation layer.
After preparing the bars for the sheathing, do-it-yourself installation of MDF panels will be done as follows:
The undoubted advantages of MDF panels include not only ease of installation (they can be mounted both vertically and horizontally), but also a beautiful appearance, which, thanks to a wide variety of colors, allows you to choose panels for almost any interior. In addition, MDF panels are easy to care for, since they do not require special cleaning (just wipe with a slightly damp cloth). And, of course, MDF panels are relatively cheap finishing materials.
But MDF panels also have disadvantages:
If you decide to hang something on such a wall, you will have to use special long dowel nails. In addition, MDF panels do not hold up well to impacts from sharp objects (although damaged trim can be disassembled and the panel replaced).
However, even despite the shortcomings, MDF panels still create competition for drywall, the installation of sheets of which requires much more skills and people (at least two), while working with MDF panels can be done alone.
This video demonstrates the process of installing MDF panels.
It is possible to obtain an attractive wall design, provide comfort in the room and an environmentally friendly environment in it, using modern finishing material - MDF. It is produced in the form of panels. It gained fame extremely quickly due to its practicality and attractiveness; its use is allowed in rooms with extreme loads: kitchen, living room, hallway. MDF panels surprise with their variety of shades and textures; they can very accurately imitate natural wood materials, brickwork or tile. The cost of the material is low; if you install it yourself, you can get significant savings on finishing works, during operation it will not require particularly complex care.
To begin with, we note that MDF panels are produced not from solid wood, but from waste, and no synthetic impurities or glue are used, technological process consists of heating wood chips to high temperatures and pressing it under high pressure. The strong connection of material fragments occurs due to the natural polymer compound released during heating - lignin.
Among the important advantages of MDF panels it should be noted:
The main disadvantages of the panels are:
Different finishing methods are used in the manufacture of panels front side, accordingly, the panels themselves are divided into two types:
The external finish of the panels can be shiny - glossy, or matte.
Although installing MDF panels is not a complicated process, it will nevertheless require preliminary preparation and the purchase of facing material and necessary components. To correctly calculate the number of panels, you should first take into account the width of the space to be finished. MDF panels have the following dimensions: their standard width is 148, 190, 240 mm. Determining the required number of panels is simple: it will be the quotient of dividing the width of the wall by the width of the panel. You should purchase a little more material than was received by calculation: there may be defects, some of it will be used for scraps, and losses may also occur as a result of errors.
For work you will need to stock:
Preparing the walls will consist of cleaning them from remnants of old wallpaper. You will also have to remove the baseboards. The surface of the walls must be treated with an antifungal primer, especially for rooms with high air humidity. If necessary, the walls can be covered with insulating material, for example, foam foil A. It is attached with glue, end-to-end, with the foil side facing the room.
The use of finishing corners will greatly simplify installation. Consisting of strips located with a gap of 2 mm, they are intended for fastening strips; a film corresponding to the color of the panels is applied to their surface. The formed angle very easily bends outward or inward. This point is especially important if the geometry of the existing corners is far from ideal.
To build a frame for the cladding you will need slats, preferably 20x40 mm. There is no point in using slats with a large cross-section - the panels are light in weight. In addition, slats with this cross-section are constantly available for sale in construction stores. Fastening the slats can be done using plastic dowels and wood screws.
To fasten MDF panels to the frame bars, you will need clamps; most often they are sold complete with the panels. It will be convenient to glue the corners liquid nails. We should especially talk about the quality of the glue - since the panels can change under the influence of moisture and temperature, the glue for them must have some plasticity. Such characteristics of the glue are usually indicated on its packaging. In addition, the glue must have a texture that allows it to be applied in a thicker or very thin layer, depending on the curvatures present on the walls. Liquid nails meet these requirements.
Installation of the sheathing should be carried out by checking the evenness of the structure, for which you can use a regular building level.
Before attaching MDF panels, you should definitely make sure the quality of the installation of the sheathing - this will ultimately determine general form walls To fasten the panels to the sheathing, clamps are used.
Those who decide to decorate MDF panels with their own hands should not neglect the following recommendations:
Installation of the sheathing begins from the most convex place on the wall. The bars are mounted in a horizontal direction, with a step of no more than 40 cm. Increasing the step can lead to distortion of the pattern.
You should start attaching the planks from the corner; it is advisable to make the calculation in such a way that last panel remained intact. Before starting installation work, you can repeat the calculations or even try on how the purchased material will fit on the wall. The tenon of the first panel should be in the corner.
