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Today’s ideas are based on saving money, time, and labor on finishing the inside of a log cabin with wood paneling. With the high cost of lumber and other building materials, these suggestions are welcomed by homeowners and contractors alike.
Use tongue and groove paneling with the end-matching design to achieve zero waste. It’s easy and fast to install compared to traditional pine or cedar boards. Homeowners with appropriate woodworking skills can install this paneling to save even more on labor costs.
How Paneling Can Be Zero-Waste Material
Achieving zero-waste with wood paneling is possible because of its unique construction. The tongue and groove with end-matching design allows installation without end-butting individual pieces on studs.
Each piece of paneling has a tongue on one side and end and a groove on the other side and end. The end joints are strong enough to fig snugly together anywhere between wall studs.
This design is in contrast to old-style boards with or without tongue and groove on the sides of each piece. Each panel must be cut to splice in the middle of a stud for correct placement and strength. Short pieces of left-over panels accumulate creating a pile of wasted materials. The only way you end up with any wasted material with tongue and groove end-design is if you make a measuring mistake or order too much paneling. Learn more from Eco-Cycle Solutions about why zero-waste matters.
Installing Paneling on Wall Framing and Ceilings
Once the first row of paneling is nailed to the framing with a gun, you saw off the last piece and begin the next row with it. Continue this procedure with each row until you have reached the top of each wall. Add the trim and baseboards of your choice once the walls are finished.
Sanding each piece of paneling and trim may or may not be necessary depending on their outside surfaces when purchased. At this point, the stain and/or a clear coat are added to finish the job.
Paneling can be installed with a hammer, nails, and a nail punch but it’s a lot of work. If you are doing the job yourself, invest in a nail gun and compressor for a faster and easier day of completing your walls. Watch a video or two and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to do a professional job. Paneling can be installed horizontally, vertically, diagonally, in a unique pattern, or a combination of any of these.
“Use tongue and groove paneling with the end-matching design to achieve zero-waste. It’s easy and fast to install compared to traditional pine or cedar boards.”
Pine and Cedar Are #1 Choices for Walls and Ceilings
If you’re in the planning stages of a log cabin, consider the benefits of pine and cedar paneling. Pine is a stable wood and is easily worked by the professional and amateur alike in these typical sizes:
- ¾” thick and 4” wide
- 5” wide and ¾” thick
- ¾” thick and 6” wide
- ¾” thick and 8” wide
Beadboard is also available in ¾” thickness and 4” wide for wainscoting walls. All these options are unfinished tongue and groove panels with the end-matching design.
Cedar paneling is also a very stable wood and is easily worked. It is available in these sizes:
- ¾” thick and 4” wide
- 5” wide and ¾” thick
- ¾” thick and 6” wide
Like pine, these cedar panels are unfinished tongue and groove with the end-matching design.
Pre-finished and Barnwood
Two other favorite options for walls are prefinished knotty pine/cedar and barnwood. Prefinished pine paneling is found in the same sizes listed above. Cedar is typically only available in ¾”x 6” and makes a standout log cabin interior.
Barnwood is a special alternative that adds a different rustic flair to cabins and is available in 6” and 8” widths and 3’4” thickness. Compared to reclaimed or salvaged wood, our modern barnwood milled from pine has these benefits:
- Ripping pieces to obtain the desired sizes is not necessary
- No nails, screws, wire, odors, or toxins
- No sorting through pieces to find acceptable pieces
- Each piece is perfectly kiln-dried and hand-inspected
Many stain colors are available, including weathered gray, red, and many other hues. All four choices of paneling can be used for ceilings as well as walls.
Using High-Quality Paneling Is the Most Efficient Approach
It’s no longer necessary to shop for the highest quality wood paneling and trim by visiting lumber yards and home improvement stores. Find what you need at fair prices online with the WoodWorkers Shoppe. We stock everything mentioned in these paneling ideas for your shopping convenience.
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