Fitting tongue and groove panelling well comes down to a level starting line, a flat fixing surface and fixings hidden in the tongue of each board. Get those three right and the boards stay straight and tight. Get the first board slightly off and every board after it drifts further out, which is why most of the care goes into the beginning.
This guide explains how we approach it, so you can judge the job whether you are doing a small area yourself or weighing up a fitter.
Prepare the wall first
Check the wall is sound and dry. Panelling over damp only hides the problem, as our guide on damp behind panelling explains. Find pipes and cables before fixing, and decide whether the skirting is staying, being replaced or being run over the boards.
Boards should sit in the room for a few days before fitting so they settle to its temperature and humidity. Fitting them straight from a cold van is a common cause of gaps later.
Battens or fixing straight to the wall
On a flat, solid wall, boards can sometimes be fixed directly. On most older walls we fix horizontal battens first, packed so their faces are in one flat plane. That gives the boards something straight to fix to, lets air move behind them and leaves room for cables.
Battens also bring the face of the panelling forward, so sockets and switches will need extending to sit flush. Plan that before you start.
The first board decides everything
Start in a corner or at a door frame with the first board checked with a level, not lined up against the wall, because corners are seldom plumb. Scribe that board's edge to the wall so it is vertical and tight. Every following board slots into the one before, so if the first is true the rest follow.
Check for level every few boards. It is easy to correct a millimetre early and very hard to hide a centimetre at the far end.
Secret fixing through the tongue
Each board is fixed at an angle through the tongue into the batten, so the next board's groove covers the fixing. Nothing shows on the face. Leave the joints a touch loose rather than hammering them tight, because timber and MDF move with the seasons and need a little room.
Corners, openings and the top
The top rail is what makes tongue and groove look finished rather than stopped. Set its height to relate to the room, which our dado rail versus full height guide covers.
- Internal corners: scribe the last board to the adjoining wall, then start the next wall from that corner.
- External corners: a neat corner bead or mitred boards hide the cut ends.
- Windows and doors: cut boards carefully around the frame and finish with a trim that returns cleanly.
- Sockets and switches: fit extension boxes so faceplates sit flat on the panelling.
- Top edge: finish with a capping or dado rail that covers the tops of the boards and gives a clean line.
Finishing
Fill any fixing holes on trims, lightly sand, then prime and paint. On MDF use a primer suited to it, and in bathrooms a paint made for moisture, as explained in our guides to painting panelling and tongue and groove in bathrooms.
If you would prefer us to fit it, ring 02380 201687 or 07833 227576.
Common questions
- Do I need battens for tongue and groove?
- On most older or uneven walls, yes. Battens give a flat fixing surface and room for cables behind.
- How do you hide the nails in tongue and groove?
- Fix at an angle through the tongue so the next board's groove covers the fixing.
- Where should I start fitting tongue and groove?
- In a corner or at a door frame, with the first board set by a level and scribed to the wall.
- Why has my tongue and groove opened up?
- Usually because boards were not left to acclimatise or were forced too tight, so seasonal movement opened the joints.
- What goes on top of tongue and groove panelling?
- A capping or dado rail that covers the board ends and gives a clean finished line.
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