Along the length of each panel you will need to use 5-6 fastening clamps. They are distributed evenly and secured to the slats using a screwdriver. The opposite end is fixed using self-tapping screws.
In order for the head of the screw to sink into the material, you must first drill a hole with a diameter of 8-10 mm in the strip. The next plank is fastened with a tenon into the groove of the previous one; this procedure is repeated until the last one is installed. Each of the joints at the joints, side and top edges are secured with corners using liquid nails.
If you choose the option of laying panels in a horizontal or diagonal direction, then you should change the direction of the sheathing - its strips should be located perpendicular to the panels of the facing material.
All significant depressions found on the walls should be filled with blocks or wedges.
From below, the joints of the slabs are covered with a regular plinth; it can be secured with nails or sealed with sealant. To make it easier to attach the plinth, the bottom batten of the sheathing is fixed at floor level. The joint under the ceiling can be made with a corner or plinth.
Methods of fastening MDF boards may be different, depending on the condition concrete surface on which installation is carried out. If it is leveled and clean, then the panels can be glued directly to the wall using adhesive-sealant.
It is applied in a zigzag over the entire board, then it is pressed firmly against the wall for a couple of seconds. If excess glue comes out, carefully remove it with a spatula.
If under MDF boards a layer of insulation will be laid or numerous utility lines will have to be hidden under it, then the best option The slabs will be installed on a metal frame.
If you need to hide noticeable wall irregularities, it is better to use a lathing made of wooden beams- it will be stronger and more stable. In places where sockets or switches are installed, holes of the required diameter should be made using an electric drill.
You can often find discussions about installing MDF panels in the kitchen. It is not easy to give a definite answer to this. MDF is an environmentally friendly material, it does not have unpleasant odor, therefore cannot cause any harm to people in the kitchen.
At the same time, the material is not moisture-resistant to the extent that would allow its unhindered installation in rooms with high levels of humidity - under the influence of water, the material may lose its attractive appearance. But it is still possible to improve areas remote from places where water is used, for example the dining area, using MDF boards. At the same time, it is recommended to mount the panels on a metal profile - wood in a humid environment can suffer from fungi and putrefactive processes. In addition, experts recommend paying attention to relatively new option panels with a special moisture-resistant coating.
The period of operation of the slabs will not cause much trouble. The surface of the slabs is very smooth, it is well laminated and covered with paints. Cleaning the material from contaminants is done with a moistened soft cloth; when cleaning, do not use substances containing abrasive particles.
If during operation peeling of the top coating of the film becomes noticeable, it can be removed using a fine-grained sandpaper. Any of the damaged slabs can be replaced quite easily with a new one.
MDF panels are widely popular in the field of interior design. Consumer interest in this finishing material is explained by its low cost, excellent decorative qualities and environmental friendliness. Another important advantage is that wall cladding with MDF panels does not require any special construction knowledge and skills, therefore, it is possible to save on the services of professional craftsmen. All work can be easily done with your own hands, you just need to show basic care and prepare necessary set tools.
Before purchasing panels, it is necessary to take measurements of the room that will be finished. When selecting material, you should focus not only on the squaring of the surfaces, but also on the dimensions of the panels themselves, taking into account possible waste. Also count the number of external and internal corners indoors to purchase special finishing corners that match the color of the selected panels.
The finishing corners are thin MDF strips pressed with protective and decorative film. Folding lengthwise, they form an internal or outside corner any radius. Finishing with applied laminated corners allows you to hide corner connections panels and give a finished look to the room.
Besides finishing materials it is also necessary to acquire wooden slats or special metal profiles for installation of sheathing. The choice of these materials will depend on the layout of the room itself.
Sheathing internal partition walls carried out without additional insulation, so they are quite suitable for lathing wooden blocks 50x40 mm. If you plan to finish external walls, then it is more advisable to purchase metal CD and UD profiles or 40x40 timber, which will create space for the placement of heat-insulating material in the gap between the wall and the panels. If profiles are used, special U-shaped brackets will also be needed.
The number of elements for the sheathing is calculated based on the fact that the distance between them should be on average 0.4-0.5 m. In addition, you need to stock up on self-tapping screws of the appropriate length for installing the sheathing, as well as self-tapping screws, clamps or staples (if the sheathing is wooden) for fastening panel strips. You will also need socket boxes (mounting boxes for drywall), if there is a need to install a switch or socket, and glue for decorative corners (for example, liquid nails).
