Creating Custom Wood-Paneled Walls

Panels or panelized walls arrive ready for installation. They are typically created and shipped as complete sections. The custom made and finished panels can then be installed by a carpenter, builder, or the company's own installers. Panel walls come as complete installations, with a 3/4-inch-thick frame and a 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch panel, depending on the panel design. This is not an inexpensive proposition, however. A standard 12-by-12 room with openings for doors and windows, covered floor-to-ceiling in cherry panels could run the homeowner approximately $25,000 and take 6 to 8 weeks for completion. The beauty, uniqueness, and character of wood, however, make it a suitable purchase for the life of the home. Wood that is properly maintained and oiled will last a lifetime, and grow more beautiful as it ages. Working with a Plan Designer Plans for the paneled wall in the dining room of the Bob Vila's Home Again Season 13 "Modern Colonial" project house were created using design software and used as reference material for the carpentry crew. Another option is to have the wall designed and specified by a design firm, but created and installed on site by the carpenter or builder. The design team of Drummond Designs, in Drummondville, Quebec, showed how this can be achieved simply and cost effectively. Starting with the plans for the Bob Vila's Home Again Season 13 "Modern Colonial" project house, Drummond used video footage and photos taken on a walkthrough of a local historic home as the basis for a custom design. "We had the mandate to recreate something that would fit into the dimensions of that wall," Ben Larochelle of Drummond Designs says of the project. More and more customers are looking for this level of custom interior work, Larochelle points out. Drummond offers this service for unique installations like kitchens and entertainment rooms, too. "You'd have to wait until the structure is up so we can have the latest measurements from the site," Larochelle stresses. Otherwise, homeowners risk a faulty installation. Larochelle's advice is "precision on measurements." The rest can be achieved on site. Working from an AutoCAD drawing, dimensions can be set, and installation made easy. The on-site carpenter or builder would then order the wood, and assemble the custom wall in the home. Drummond can create a custom interior wall drawing for about $250, and have it back to the client in approximately 10 working days. The completed wall panels for the Bob Vila's Home Again Season 13 "Modern Colonial" project house were built on site. Interior Design Services Like any major home improvement project, it can pay to shop around before a craftsperson is hired. Kim Plavan, a certified designer with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), points out that a clear and concise plan can save the homeowner substantially. A good drawing and clear specs will get the clients exactly what they want. "Clear, clean communications done in CAD or drawing format allow a client to price out what they want, shop around," Plavan says. With a good drawing from a professional designer, the homeowners can make honest comparisons between carpenters, species of woods, finishes, and pricing.

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