1637 10/09/2019 8 min.

MDF panels are often used as an element of interior decoration.. This popularity is explained by various positive characteristics, among which it is worth noting the attractive appearance and environmental friendliness. Using these panels allows you to quickly and inexpensively decorate the rooms in your apartment, but how to attach them to the wall? We will talk about this in today's article.

How to attach MDF panels to the wall, how to attach correctly

Before starting renovations, many people ask the question: how to attach MDF panels to the wall? Today, there are only two ways to install this finishing material:

• directly . In order for the work to be carried out correctly, you need to select not only a high-quality adhesive composition, but also prepare the surface.

• installation on the lathing. IN in this case, the lathing can be made in two versions - wooden and metal.

The panels are attached to the ceiling in the same way. about finishing the ceiling. Let's consider positive aspects both ways:

• if you choose the option with lathing, then it doesn’t matter to you what condition the walls are in. In other words, there is no need to pre-plaster them, putty them, etc.;
• metal lathing is advisable in rooms where there is sufficiently high humidity. It is also recommended to use in such rooms;
• this is explained by the fact that the metal frame is least susceptible to moisture, and it does not change its configuration under this influence;
• using lathing is also advisable if you intend pave thermal insulation material for finishing with MDF panels. Thanks to the lathing, you will have a lot of space between the wall and the panels themselves;

• gluing the panels allows you to save space in the room, which is very important for small rooms. But here it is very important to prepare the walls correctly, because you won’t be able to glue the panels wherever you want.

To understand all the subtleties and nuances of both methods, let's consider each of them in more detail.

Knowing how to attach MDF to a wall will help you choose the option that’s right for you and your space.

More details about installation MDF panels to the wall, watch the video:

Types and production of lathing

First, let's look at how to attach it to the wall using lathing. We have already said that the sheathing can be made of wood or metal, so we will look at each of these options. Let's start with the most accessible in terms of finance - frame made of wooden elements.

How to fasten wooden

The manufacturing process is as follows. First you need to go to hardware store, where we need a wooden block.

The ideal option would be a beam with a cross-section of 3x3 cm. When choosing, you also need to pay attention to the condition of the beam itself - it should be smooth, without chips or visible deformations.

Also great value has humidity - this figure should not exceed 15 percent. You also need to purchase antiseptic fire-bioprotection in the store - this is special composition, allowing you to protect the tree from fungus and mold. In addition, this composition reduces the risk of wood fire.

The composition is applied to the timber using a regular brush. If something is unclear, then all the information you are interested in is indicated directly on the container with this composition. Now you can move on to measurements. Using a regular tape measure, we measure the width and length of the walls, so that we can then cut the bars to the desired size.

Remember that the length of the bars should be slightly less than the distance between the walls. If you make a mistake in these measurements, then the beams will have to be squeezed between the surfaces, and this will inevitably lead to damage to the material.

The lathing can have a vertical and horizontal direction. It all depends on how you will attach the MDF elements to the wall or ceiling. MDF for the ceiling.

Remember that if the panels are mounted across the wall, then the sheathing elements should be positioned horizontally, and vice versa.

Next we move on to cutting our bars. The work is simple, but even here many beginners manage to make mistakes. To avoid this, position the hacksaw strictly perpendicular to the material - this is how you will achieve perfectly even ends.

The method of fastening the bars depends on the material of the wall surface. If the walls are wooden, then The bars are fastened with ordinary self-tapping screws.

Fastening with self-tapping screws

If the walls are made of brick or concrete, then you need to use dowels. The bars must be positioned strictly parallel to each other, so watch this moment.

It is also important that the bars are on the same plane, so check them using a level. After making the frame, you can proceed to laying the heat-insulating layer.

A good option would be regular mineral wool in rolls, which can be cut into pieces of the sizes we need.

Now you can proceed directly to attaching the panels to the sheathing. There are several ways to attach MDF sheet panels to the wall. The first method is fastening with clamps, which look like a staple.

Can also be mounted using 3x20 mm self-tapping screws and finishing nails with a small hat. The choice of one option or another is a purely individual matter, because each person has his own preferences and skills. At the end of the work, corners are installed on the external and internal corners.

It is best to simply glue them to the panels, because any other fastening elements will be visible on the surface, which will worsen the appearance of the finish.

Metal fasteners

Now consider the option of using sheathing made of metal elements.

