How to install a wall panel in the kitchen

Decorating a kitchen often involves the use of special finishing materials, which cover certain areas of the room. Today, more and more often, wall kitchen panels made from various types of materials have begun to be used to solve such problems.

Advantages

These sheet products appeared on the modern market quite recently, but at the same time they have already received positive feedback from many housewives. Wall panels are increasingly replacing such high-quality material as ceramic tiles in the kitchen.

There are several advantages of such products:

Installation of wall panels is quite simple, since the base does not need to be leveled. It is also possible to mount such structures even on walls painted or covered with other materials. The installation process does not require serious experience in this area, so it can be done by hand.
Versatility allows you to use the panels not only in the kitchen, but also in offices and other residential areas. It should be noted that wall panels are characterized by high soundproofing characteristics, optimal level of heat absorption and are safe for the human body. Also, the design of the product allows you to place under it electrical cables with a certain level of protection.
Ease of maintenance. The surface of the panels is easy to clean with a damp cloth or cloth. In this case, you can use almost all types of detergents that do not contain abrasive components. When damage occurs to an individual element, the frame structure makes it easy to replace it.
Saving. The cost of finishing a wall with such panels is much cheaper than tiling it or just painting it. This is especially noticeable when forming large areas.

Criterias of choice

Wall panels can be used in various conditions, but most often they are used in the kitchen. When buying such products, you should consider such features of the kitchen as:

High humidity and high temperature. This can be the reason for the rapid destruction of the top layer of many types of finishing materials. Therefore, products that are used in such conditions must be resistant to such influences.
An increased concentration of fat that forms a plaque on all surfaces of the kitchen. These substances complicate care and also have a devastating effect on many surfaces.
The presence of various chemical compounds formed during operation. Wall panels must withstand such impacts and not corrode.

Please note that such products should not only be durable, but also beautiful. This forces manufacturers to create a unique design that will be highly practical. Among all this diversity, there are several types of wall panels:

Products from a natural tree differ in unique design. They can fit into almost any interior, and also withstand significant loads.
Panels made of plywood, chipboard, MDF and fiberboard. Similar designs differ in a slightly lower price, but they have very good indicators of resistance to external pathogens.
PVC materials. Such panels are distinguished not only by their durability and versatility, but also by the variety of patterns, which makes it possible to use them in combination with different interiors.

Please note that high-quality wood-based panels should be equipped with a moisture-resistant layer that will protect products and extend their service life.

Stock up on everything you need

Installation of wall panels begins with the acquisition of the required amount of materials and a few additional tools:

roulettes;
building cord;
drills and screwdriver;
self-tapping screws;
wooden slats (thickness about 2 * 3 cm);
special skirting boards (used to close various slots and join planes).

Marking the surface of the walls

The next step in this kind of repair is to calculate the number of planks and mark their future location. In most cases, the frame for wall panels looks like a rectangle with lintels. Experts recommend leaving a distance of no more than 50 cm between vertical slats. When it is supposed to fasten plastic materials, this value is reduced to 20-30 in order to reduce the likelihood of them bending easily from minor physical effort.

The number of vertical and horizontal strips depends on the dimensions of the walls and the type of panels chosen for installation. Based on this, you can pre-calculate the approximate number of such components.

Frame assembly

Before the wooden planks are fastened, experts recommend treating them with a special moisture-proof impregnation. This will significantly increase the service life of the frame and increase its resistance to environmental influences.

The process of mounting supports for sheet panels is correctly divided into several successive stages:

First of all, the cutting of wooden slats is performed according to the previously obtained dimensions. For such purposes, you can use a regular hacksaw.
At this stage, the planks are attached to the wall, which should be located along the perimeter (horizontal). To fix them, use a perforator and self-tapping screws. When carrying out such operations, you should carefully monitor the level in order to form even lines.
After that, you need to set the vertical jumpers between the previously fixed planks. Please note that you should not immediately attach them to the wall, but first you need to align them in the same plane with a stretched thread. When everything is ready, you can fasten them to the wall with self-tapping screws.

Thematic materials: