There seems to be a lot of very unfortunate, unnecessary and ill-informed wood paneling hatred out there. I want to rant. I seriously want to rant. But let me just say this: Our Dads and Grandpas and in some cases our Moms and Grandmas, put up wood paneling because they were very very cautious with their money. They grew up during hard times, and they learned to fear debt and unnecessary overspending. They saved for a rainy day *clue phone*. Now that we have suffered the Great Recession and are living in the New Normal, this all seems to make a lot more sense to people *clue phone*.
Wood paneling? When Dad and Mom or Grandma and Grandpa excitedly and gratefully bought their 1,000 square foot house after 1945, the basement and attic and maybe even the second floor were unfinished. This is part of what made the house a “starter home”, and couples without children were fine with just having the space they really needed. As money and time permitted and as the family grew, the family — on their own — could start finishing off the basement or attic or second floor themselves. They would frame interior walls, add electric and maybe some insulation and then Cover the Walls with Wood Paneling. Cherry or knotty pine were particularly beloved, I think, but there may have been regional preferences. Installing wood paneling was way easier than putting up and taping drywall — Dad could do the paneling all his own, no problem. I’m thinking it was cheaper, too. Mom and Dad and Grandpa and Grandma did not feel at all oppressed by the paneling. The paneling was cozy. They made more space for their families, within their budgets. They were proud, and deserved to be.
So just shut yer pie holes, all you wood paneling haters who *can not bear to live with it*.
Eartha Kitsch — owner of a lovely time capsule knotty pine kitchen — did not rant and was very funny and probably more effective than me when she addressed the wood paneling topic last week in her story Dear Lord! Not Wood! The three images above are hers and used with her permission. Click on any of them to get to her sassy story. Props to you, Eartha Kitsch.
Where to get affordable wood paneling if you, like Mom and Dad and Grandma and Gramps, are interested in using it for a cozy, affordable DIY wall finish? I found this seemingly excellent company — Decorative Panels International, which makes a large variety of wood paneling.
The panels are affordable — $18 – $32 for a 4′ x 8′ sheet, depending on the design. They seem to be widely available at big box and lumber stores. I can’t vouch for the quality — I’d suggest asking to see a full panel before committing — but online, they look just like the wood paneling in the houses that my Mom and Dad and Gramps an Grams built.
Noon update: I talked at length this morning to the president of DPI, Tim Clark. Very nice and passionate man — passionate about making all DPI products the U.S., and passionate about doing it in an environmentally sensitive way. He clarified that DPI’s products consist of an engineered wood substrate with the final top design printed; the top is not veneer. Made in Alpena, Mich., the substrate or backer is made of only three ingredients — wood, water and a flaxseed-based oil. The substrates are put through presses in Alpena that create different textures. The final design is then printed onto the substrate in Toledo. DPI uses rotogravure (not digital) printing, and generally takes each design through several runs with different colors to get the design effect they want. I asked Tim if he thought I would be able to tell the difference between DPI’s printed cherry paneling (for example) and veneered cherry paneling. He said he thought I would be hard pressed (pun haha). Veneered paneling will likely cost about 50% more, he estimated. Also note, Tim said that DPI’s paneling is not positioned to be the cheapest in the market — it’s not the kind of paneling that an economical landlord would put into rental units between tenants. Tim said that DPI is passionate about the structural integrity and overall aesthetic of the product and the processes, and their pricing reflects that. This, along with their focus on environmentally sensitive manufacturing (their processes use minimal solvents, so there is zero or minimal offgassing of the paneling), means the have made major inroads in terms of being stocked at the big box stores like Home Depot, Lowes and Menards, he said.
Tim is sending me samples of a variety of designs — ones I thought would be of greatest interested to Retro Renovation readers. I will take a look and report back. I also will continue researching veneered wood paneling and compare the two.
For more than 50 years, we have been providers of high quality utility and designer wall panels. With a solid hardboard manufacturing facility located in Alpena Michigan, and a superior finishing facility in Toledo Ohio, we are proud to offer one of America’s finest wall products – worldwide.
DPI is recognized industry-wide as the leader in design style innovation and state-of- the- art manufacturing processes. A perfect fit in virtually every part of your home, DPI wall paneling allows you to achieve looks and performance comparable to ceramic tile, wall paper, wood wall paneling and even stone and brick masonry – at a fraction of the cost!
Go Alpena! Go Toledo! DPI also points out that their product is produced in an environmentally sensitive manner:
- All GreenCore finished products feature our S2S premium hardboard foundation for high performance with lower environmental impact
- Inherent durability resists buckling and warping experienced with other products
- Our prefinished panel resists moisture on the surface
- Formaldehyde-free manufacturing means our panels will not adversely affect your indoor air
- Mold-resistant formulation built into the substrate to fend off typical stains
Where to find it:
- Look at all the DPI wood paneling designs here.