However, all these additional elements may not be needed if interior walls have a perfectly flat surface and are not expected to dismantle the panels after a short period of time. In this case, their installation can be done simply by gluing. Liquid mounting nails are perfect for this purpose.
MDF panels are rigid strips of a certain thickness, width and length, having locking connections. Using of this material It is impossible to make radius bends. They can only sheathe smooth surfaces(walls, ceilings, slopes).
If you install the panels yourself on the lathing, no special preparation of the walls is required, i.e. clear them of old paint, no plaster or wallpaper needed.
Initially, you need to determine the so-called control point. To do this, you need to examine the wall for protruding areas. The most protruding place will play the role of a starting point, focusing on which, the sheathing elements are fixed to the level.
Depending on the design idea, panel strips can be positioned vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and the installation of slats or profiles is carried out in a direction perpendicular to the panels.
The slats or beams are attached in increments of 40-50 cm. It is not recommended to increase the distance between them, because the structure will lose rigidity and may bend. If there are differences in height on the surface, use pads required thickness to level out depressions.
Properly made metal frame The technology for arranging lathing from profiles is somewhat different from the “wooden” version. In this case, a frame of UD profiles is initially installed along the perimeter of each wall. The distance from the wall surface should correspond to the thickness of the insulation. Then the locations of the transverse CD profiles are marked. U-shaped brackets are attached along the marking line with a pitch of approximately 40 cm. CD profiles are inserted into the starting UD profiles, after which they are fixed with brackets using metal screws.
If the project provided for thermal insulation of the wall, then immediately between the sheathing elements, strips of insulation are laid and secured. Along the way, electrical cables are laid inside the structure and taken out beyond the sheathing, so that after installing the panels, their length allows for connecting sockets or switches.
Installation of panels starts from the corner and continues along the surface of the wall. Each previous strip is carefully attached to the sheathing pieces through the tongue groove, after which the next panel is inserted into the lock. If the last strip does not fit entirely in width, it will have to be cut. Fastening is done along the edge, so that later the fastening elements can hide the decorative corner.
In the places where sockets and switches will be located, as the work progresses, holes are made using a special attachment on a drill, into which the wires are routed.
Several methods are used to attach panels to the sheathing:
Finishing the room with MDF panels using glue method carried out by dotted or zigzag application of special glue over the entire area of the strip. Before gluing the panels, the walls must be treated with a deep-penetrating primer and allowed to dry. A few seconds after applying the glue, the strip is carefully pressed and fixed to the wall.
All the technologies described above are also applicable for the construction of slopes. If the slopes are small, then it will be enough to build a sheathing frame around the perimeter, without transverse elements.
At the last stage, the external and internal corners of the room are finished with finishing decorative corners, for the fixation of which glue is used. Corners can also be placed around the perimeter of the ceiling instead of a ceiling frieze.
At the locations of electrical points, special boxes are installed and sockets or switches are installed.
MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard - are panels made from wood waste without using binder(this is their difference from fiberboard or chipboard). The manufacturing technology of MDF panels involves dry hot pressing of wood.
MDF panels can be made from any wood. These panels are cheaper than solid wood panels. MDF panels are environmentally friendly and ideal for interior use.
There are two technologies MDF fastenings panels to the wall:
Installation on wooden sheathing
Installation on a frame made of galvanized profiles.
In damp areas and in brick houses It is strictly not recommended to use wooden sheathing, since there is a high probability of fungus.
The lathing is performed in the same way as during installation plastic panels(read the article). For metal lathing, UD (guides) and CD profiles are used.
MDF panels are connected to each other using a symmetrical tongue-and-groove lock in the form of a ridge and a corresponding groove. If you are using wood sheathing, the panels can be secured using small nails driven diagonally into the corner of the groove.
For attaching panels to metal frame use clamps (these are small metal brackets that press the shelf of the tongue groove). The gluers are inserted into the groove of the panel and secured with self-tapping screws.
The panels need to be installed starting from the corner. Remember to check the tilt of the panel using a level, otherwise you will attach the panels crookedly.
On the first panel, you need to cut off the tongue and groove and secure the panel in the corner with nails or self-tapping screws.
Take the next panel and insert the ridge into the groove and secure it. We repeat everything with subsequent panels until the last 2 panels remain.
.jpg)
