As they say experienced builders, decorating the surface of walls indoors can be done using MDF panels. From the material in our article we will learn what this building material is, get acquainted with its positive and negative qualities, as well as the technology of installing panel structures on an adhesive mixture or a pre-prepared frame.
Among the huge number building materials Many people are interested in wall products. The catalog is literally overflowing with such designs, but MDF wall panels occupy a special place in it. Similar products are used as decorative element when finishing the surface of walls and ceilings. By design features The described material resembles plastic, which is familiar to many, although such products include natural raw materials from waste from the wood processing industry.
MDF panels are very popular precisely because of their similarity to natural and more noble finishing materials. At the same time, the cost of such panels is much lower.
The term MDF itself is literally translated from English as the familiar abbreviation chipboard or chipboard, but differs from its Soviet counterpart in improved technical characteristics. In this case, harmful resins containing phenol are not used to connect raw materials. Binder Lignin and, in some cases, paraffin serve here.
The basic composition of the panel contains wood dust, which was obtained after grinding and processing sawdust. This material is heated in special ovens until the binding substance lignin is released from it. It is with the help of such a component that the raw material mass is glued together. The pressing process gives the product even greater strength. The cooled workpiece needs additional processing; first, the released slab is cut into the required parts, then a melamine film is glued to the surface, which imitates the structure of wood.
In structure, MDF lining resembles an intermediate material between cardboard and plywood sheets. Thanks to these properties, the product can be given the required dimensions using a regular hacksaw for this purpose. The material in question has a low thermal conductivity coefficient, but it also has a drawback - the possibility of damage to the melamine film during operation. After mechanical impact, cracks and scratches appear on the surface of the material, but defective areas can be easily masked using ordinary paint.
A great advantage is the wide choice of shade and texture of panel patterns. In most cases, the pattern imitates different types of wood.
MDF wall panels are manufactured using the same technology, but the surface of such products may have different finishes. In this regard, the materials under consideration can be divided into several varieties:
The products in question can be used for cladding any of the rooms of the apartment with the exception of the bathroom. The surface of such products differs significantly from the unnatural appearance of plastic. The end consumer can choose an acceptable design and size of the product for himself, paying relatively little money for building materials.
Now let’s pay attention to the dimensions of the product:
When choosing decorating elements, you must remember that the thinnest parts have minimal strength indicators, so they are used to decorate walls. Materials with a thickness of more than 1.2 centimeters are often used as additional heat-insulating layer. In terms of properties, such insulation replaces brick wall 15 centimeters thick.
When choosing any building material, users take into account its strengths and weak sides. First, let's get acquainted with the advantages that wall panels have. These include:
Flaws:
Many homeowners don't know how to attach MDF panels to the wall. In practice, two popular methods are used: securing products to a pre-aligned frame and installing the material on liquid nails or another composition. When choosing one method or another, you need to pay attention to the following:
Now let’s take a closer look at the method of laying MDF boards on a frame. First you need to make a sheathing for the walls, usually this design is made of a metal profile or wooden beam a certain section. When using wood, choose timber square section with a side length of 3 centimeters. Such a product should have a humidity of no more than 15%. The material is additionally treated with an antiseptic and fire retardants, which prevents the process of burning and rotting.
Next, measure the walls with a construction tape. In this case, the length of the bars should be slightly less than the calculated values. When the panels are positioned horizontally, the sheathing is installed in the vertical direction and vice versa. After marking work, the dimensions are transferred to wooden products and the bars are sawed. During such operations, the hacksaw should be positioned strictly perpendicular to the surface of the wood, which will prevent the formation of crooked ends.
The guide rails are fixed to the surface using dowels (if the base is brick or concrete) or self-tapping screws (if there is a base wooden surface). After this, insulation boards are laid in the spaces between the sheathing elements, for example, mineral wool. To attach the finishing layer, you can use clamps for MDF panels, as well as self-tapping screws with dimensions of 3 * 20 millimeters, which are screwed into the grooves of products or special nails having a thin cap. At the final stage of work, the connecting strips and external as well as internal corners are secured.
The installation of a metal frame made of profiles is almost no different from the installation of wooden sheathing. To begin with, wall guide elements are installed along the perimeter at the top and bottom of the building. Then the main profile is placed at a distance of 40-50 centimeters from each other. All guide parts are fixed to the wall surface using self-tapping screws and hangers, after which they begin laying the finishing coating.
As we have already said, gluing MDF panels to base surface most often used for finishing small rooms with smooth walls. On initial stage works, conduct a thorough examination of the base, identify defective areas and take measures to repair cracks and chips. Sometimes the leveling process takes longer than finishing the wall.