Let's get started from fastening the wall profile. We mark a line around the perimeter, after which we attach the elements to the surfaces. They are also fastened with dowels or self-tapping screws - it all depends on the material of the wall surface. Next, mark the lines along which the profile elements will be fastened.

Each profile strip should be at a distance of half a meter from the other. To ensure that the frame is level, straight hangers are installed along the marked lines, with the help of which not only alignment is carried out, but also strengthening of the entire structure. Next, elements of the main profile are inserted into the straight hangers.

Fastening is carried out with small self-tapping screws, and the ends of the hangers are bent. You also need to ensure that all elements are on the same plane.

The level is also used for these purposes. Installation of MDF panels to a metal profile is best done using clamps.

Single standard brick is the most common among all types of bricks. its size.

Putty is necessary when carrying out finishing works. learn how to thin putty.

To create concrete and cement mixtures crushed stone of various fractions is used. By going over, you will become familiar with the weight of the crushed stone.

We connect them to the profile using small self-tapping screws. It’s good if you have a screwdriver with a magnetic attachment, which will allow you to do all the work much faster. The final stage will be attaching the external and internal corners to MDF panels. As in the first case, glue them on liquid nails.

Gluing sheet panels

Now let's look at how to properly attach MDF panels to the wall using an adhesive composition.

This option is possible if the surface of the walls is perfectly flat and their finish is sufficiently reliable.

Otherwise, the panels will lag behind the wall along with the plaster or the coating that is present there. There is nothing difficult in this work, so you can probably handle it on our own, if you follow the following recommendations and procedures.

First, we examine the condition of the wall. If in any areas there are cracks then you need them seal with plaster.

In general, preparing the wall takes almost more time and effort than installing the panels on the surface itself. After leveling the wall, Let's move on to the primer.

We use a composition with deep penetration, which will improve the adhesion of the glue and the wall surface. For work we use a regular roller, after which we cover all the walls with primer. You also need to take measurements of all walls. This is necessary so that the MDF can be cut to the required parameters.

The cutting process itself can be done manually using a hacksaw, but It is best to use a jigsaw.

We apply adhesive on the reverse side. Remember that the panel must adhere securely to the surface, so for a better effect, apply glue dots to the perimeter of the wall itself.

Gluing the panels is quite simple. We bring the element to the wall, and then press it for 10-15 seconds. In this way, work is carried out along the entire perimeter of the wall.

The final stage will be gluing the outer and inner corners. We glue them with the same adhesive that we used when working with MDF panels.

There is an option in which both methods of attaching panels are combined. For example, many craftsmen glue to wooden sheathing using liquid nails or other adhesives. This option has a right to life, especially in cases where further dismantling of the panels may be required.

I would also like to dwell on how attach the plinth to the wall. Many people don't think much about this, attaching them with regular liquid nails. But this is not the most good option, in our opinion. Better to stick them to the wall for special brackets, resembling hooks.

Their width is 10 cm, and they need to be attached to the wall at a distance of 50 cm from each other. The mounting method also depends on the wall material, so either self-tapping screws or dowels are used.

We take the baseboards and then place them tightly against these corners. The joints are masked using corners, and the cuts are closed with plugs. The skirting boards can be painted later, or a varnish composition can be applied to them.

Tools for fixing wall panel

Before you start attaching MDF panels to the wall, you need to make sure that you have everything you need. You will need the following set of tools:

• hacksaw. We will need a hacksaw with fine teeth for cutting wood, as well as hacksaw for working on metal. At the same time, if we plan to make the sheathing from wood, then we will need a hacksaw not only with small, but also with large teeth;

• building level and a regular measuring tape. All these elements are necessary for measurement, so they must be available without fail. You will also need a regular pencil, as well as a square, with which you can control the evenness of the ends of the beams;


• gun for applying glue. Using this device, it is much easier and faster to apply adhesive to MDF panels and wall surfaces.



You will also need a construction knife with which we will cut the corners required sizes. Naturally, we will need a sufficient number of fasteners - screws, dowels, etc.

There are quite a lot of videos on the Internet devoted to the process of attaching panels to walls. in various ways. Just type the request - “MDF panels for walls, how to mount video”, after which your attention will be offered a variety of various options carrying out this work.

Conclusion

Fastening MDF panels to the wall is sufficient simple process which absolutely anyone can handle. You just need to have a minimal understanding of working with tools, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge in practice.

