Wall panelling is known for adding character and class to a space, elevating a room and injecting personal pizazz. That said, adding wall panelling to your home does not have to mean splashing loads of cash. In fact, there are many ways to create iconic wall panelling styles on the cheap without sacrificing the quality of the finished design. This post looks at all the ways you can reduce the cost of your wall panelling project, getting the same quality finish for less.
Tip Number 1: DIY IT!
Okay…you might have guessed we were going to say it, but the way to make the biggest cost saving on your wall panelling project is to do it yourself. We’ve all heard the news about the scarcity of tradespeople in the UK at the moment and most of us have experienced how hard it can be to find someone you can trust. This scarcity has meant that most tradespeople can charge a premium price for their services and will often put you towards the back of their to do list if your job isn’t a big one.
For most tradespeople, wall panelling a single wall or even a full room does not constitute a big job. We’ve seen wall panelling quotes ranging from £2000 to £4000 for labour alone. Then you will likely be expected to pay for all the wood and materials on top of this.
The good news is that wall panelling is the perfect project to DIY, even for beginners. It does not require power tools (though can be even quicker if you have them already) and usually takes no longer than a weekend to complete a whole project (especially if you have a pal to help!). There are certain practical skills required… things like figuring out how to load a caulking gun and developing an efficient sawing motion… but all these can be learned on the go!
Roomix customers installing their shaker wall panelling
The other bonus for DIY’ing a wall panelling project is that you can ultimate control over the design and can flex from the plan you had in your mind's eye. For example you might decide that you want it coming slightly higher up the wall or that you want a dado to finish off the top.
The most daunting thing about the project is getting started and that’s where a Roomix DIY kit comes in. We give you what you need along with a straightforward How To Guide which breaks the project down step by step, but leaves enough space for your creative flair!
So, biggest, juiciest tip on offer… just give it a go! If you really want to wall panel for cheap, crack on and do it yourself!
Tip Number 2: Cut Your Own Wood!
There’s no real way of spinning this one… cutting wood strips can be hard work. At Roomix we’ve spent many hours trialling different tenon saw and mitre box combinations and putting them through our novice test. Though we’ve come up with a good pair of tools for the job, there is still some effort involved with cutting each strip to the size it needs to be. The more squares and boxes your wall panelling design contains the more cutting required!
That said, cutting the MDF strips or pinewood mouldings for your wall panelling yourself is another way to wall panel on the cheap. Certain timber merchants offer custom cutting at an extra price. At Roomix, we can also organise custom cutting if you prefer (just drop us a message on WhatsApp), for an additional service charge.
If you’re looking to save the wall panelling pennies there is no better way that rolling up those sleeves, turning up the tunes and dusting off the saw!
Tip Number 3: Get The Right Amount of Stuff! (Not too much…)
One of the biggest home renovation headaches is figuring out how much of everything you need for a project. One of the most annoying ways to waste money on a DIY project is to find out that you have bought way too much of each thing by the end. Then, to avoid the guilt of adding all spare materials straight to landfill, you now need to think of ways to repurpose them or store for any future use that you may never find.
On the other hand… and possibly even more annoying… is getting half way through a project to find you’ve run out of something. Let’s just say doing another trip to the hardware store is never done with loads of excitement. At worst this can mean having to delay finishing the project which puts off that feeling of pride and satisfaction that we’re all striving for!
Here are some of the materials included in a Roomix kit.
To wall panel cheaply you will want to make sure you have the right quantity of everything you need from the outset. Luckily at Roomix, we have trialled and errored for you… we have tested the amount of wood, wood glue, filler and caulk for every size of wall and with every design of panelling. When you select a Roomix kit you can rest assured you will have the right amount of everything… not too little and not too much.
Bespoke Orders:
Of course, the more specific you can be with the size of your wall or the dimensions of your room, the more accurate we can be with our quantities. For even greater accuracy, get in touch via WhatsApp and we can create a bespoke order for you!
Design Tool:
If you’re doing a shaker panelling project, our design tool does all the maths for you. Enter your wall width and height, design your panelling layout and get a tailored shopping list with the exact quantities of wood and materials you'll need.
Tip Number 4: Making Use Of Your Off-Cuts!
Upcycling existing furniture pieces versus buying new is an amazing way to save money… and get those creative juices flowing. With any DIY wall panelling project there will be wood offcuts. Consider adding your spare mouldings to the front of a blank wardrobe or cabinet for a fresh look. Saving money and reducing waste… how much more smug can you get!
Affordability & Inclusivity At Roomix
At Roomix we aim to offer affordable solutions to home projects, without sacrificing the finish of the end look. We also want our projects to be inclusive to all. That means everyone from complete beginners or seasoned renovators should be able to pick up our How To Guides and give it a go!
We do this through hand selecting great quality materials that are made to last, working with amazing suppliers who have our customers at heart and constantly evaluating our pricing to make sure we are the most competitive out there.