After the surface is leveled and the solution has completely hardened, the surface must be treated with a primer deep penetration. This solution will help increase the strength of the base and increase adhesion in relation to glue mixture. A similar composition is applied to the wall using a paint brush or roller, avoiding smudges. Now you need to cut the MDF panels with a jigsaw or hacksaw into pieces of the required size.
At the next stage of work, mix the required amount of glue and apply the prepared solution to the back surface of the panels. This substance is placed pointwise, and there should be as many places covered with glue as possible. Laying begins from the bottom of the wall.
At this stage, each element must be carefully pressed against the wall and held in this state for several seconds. Similar work continues until the surface is completely covered. At the very end, connecting strips and corners are attached, which are fixed to the surface using the same liquid nails or special glue.
For many developers, the question of the cost of panels remains relevant. The price of the products in question will depend on the popularity of the manufacturer, as well as the overall dimensions of the stove. One of the most popular varieties is considered decorative panel with dimensions 2.6*0.2 meters. The price of such a product is construction stores ranges from 100 to 150 rubles per piece.
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 in the room in order 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 is carried out without additional insulation, so wooden blocks of 50x40 mm are quite suitable for lathing. 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 perfect flat surface and it is not intended 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. It is impossible to make radius bends using this material. They can only cover flat 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.
Choice facing materials for walls may cause headache due to the huge range that it offers modern market. Now consumers prefer safe materials, but not everyone can afford them. MDF panels are an environmentally friendly material and at the same time relatively inexpensive, so they are chosen quite often. How walls are decorated with MDF panels and what the features of the material are, we will look at in the article.
The planks are suitable for cladding any room: kitchen, bedroom, corridor, living room. The panels are used for cladding in the presence of curved walls, since the design hides imperfections and does not require careful preparation, which allows you to save on the purchase of additional materials. 
The planks are made by pressing under the influence of high temperature. This is how small particles stick to each other. If you install the planks on the frame, you can lay an additional layer of thermal insulation for the room. This is especially true for apartments with poor heating and private houses.
Another saving point is ease of installation. For installation it is not necessary to call specialists; the work can be done on your own. After installation, the panels do not need to be processed additionally - they are completely ready. Where there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. MDF panels are no exception. Their surface can be scratched if handled carelessly. They also cannot withstand strong blows. 
In the event of a fire, the slats will support the combustion. Therefore, the wiring must be insulated very well. To prevent them from burning, they are treated with special compounds, but these are additional costs and work.
But despite this, the panels will last for many years.
The main thing is not to use brushes or detergents with abrasive components. Finishing the cooking area with slats in the kitchen is also not permissible.
Like any material, MDF panels are classified into groups according to certain criteria: texture, size, shape, manufacturing technology.
There are several ways to make planks:
Whole-pressed, as the name implies, is made by pressing fine particles tree. These planks will last a long time, they are durable and smooth. Decorative properties Such panels immediately catch the eye. 
Laminated panels are also made by pressing, but after production the plank is covered with a special film. That is why this type has a wide selection of colors. Only the best wood fibers are used to make waterproof planks. They can be installed in rooms with high humidity: kitchen or bathroom.
According to their form they are distinguished into:
Slat strips are very easy to install, which is why they are most often purchased. For installation, a frame is required, which is simply filled with panels. The length and width of the planks can be different, you can choose required size for a room of any size. 
Tile planks are similar to regular tiles, only more larger area. The tiles are installed in the same way as the slats - on the frame. This is a kind of cassette ceiling. Leafy ones can reach large sizes. More often they are decorated with drawings. 
According to their texture, the planks are divided into:
Veneered planks imitate a natural wooden surface. The MDF sheet is covered with veneer, which is made from different varieties tree. This type is highly expensive.
Glossy panels are covered with film to achieve the desired effect. As you know, glossy smooth surfaces are much easier to clean. However, any damage on such a surface will be visible to the naked eye.
Painted planks are not used so often for cladding, although paint adds variety; more often, furniture is made from painted planks.
The surface of the planks can be glossy or matte. Drawings are applied to 3D panels that imitate various materials. Three-dimensional drawings or photographs are also applied. Such panels can be made to order, it all depends on your imagination. 
Before work, you need to calculate the amount of material. However, you should not buy the material end-to-end; buy several panels in reserve in case they are damaged during work or during transportation.
Calculating the amount of material is simple. Measure total area walls and divide by the size of the panels. This is how you get the right number. The cost of the planks depends on the design and characteristics. Waterproof glossy panels with a 3D pattern will cost the most. Do not buy thin panels; their thickness should be at least 1 cm. 
Careful preparation for frame structure not required. The main thing is to treat the wall with an antifungal compound. Everything else depends on your personal desire. But still, if you still spend renovation work, then it’s better to put the wall in order. Moreover, over time it will be much more difficult to do this. This is especially true for stains; the longer they remain on the surface, the more difficult it is to remove them.
