How to fit shaker wall panelling

Video by B&Q. This guide draws on the popular "How to install Shaker wall panelling" from B&Q's You Can Do It series, which walks through the full process clearly and includes useful detail on spacing and adhesive choice. It is a good watch before you reach for the tape measure.

1. Decide on the height and spacing

Most shaker panelling sits at dado height — roughly 900 to 1,000 mm from the floor, or about a third of the way up the wall. Above that line you paint a contrasting colour; below it you have your panelled section.

Sketch out the panel layout before you buy anything. Work out how many vertical strips you need so the panels come out roughly equal in width. Odd symmetry reads as a mistake; deliberate variation works if all panels match.

2. Mark the horizontal dado line

Use a spirit level and a pencil to draw a level horizontal line at your chosen dado height all the way around the room. This is your reference point for everything else. A laser level saves time on a long wall.

Check the floor is actually level — most are not, or not perfectly. Work from the line on the wall rather than measuring up from the floor, or you will end up with panels that drift.

3. Fix the horizontal rails

Cut your dado rail (typically 45×6 mm MDF batten or a routed dado moulding) to length and fix it along the pencil line. Use grab adhesive such as No More Nails for plasterboard walls, plus a few panel pins driven in at an angle for extra security.

Fix a matching bottom rail tight to the skirting board, or leave a small gap if you are working around uneven skirting. Both rails need to be level with each other and exactly the same height off the floor all the way along.

4. Cut and space the vertical strips

Cut your vertical MDF strips to length — they run between the top and bottom rails, not from floor to ceiling. Mark the wall lightly with pencil to show where each strip falls. Use a coaster or a small offcut as a consistent spacer to keep the panel widths even across the wall.

Check each strip is plumb with a spirit level before fixing. A slight lean looks fine in isolation but is obvious when you stand back and see the whole wall.

5. Fix the verticals with adhesive and pins

Apply a wavy bead of grab adhesive to the back of each strip and press it firmly onto the wall. Give it ten seconds of hand pressure, then peel it off, leave it for a minute to let the adhesive go tacky, and press it back into place. This is the open-time trick that makes the adhesive grip immediately.

Drive a couple of panel pins at the top and bottom of each strip to hold it while the adhesive goes off. Punch the heads below the surface with a nail punch — you will fill these before painting.

6. Fill, sand, and prime

Fill all pin holes and any small gaps with a flexible decorator's filler. Let it dry completely, then sand smooth with 120-grit paper followed by 180-grit. Pay attention to any proud joints between strips and rails.

Apply a coat of multi-surface primer to all the MDF surfaces. MDF is thirsty stuff and drinks primer quickly — do not skip this step or your topcoat will look patchy, especially on the cut edges of the strips.

7. Paint and finish

Apply two coats of eggshell or satinwood paint to the panelled section and the dado rail. A small foam roller gives a very smooth finish on flat MDF; use a brush for the detail around the vertical strips and corners.

Paint the wall above the dado in your chosen colour. A darker shade above and a lighter tone on the panels, or vice versa, both read well. That said, an all-white scheme is clean and timeless if you cannot decide.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if the walls are badly out of square, if you need the panelling to run up a staircase wall, or if you want a more complex design like recessed panels or built-out architrave details. Simple shaker grids are very doable — anything more architectural is where an extra pair of skilled hands earns its keep.