If you follow the tips and recommendations that we have presented to you in this article, then you will absolutely achieve a positive result. Despite the simplicity of the work, MDF panels look very aesthetically pleasing in any room, so their use is completely justified.

Wooden boards become more and more expensive every year. Not everyone can afford to decorate and furnish a room from natural materials. The choice, most often, falls on an inexpensive, practical substitute.

MDF appeared on the building materials market a long time ago and quickly gained popularity. MDF has been going on in Russia for several decades. You don’t have to be a master of the highest order to quickly and inexpensively give a room a new, ennobled look. All you need is precision, accuracy and basic home craftsman skills.

What are MDF?

This building material It is produced by hot pressing of dry crushed waste from wood processing enterprises. Under the influence of steam, sawdust becomes soft and pliable. The smallest fibers, twisting, are connected to each other even without the intervention of adhesive components. As a result, the structure of the panel becomes similar to felt, but compacted with enormous pressure. What do MDF panels look like visually? The photos used in the article will give you an idea about them.

MDF boards are not distinguished by any super-strong characteristics, but due to the absence of adhesives in their composition, they are completely harmless. The panels can be installed using any wood glue.

Tool used

Of course, you can’t provide everything, but the main tool, which you can’t do without, should be at hand:

1. Roulette. It is better to use a 5-meter specimen.
2. It can be made from a regular harness with a nut attached to the end.
3. Drill attachment. Perfectly replaces a screwdriver.
4. Metal bench square with different legs. It is useful for cutting slopes.
5. A jigsaw or any fine-toothed hacksaw. It is advisable to have two hacksaws - with a transverse and longitudinal cut.
6. A grinder for cutting metal profiles if the frame will be assembled from them. The tool must have a protective casing.
7. The usual tools that every owner should have: a knife, screwdrivers, a pencil or marker, a set of drills, a hammer, small nails (shoe nails).

Preparatory work

Before attaching MDF panels, you will have to do a lot preparatory work. It is necessary for the reliability of the fastener. WITH wooden surfaces everything is clear - here the installation process is much simpler. Difficulties arise with brick walls.

First of all, you need to remove the baseboards. It is better to remove swollen or crumbling plaster completely, down to the base. Hidden defects in the main walls will be immediately noticeable and need to be eliminated.

Installation process

Finishing with MDF panels is carried out in two ways:

1) using glue;

2) installation of a rigid frame.

The frame is assembled from wood or from special MDF (this is made of thin metal).

It is easier and cheaper to make lathing from. Although the entire frame will subsequently need to be treated with a fire-fighting compound. This will also take some time. Wall panels are attached to the slats using clamps (another name is clips). The slats themselves are located perpendicular to the wall panels.

Frame method

So, let's look at how to attach MDF panels. Depending on the size of the boards, the number of rows of slats will be different. In a standard room, where the ceiling height does not exceed 2.5 m, 4-5 runs along the entire wall will be enough. The main thing is that after installation the panels stand tightly and do not “play” after any touch.

The top bar of the frame is attached 15-20 cm below the ceiling. The bottom bar is fixed at the same distance from the floor. The middle frame slats are placed in equal proportions between the outer bars. It is advisable that the distance between the slats does not exceed 50-60 cm. Also, do not forget about fastening the frame around the perimeter around windows and doors.

Where the groove is located on the panel, a clamp is attached. After trying on the upper and lower elements and making sure that the wall board is level, the outer clips are fixed to the planks with self-tapping screws. After this, the remaining fasteners are added - according to the number of frame runs. The next board is inserted with a tenon into the groove of the first panel and is also fixed with clips along all the planks.

Do not forget that the very first panel is rigidly fastened along all the slats with self-tapping screws on the tenon side. The outer board, which is rarely intact, is also tightly attached. All traces of installation are usually hidden behind decorative corners. Great option in this case - MDF profile. It will organically fit into the overall design of the room.

Glue method

Another way to attach MDF panels requires a perfectly flat and clean wall. The load-bearing surface can be any - plywood, concrete, brick or plasterboard. Panels are often glued using “liquid nails”. This glue is suitable for any surface.

This installation method has serious disadvantages. Dismantling the premises is difficult. The board keeps breaking. To level the wall, you have to clean off the remnants of hardened glue, and this is quite difficult.

