7 Steps to Add a Wood Accent Wall to a Room

If you’re wanting to add something a little different to your home, a wood accent wall could be the way to go. Accent walls offer a unique spin on a traditional wall for any room in your home.

Follow these seven simple steps to add a wood accent wall to a room.

1. Choose Your Wall

Arguably the easiest step, but one that cannot be missed! Choose which wall you want your wood accent to be on. Whether you want it to add character to your living room, or add a unique touch to your bedroom, they can be added to any room in your home.

2. Measure Your Wall

Measuring your wall ensures you know how much wood you need to purchase to cover the whole wall. Measure the height and width using a tape measure, and multiply them to get the area of the wall. It’s a good idea to purchase a little more wood than you need to make sure you don’t run out half way through the job.

3. Gather Your Supplies

Once you’ve measured your wall, it’s time to gather the necessary supplies. This includes choosing and buying your wood planks. They can come in various finishes, including distress or painted. You can also choose to buy plain planks, and stain them yourself if you’re feeling extra creative. Other tools you will need include

• Caulk gun
• Drop cloth
• Hammer
• Table saw
• Level and pencil
• Sandpaper
• Spacers
• Painting materials

4. Prepare The Room

Adding a wood accent to any wall is a big job. It will require you to move any unnecessary furniture or household items out of the room. When your workspace is clear, place down a drop cloth to protect your carpet or flooring.

Be sure to open the windows to ventilate the room. Working with wood, building tools, and paints can lead to toxic fumes, or bits of sawdust and soot to build up in the room.

5. Mark Out the Project

Mark all of the studs on the wall so that you know precisely where you need to drill the nails in. Identify any protruding areas or irregular angles in the wall so that you can cut the correct sizes and shapes in your wooden planks.

Once the wall is marked out, it’s time to cut the wood. Use your saw to gather the correct number of planks, including any irregular sizes and shapes of wood that you need.

6. Adhere The Wood to the Wall

Attach your wood pieces to the wall, ensuring the planks are level. Work from the bottom up if your ceiling is angled, but if you prefer to leave the fiddly bits around air vents and plugs until the end, you can start from the ceiling and work your way down. If you are in search of a wood accent Apex Metal Signs also has great wood décor you may like.

7. Paint the wall

Now your wooden planks are adhered to the whole wall, you can make any final touches. This can include filling in any gaps or holes between the planks. If you purchased unpainted planks, grab your painting supplies and apply stain or paint over the wood as needed.

What aspects to consider when choosing your wood accent wall?

Wood accent wools can make uninteresting walls works of art. Wood brings a warm comfort to any home and matches most décor styles.

A focal point

Every room needs a focal point, something that draws attention to the space and interests guests. Bold paint colors on a wall, furniture, artwork, wallpaper, fireplaces, and windows will be effective that way.

A wood accent wall adds character to any space, whether rustic, Scandinavian, contemporary or anything else. When you create a wood accent wall, it will make a fantastic contrast to the other walls. Any wall will work: MDF, reclaimed wood, trim, plywood, or extra flooring. As long as the wood has catching patterns, it will create the visual impact you aim for.

Price

Most wood accent walls are affordable, but you can find models that will empty your wallet. Additionally, some will be easy to set up, whereas others will take time and energy for installation. The design impacts the time and effort required for the setup.

Should you opt for reclaimed wood, make sure that the wood is treated. Never install treated pallet wood treated lumber because they contain chemicals that can alter the indoor air quality and cause breathing issues. Treated lumber is always used for outdoor projects.

Some styles are more popular than others. Keep reading for details!

Use our suggestions when picking a style for your wood accent wall.

Everyone likes the shiplap

Shiplap is very popular, and you can go with either horizontal or vertical type. There are two rules when selecting the layout for the shiplap. First, horizontal boars will make a room feel more spacious. Second, vertical shiplap will draw the eyes up, stretching everything and creating the impression that the room is tall.

It’s possible to slant the shiplap or have a diagonal setup for the most dramatic effect. You can leave the shiplap natural or paint it. Keep in mind that shiplap can be pricey, so consider using plywood for the boards. Also, make sure that the spaces between boards are always even.

Check out the trim picture framing

For non-traditional patterns such as squares and rectangles, you can use wood trim to frame a design on the accent wall. This is known as the board and batten style and creates both texture and depth.