The preparation process consists of several stages:
During the installation process, you will need plumb lines, which can be made from rope and weights. For marking you need a level and a tape measure. For installation, a screwdriver and an electric drill. If you need to cut panels, use a jigsaw. It is also suitable for cutting metal parts. 
You can install the strips on metal or wooden frame, as well as using glue. The choice of frame material depends on the room. So in a room with high humidity it is better to use metal, and in a private house wooden.
Installation on glue implies a flat surface, so preliminary work on preparing the wall must be completed completely and with care.
Installation with glue does not take much time. But later, if an individual strip is damaged, you will not be able to remove one panel without damaging the others.
The glue is applied to the panel in thin lines in three or four rows and glued to the wall. There is no need to press with force, a little pressure is enough. This fills the entire wall. Excess glue must be removed immediately before it dries.
First decide on the installation method of the panels: horizontal or vertical installation. The frame profile is installed perpendicular to the direction of the panels.
For horizontal positioning of the frame, marking lines are drawn using a level, and for vertical positioning using plumb lines. The frame guide strips are installed at a distance of 50 cm.
The bars are installed on the wall using dowels. A hole is drilled in the plank, a dowel is inserted into it and a self-tapping screw is screwed in. The fasteners are placed in increments of 40 cm.
The metal profile is also attached with self-tapping screws. First, it is pressed against the wall and the location of the screws is marked, then holes are punched and then the profile is screwed on. After its installation, hangers are attached to it.
Fastening MDF panels to the wall. From location starting bar The evenness of installation of subsequent ones also depends, so check it with a level. Using a tenon, secure the panel in the corner to the guide profile. Additionally, secure it with self-tapping screws. Next, the tenon is installed in the groove of the previous panel. Thus, the wall is completely filled. The last strip usually has to be cut off. It is secured with self-tapping screws and subsequently covered with decorative corners.
MDF panels for wall decoration are not only easy to install, but also very practical to use. MDF panels for dry wall cladding are still as popular as they were two decades ago. We have prepared instructions for you on proper finishing DIY walls with MDF panels.
In general, it is recommended to attach wall sheathing to a system of galvanized or timber profiles. This allows you to avoid preliminary leveling of the wall surface and makes it possible to lay up to 50-70 mm of internal insulation or sound insulation. Choosing between wooden and metal frame determined by the specifics and conditions of the room, as for finishing gypsum boards. In a modern variation of this installation, profiles and slats can be replaced or supplemented with plastic mounting strips, which provide for quick and easy installation with snap-on brackets.
Special case frame system- arrangement of a solid base as a rough preparation for the walls. The method is relevant in the case of using thin (5-6 mm) panels in rooms with high operational load. If there is a sufficiently rigid substrate (OSB 6 mm, gypsum plasterboard), the panels will not be pressed through, and their warping due to changes in humidity is guaranteed to be excluded - a typical disease of cheap products. At the same time, the wall receives additional insulation and remains ventilated.
Sheathing without a frame is carried out by gluing panels to the walls after they have been pre-aligned. It could be plaster, cement plaster or a rough base from the method described above. The method is recommended for installing panels with a width of over 160 mm; fastening along the entire plane gives an advantage to the durability of the coating, but eliminates fragmentary repairs and disassembly of the sheathing.
The principle of constructing a frame for finishing with panels is the same as for gypsum plasterboard, but the profile installation scheme is completely different. Depending on the method of mounting the panels, the configuration may vary.
In the most typical version, the panels are attached directly to the profile; accordingly, the direction of the rack elements will be horizontal, this is the main difference from the gypsum board system. External cladding allows you to give the room the correct geometry, but for this you must follow the correct assembly sequence.
Start with long walls: attach vertical sections of UD 28 mm guide profile in the corners. The two planes of the frame must be strictly parallel, so that the wall sheathed first is taken as the base one. In the future, the distance for installing profiles on the opposite wall will be set aside from it.
Insert sections of 60 mm CD rack profile between the guides. When laying horizontally, you will most likely encounter a lack of length of the molding. In these cases, the crossbars can be spliced by inserting inside two sections of the guide profile and additionally strengthening them with LM screws. Since the linearity of the frame is not critical, it is also not forbidden to fold the profiles with an overlap of 30 cm and fasten their adjacent shelves with self-tapping screws.
The CD profile installation step is 35-40 cm, the outer ones are installed 10 cm from the floor and ceiling. To support the frame, straight hangers are installed in a checkerboard pattern in increments of 60-80 cm in one row, depending on the thickness of the panels, and therefore the total mass of the cladding.
Installation of the frame on short walls is carried out in exactly the same way, except that the guides are attached not to the pillar, but to the frame profiles of long walls. For this reason, the first “pawns” should be installed no further than 10 cm from the corners to thoroughly strengthen them.
If you intend to use PVC mounting strips or carry out rough preparation of the walls, the frame is made exactly as for gypsum board sheathing. The distance between CD racks can vary from 60 to 80 cm, direct hangers are installed every 80 cm. Such a frame can be reused during the next renovation by replacing the finishing material with pure gypsum board, while fastening heavy sheet materials horizontal crossbars are not allowed.
The installation of the panels to the frame itself is extremely simple; special plate brackets are used for this. They fit into the groove hidden fastening and are fixed to the frame with a self-tapping screw with a countersunk head. With the use of PVC mounting strips, the situation is even simpler: just snap the clips into the mounting groove and press the panel next. Rigid fastening of panels with self-tapping screws is performed only for the first and outer strips.
There are also alternative way installation, which involves the use of “liquid nails” glue. The panels can be glued either to the frame or directly to the walls, if the unevenness on them does not exceed 2 mm/m. Often this is the method chosen for cladding unfinished brick or block masonry; it is only important to choose the correct adhesive composition.
It is recommended to use quality products. The glue must remain flexible after drying; give preference to compounds based on rubber or polyurethane. For occasionally heated dachas, you should choose frost-resistant glue; other features are determined by the surface material for gluing.
Don't forget about proper preparation walls Masonry and plaster must be thoroughly impregnated with primer mixtures to increase adhesion.
The main advantage of working with MDF panels is that the fittings for cashing out the corner joints are mounted superficially, that is, after the installation of the sheathing is completed. Use plastic fittings with grooves for PVC panels is highly not recommended. Trimming the panels must be done fairly accurately, the gaps within internal corners should not exceed 1.5-2 mm/linear. m, which is quite enough to compensate for temperature expansion.
The main element of the fittings is universal corner profile. It consists of two thin MDF strips, bonded with laminated film, and can be used to decorate both internal and external corners. To ensure correct and beautiful alignment of the overlays at the corners, their edges are cut in a miter box at 45° with a general bevel outward. When finishing corners on slopes, the angle will not be correct, so local trimming is recommended. Installation is carried out using glue for wooden products based on polyvinyl concentrate.
Another element of the fittings is the joining strip. It is used for splicing sections of sheathing when the length of the molding is insufficient or for combining panels of different colors in one plane. A mounting strip should be provided at the installation site of the connecting element.
Skirting boards for MDF panels deserve special mention. For the most part, they are used to cover the corners between the wall and the ceiling, or to decorate the upper end of wall panels. The plinth is installed in the same way as other fillets; the installation is carried out using transparent silicate glue.
The issue of fixing the floor plinth remained unresolved. There will be no special problems if the lower guide of the frame is lowered to 10-15 mm from the floor. If there is a rough base or the walls are covered with panels, fastening can also be carried out using standard means. The practice of chemically attaching skirting boards using liquid nails is common: front surface panels have excellent adhesion.
This information is intended for those who want to finish their own quickly and cheaply. MDF walls, or for those who simply want to expand their horizons. By studying this article, you will understand that finishing it yourself is not very difficult. After all, the installation is alternately painted and shown in the form of photographs.
MDF material is wood waste (shavings) mixed with a special adhesive solution and put under pressure.
This structure of the material makes it similar to boards, but at the same time is significantly different. For example, heat processing wood waste in the production of particle boards, it allows you to avoid adding various resins and other negative chemical compounds to the gluing mixture.
Despite this, they have excellent technical indicators, as a result of which they are widely in demand today.
Interestingly, this material is used for finishing work on all surfaces, from ceiling to floor. On the other side, this type materials are much more common in various administrative premises And in public places. Perhaps people do not use it for their home due to the lack of home warmth and comfort of this material.
The advantages of this finishing material include several qualities.
Along with the advantages, they also have some disadvantages. For example, this finishing material,
The installation process will require equipment such as special wiring boxes, a screwdriver, edge profiles, gluers, screws, and so on. In general, the installation process does not require special skills, but knowing the little tricks will allow you to carry it out as efficiently as possible.
Let's look at the first example of finishing, in which they are installed in the bullfighting room of a standard three-room apartment in a multi-story building. Considering the fact that there are no external walls, additional insulation is not required. Installation work must begin from the ceiling.
Interestingly, such a base allows you to install any type of finishing materials such as plastic, plasterboard or chipboard. As for slabs made of compressed sawdust, it is better to use clamps and screws for their installation.
Remember, first lay out all communications (electrical wiring, etc.), and only then install the panels.
As for the location of the horizontal profile, you should focus on those places that are most often exposed to impact, for example, in the area of the knee, shoulder, and so on. The distance between this profile should be maintained at 60-70 cm.
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