Just another Pam says
My father panelled his garage with the grey panelling you had in your room. It drove the neighbours crazy as he actually filled every tiny nail hole on top of it all but I felt spreading his OCD around the neighbourhood gave us a bit of a rest. ;o) Once a year he oiled the panelling we’d had in one place, at least the grey didn’t need that.
The nicest version of panelling I’ve ever seen was in a house with a two story living room with mahogany sheets as panels and one wall of stone with a waterfall that ran down from one black metal block to a pond. It was built in the 60’s and even in that mad country look time of the 80’s stood out as very special. Steel kitchen too, Pam ;o)
Melanie says
I love old wood paneling. I remember the trailer house my parents lived in when I was a toddler had Real wood paneling and when they added on, of course Dad put up paneling in the addition. Years later we moved into a house that had the most beautiful knotty pine on the walls and kitchen cabinets made of 3/4″ plywood. It was a wonderful kitchen.
I’ve suffered thru too much trailer house paneling that was horrible, horrible, horrible.
My house now has one bedroom that has some whitish gray wood paneling that I suppose is from the 60s. I’ve struggled to decide what to do with it. It’s a good quality paneling and there’s not a thing wrong with it. I don’t hate it, I don’t love it. But it is original to this house, so I feel compelled to keep it.
Stacey says
“Save hatred — and the call to action that such intense levels of passion incite — for truly important things, like social injustice and crushing greed, for example.” Another great RR quote that MUST be put on a needlepoint pillow! I am serious.
I’m old enough to have happy memories of knotty pine walls from my younger years and darker veneer paneling from my teens. Wouldn’t I love some knotty pine in my house now! And I’m growing nostalgic for the darker paneling, too. My DH will be thrilled with my new idea for a project! 😉
Brian says
I have the fondest memories of my grandparents and their dark paneled living room. My own family home for much of my life had a paneled den and laundry/half-bath room that also holds many fond memories. Both were works of love completed by my family using their budgeted cash (no charging for them!).
The 1970’s era home I will inherit from my parents now has paneling in about half the rooms — some painted, some not. I will retain it all (maybe replace the painted with non-painted) and love every minute of it.
Thanks to Pam and Eartha for some great posts!
Eartha Kitsch says
The debate rages on! I think that I must be a true paneling person. I even like the cheap stuff that we had in my childhood home. The kind that the nail would bounce back out of when the hammer hit it. Just like rubber.
Barb S. says
I appreciate the post on where to buy paneling! When I made my 70s room, I needed paneling and had to suffer with some poor excuse that I bought from Lowe’s.
My vote for best use of paneling ever? I rented a townhouse once that was wall to wall white paneling with rich pink fuschia shag carpeting. Both horrifying and awesome at the same time!!
raisedranchkid says
Interesting post. There certainly is a lot of paneling hate out there. Most haters don’t distinguish between solid-wood paneling (each plank is an individual piece of wood, like most knotty pine), and the 4 x 8 sheet stuff.
I do hope the tide turns before the day comes when I have to sell my parents ’65 raised ranch. I remember going to the lumber yard—probably around 1973—with them as they picked out the paneling for the basement. There were 4 x 8 sheets in a rainbow of color stains: light, medium, and dark browns, white, even blue and green (!). We went with a standard medium brown, which my father installed throughout the lower level of the house with his characteristic care: moldings perfectly beveled, edges rounded off, etc. It’s all still in fantastic shape. Hopefully, I won’t have to paint over it…
pam kueber says
What a sweet story, rrkid. Yes, our dads installed the paneling — with love.
Ethan says
Great post Pam!
I am building an addition onto my 1973 house. I am adding a bedroom, bathroom, den and outside cement patio with sliding glass doors going to the patio. The three walls of the den will be dark wood paneling (where the fourth wall would be is an open walk through with the exception of a pony wall with banisters from the ceiling to the top of the pony wall. That 70’s pony wall look) . I have four kids and they will grow up in a dark wood paneled den. Viva la 70’s and the Brady Bunch!
Jay says
Ha! Some of these room descriptions sound like my 70s basement. Truly a cave with the dark brown panelling, dark wood stained doors, no windows and one wall of brick. I guess 30+ years later, it becomes vintage. The only thing missing is the shag wall to wall, ugh; it had to go!.
Carole says
I forgot to say that it’s nice to see a resource for people who want that type of paneling, and to see that a company actually pays attention to the environmental aspects as well (lower environmental impact and Formaldehyde-free).