Go half the wall with Wainscoting

You don’t always have to have the wall from floor to ceiling. Wainscoting is a form of wood paneling and you can go halfway up the wall. Use a chair rail trim at the top. The classic wall accent has been used for many years. Consider painting it in white and completing it with bold/subtle color for a pleasant vibe.

If you like Wainscoting, you don’t need to stop halfway up the wall. Large grid patterns (board and batten style) can work too to add texture and depth.

Consider a rough wall texture

Wood will always bring natural warmth to a room and completes almost every decorative style. The look you’re trying to create is crucial, nevertheless. Would you like to have a vintage farmhouse look or a more rustic vibe? Does a modern style fit your home better? Regardless of choice, wood will be an excellent material to use. Use wood scraps or reclaimed pieces for rough walls, paint it or leave it natural—as long as it works with your space, the choice is yours! Rough walls look fantastic in living rooms, bathrooms, and even offices.

Wooden Slats

Wooden slates are visually appealing as well. Use in a flank on either side of the fireplace or in a reading nook. Opt to leave the slats in their raw natural form to bring a warm feel to any room.

Play with diagonals, geometrics, or chevron Patterns

Adding a wood accent wall will bring character to any room. If you want to go with geometric patterns, remember that they don’t need to be complex or to have dozens of shapes. Please keep it simple so that the style works for many years.

How do you clean wood accent walls?

There are several ways to care for and clean your wood accent walls. Details come next.

Dry Dusting

Dust with a dry cloth

Clean the wood accent wall with a dry cloth (linen or microfiber). Don’t wet the fabric because you will ruin the wood wall. Follow the grain of the wood and use circular motions when wiping. Fold the cloth over while wiping the wall down so that you get all dirt, dust, and grime on the surface of the wood.

If your wall is big, you will need to use several dry cloths.

Use lemon oil

When the walls are coated in stubborn dust, you can dampen the cloth in some lemon oil. This way, you will get any dirt/dust without damaging the wood.

Vacuum

Use the dusting attachment on the vacuum cleaner to vacuum the wood accent wall. Run the attachment over the wall to get all grime and dirt. Make sure that the vacuum attachment doesn’t have sharp edges or sides that could scratch the wood.

You can also use a floor sweeper with a dusting pad. Run it over the walls with a clean and dry dusting pad. Change the pad whenever necessary.

Use wood wax/polish

Apply oil-based polish

Use mineral oil or lemon oil to polish the wood walls. Apply the oil with a clean, dry cloth to remove all dirt and give wood a pleasant glow. An oil-based polish made of mineral oil will be effective as well.

Use a liquid wax

Wood wax is excellent to clean dust and dirt off the accent wall. You will give it a lustrous finish and protect the wood as well. Buy wood wax in liquid form and use a cloth/microfiber pad to apply it. Make sure you follow the grain of the wood. If you want the wall to be more lustrous, you can apply a second coat.

Try a paste wax

You may apply the paste wax right on the wood walls. Paste wax ensures durable protection for wood and leaves a shiny finish that protects it from dirt and dust. Apply one coat of paste wax with a clean, dry cloth, and follow the wood grain. Go with a second coat if you want a shiner finish.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are wood accent walls expensive?

Solid and natural wood panels are pricier than laminate models and are considered to be high-end panels. If you opt for unfinished wood accent walls, keep in mind that you will also have to pay for finishing work such as staining and sanding.

What sort of wood can be used for accent walls?

You can use reclaimed wood, extra flooring, plywood, MDF, or trim for accent walls. The wood should have attractive patterns and sit flat on the wall or to add texture. Most wood accent walls are affordable, but you can find more expensive models than the average.

Where should you place the wood accent wall?

Excellent options for the accent wall are behind the headboard, where the television is, or where the mantel is placed. More often than not, the wall where you will set up the wood accent wall is already the room’s main focal point.

Is it worth having an accent wall?

Even if you want a neutral style for a room, you should still consider adding a wood accent wall. Accent walls can be as subtle or bright as you wish. The main idea with an accent wall is that it draws attention. You can do it in dark brown, or paint in bright colors as well.

Accent walls can be made with reclaimed wood. What is reclaimed wood?

Reclaimed wood is wood that has been repurposed in one way or has been salvaged. Reclaimed wood can be old and come from vintage structures and buildings.