Replacing several wall boards with new ones will also entail a lot of problems. The entire remaining wall may rise up, lose all harmony, and, accordingly, its attractive appearance.

Besides, inner part MDF boards are not treated with a moisture-repellent composition, and if the load-bearing wall gets wet, the panel will swell over time and begin to warp.

Which way is better?

If the height of the walls is large or you decide to lay MDF panels horizontally, along the length of the room, it will be better suited frame option. This method also provides for insulation of the walls, however, this will slightly reduce the volume of the room. This method is also useful in cases where there is a large uneven surface.

A room with low ceilings and smooth walls It’s faster and cheaper to “ennoble” it using the adhesive method. Here the loss in room size will be minimal.

It is worth deciding on the performers of the upcoming work. Installation of MDF panels consists not only of the direct installation of the boards themselves. Before starting work, you need to decide on the quantity of purchased material and fasteners. We must also remember that there are certain nuances that to an ordinary person, may be unknown to the average person. In the future, finishing walls with MDF panels will take time, proportional to your experience.

Pre-treatment and repair of main walls also require some knowledge and skills. The solution comes naturally - it’s better to entrust the repairs to professionals.

Now you have an idea of ​​how to attach MDF panels. There is nothing tricky or extremely complicated in such work, but the master, of course, will do it both better and faster. However, it all depends on the thickness of the wallet and the amount of experience you have in carrying out such work. The choice is yours.

691 10/09/2019 7 min.

World modern construction It’s hard to imagine without an affordable, durable and environmentally friendly material, which is MDF panels.

In addition, their installation can be carried out even by non-professional specialists; At the same time, the master, in his work, must be as careful and precise as possible. Finishing walls with MDF panels with your own hands is not difficult., the skills of an ordinary carpenter are enough.

Necessary equipment

In addition to classic household tools, which almost everyone has, you should purchase plumb lines (you can easily make them yourself using nuts, fishing line or thread).

Also make sure that you have a tape measure on hand, a tool for determining surface deviations from the vertical or horizontal, and a special attachment for a drill, with which you can screw in self-tapping screws; you will also need a plumber's square.

It is desirable that it be metal, with legs of different thicknesses. A square can be used to cut material for slopes without any problems; a more massive leg is used as a stop. A special screwdriver wouldn’t hurt either, but you shouldn’t buy one on purpose.

For an internal load-bearing structure consisting of a combination of linear elements, purchase profiles jud and sd. The two considered options resemble the letter P in shape and are distinguished only by their configuration dimensions.

The company produces fastening elements (“ears”) and connectors for the SD profile, which can be rationally used for large volumes of work; their installation period is strictly limited.

If the cladding is carried out by a craftsman with his own hands, videos of the work, which can be found in the vastness of the World Wide Web, will be inappropriate to purchase them specifically.

For more information about decorating walls with MDF panels, watch the video:

If you are constructing walls from MDF panels with your own hands, think about insulating them, in which the voids are filled with polystyrene foam, construction foam or silicone.

The second insulation considered may be applied unevenly, and this will result in the presence of protrusions that can be easily removed with a special construction knife.

It is the moist environment that is most optimal for the development of various pests. about bathroom furniture. In addition to the additional insulating layer, polystyrene foam, foam or silicone will additionally protect the room from the formation of possible condensation, which most often appears in voids.

Do not forget that MDF is a panel made of sawdust, so it is recommended to monitor them, just like a real tree.

Thermal insulation of the room will additionally help cool it in hot weather. summer days. When the room warms up, the heat flow from the street will decrease significantly.

It’s just that the MDF on the frame acts as a heat shield that can reflect the elements. If a ball of material, which is a foamed plastic mass, is also added to the MDF, together they create double protection.

In this case, the reflection coefficient of the material exceeds 0.7 heat units. Having carried out minor relevant calculations, you can understand that no more than a few units of heat will enter the room. How will the indicators of their outflow through the surface change in the winter months?

Considering that the process of heat exchange through walls is about 0.15 percent of the total heat flow, you can confidently count on a significant reduction in all funds spent on heating and air conditioning - by no less than ten percent.

At high tariffs this fact will have a significant impact on budget savings.

Lattice design

If you are interested in: “How to cover walls with MDF panels with your own hands?”, first take care of the structure in question. Variation made of wood is attached to load-bearing structures curly nails or professional dowels.

The latter are similar to self-tapping screws, only with a smooth and asymmetrical profile for threading. It is driven into a special plastic hole with a regular hammer. On the dowel head there is a recess for a tool for screwing in and unscrewing screws. Metal sheathing is mounted exclusively with curly nails.

To attach it, use special fasteners with a diameter of 0.4-0.6 cm. The stronger the base, the lower the indicator will be. You will purchase each curly nail or dowel along with a plastic fastener.

The holes in the surface for it should be drilled according to the diameter of the socket body. The body of the fastener, be it a nail or a self-tapping screw, must be driven into the wall at least 4 cm.

For example, if a ball of plaster is 1.2 cm and the lattice structure is constructed with slats or a profile 4 cm thick, and the panel thickness is 1.6 cm, then the length metal product will be equal to the sum of all the described indicators: 6.8 cm.

That is, when purchasing, pay attention to parts with a length of 7-8 cm. The distance from the surface to the bottom should be identical to the length of the nest. Please allow 1.2-2cm error. When purchasing a longer drill, it must be equipped with a stop tube.

Lathing with wooden blocks

If you are interested in the visual issue described, find a video on the Internet: “Do-it-yourself wall decoration with MDF panels.” The lattice structure made of wood is always installed starting from the vertical posts, which are placed in all corners in pairs.

Visually, it should look in such a way that the result is a right angle, which is visually visible from the edge of the window opening, door and base to the top covering. A stand is applied to the surface, the boundaries of which are drawn along the surface.

Then a fastening hole is drilled into the material in increments of 70 cm, and elements for fasteners are driven into it. Their boundary is marked on the rack, then a hole is drilled two-thirds the diameter of the fastening element.

More professional repairmen can drill holes in advance, and their markings on the surface can be carried out directly through them. The horizontal wood beams are then installed using the same spacing.

Beams must be installed along the upper part of the opening, under the board or stone slab of the window. Opening slopes are formed along both edges with slats; the use of crossbars is not allowed.

When carried out, MDF panels should be positioned along a vertical or inclined structure and across the beams. MDF for the ceiling.

Lathing made of metal elements

This type of lattice structure is carried out in a similar way: beams in the corners and openings, then cross members. The pitch of the lattice structure is similar to that of a wooden structure. Beams should be constructed from yud profiles, sd profiles are mounted in them and installed in place.

After checking horizontally with a device for determining deviations, the surfaces are attached to the first ones, then to the surface, in zones previously created for this.

The parts must be attached to each other. For this, small-sized screws are used.

SDs are mounted to the wall with curly pointed rods. It is irrational to use an insert tenon for this purpose: you will either not finish the element you need, or you will deform the profile. Profile elements SD must be fastened to each other in advance to the selected length.

Lathing work with metal elements should be carried out in the smallest size and functional features Bulgarian

You can also purchase a hand-held circular saw. Electric jigsaw, even if it is equipped with a metal saw, the installation will be significantly delayed and you will end up with many defective panels.

DIY wall covering

You can always find a video of the material described in the article on the World Wide Web. The process itself MDF installations panels onto a lattice structure or continuous flooring is much easier than all the work at the preparation stage described earlier.

• start from the corners. Cut the specified quantity to size MDF material to sheathe the required plane up to the nearest beam. Corner cuts must be treated with sandpaper;

• Let's take the first panel on which we need to cut off the ridge of the longitudinal protrusion. The panel is secured to the corner with fasteners or shallow cumulus rods. about how to attach MDF to the wall. The groove of the lock is also important. Its sides are secured with nails or a metal perforated plate (clip);
• another panel is superimposed. The comb slides into the groove, where it is attached, and so on, until you see the last couple of panels;
• the last element is cut to length according to the specified dimensions. Just take into account the sticking of 0.2-0.5 cm;
• the ridge of the last part should be cut in half and rounded;
• the penultimate two fasteners are mounted in place “housewise”. Press down on the fasteners to hear a special “clicking” sound;
• last fastener slides completely over the one that was installed earlier; secure the free edge with a curly nail.

Conclusions

Finishing of slopes should be carried out in a similar way. In this case, the master can install MDF panels lengthwise or crosswise. If wide slopes are used, choose any cladding method. The plane between the wall and the window itself will look harmonious if it is sheathed with elements of dark and light colors.

In general, everything is as the master and other residents of the house wish. Installing MDF panels, if you understand all the steps described in detail, will not be difficult. Remember that you can always call a specialist, and for a reasonable fee, he will do all the work for you.

This information is intended for those who want to quickly and cheaply decorate MDF walls on their own, or for those who simply want to broaden their horizons. By studying this article, you will understand that finishing it yourself is not very difficult. After all, the installation is alternately painted and shown in the form of photographs.

MDF material is wood waste (shavings) mixed with a special adhesive solution and put under pressure.

This structure of the material makes it similar to boards, but at the same time is significantly different. So, for example, high temperature processing of wood waste in the production of particle boards allows avoiding the addition of various resins and other negative chemical compounds to the gluing mixture.

Despite this, they have excellent technical performance, as a result of which they are widely in demand today.

Let's take a closer look

Interestingly, this material is used for finishing work on all surfaces, from ceiling to floor. On the other hand, this type of material is much more common in various administrative premises And public places. Perhaps people do not use it for their home due to the lack of home warmth and comfort of this material.

Advantages of MDF

The advantages of this finishing material include several qualities.

• One of the main advantages is the ease and accessibility of installation.
• As a result, to carry it out it is not necessary to have this process.
• In addition, installation of this material does not require special preparation of the wall surface, since installation is the final point.
• It is also worth noting that during the installation process there is not a lot of dirt and dust.
• Repairs, including dismantling the damaged panel and installing a new one, are quite simple and will not take much time.
• Today, there are also requirements for heat and sound insulation, which for this finishing material is quite good.
• As for caring for them, it is very simple; for example, you just need to wash them with warm water.
• Don’t forget about the long service life combined with the environmental friendliness of the material.
• And finally, it’s worth saying a few words about the texture and color of MDF panels, which is quite wide and imitates different materials from wood to stone.
• At the same time, the cost of this type of material varies widely.

Flaws

Along with the advantages, they also have some disadvantages. For example, this finishing material,

• not very resistant to high humidity, and becomes deformed. At the same time, manufacturers are working on this drawback, and now there are special moisture-resistant particle boards that are intended for finishing rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom. Including this material Suitable for finishing a house or cottage.
• It is also worth noting the low strength, which is less than others finishing materials, in particular laminate. So, a strong enough blow from the ball may well deform our finishing slab.
• And finally, this finishing material burns well; therefore, experts recommend placing electrical wiring in special protective boxes (fire-resistant).

Installation

The installation process will require equipment such as special wiring boxes, a screwdriver, edge profiles, gluers, screws, and so on. In general, the installation process does not require special skills, but knowing the little tricks will allow you to carry it out as efficiently as possible.

Preparation for installation

• And so, before you start finishing, it’s worth removing wallpaper that is swollen or simply does not hold tightly.
• After that, treat the surface of the walls with a special raster primer. The fact is that this solution prevents the proliferation of fungi, which often appear in voids.
• To increase the thermal insulation of walls, you can use insulation and cover all the walls with it. Some types, for example, are mounted on the wall using adhesive solution, while the thickness of the insulation can be 0.5 cm. As a rule, such insulation materials are glued end-to-end. It is worth noting that the sparkling side of the insulation is glued directly inside.

Installation of MDF wall panels

Let's look at the first example of finishing, in which they are installed in a standard bullfighting room three-room apartment, in a multi-story building. Considering the fact that there are no external walls, additional insulation not required. Installation work must begin from the ceiling.

• To determine the lowest angle in the room, you should use a building level and draw a horizontal line exactly 5 cm below, which will directly determine the position of the upper UD profile.
• To attach it you should use quick installation. Sometimes wooden slats are used as a frame, but this is not always effective. The fact is that if the wood is even slightly damp, then for some time it can become deformed during the drying process.

• Next comes the stage of attaching the suspensions to the ceiling surface, and they should be approximately 60 - 70 cm apart from each other. To attach them, you can also use quick installation, the parameters of which range from 4 to 6 cm. Of course, before this you should do the necessary holes on top.

• After that, the SD profile is mounted on the suspensions.

Interestingly, such a base allows you to install any type of finishing materials such as: plastic, plasterboard or particle board. As for slabs made of compressed sawdust, it is better to use clamps and screws for their installation.

Remember, first lay out all communications (electrical wiring, etc.), and only then install the panels.

• On one side the material should be attached with self-tapping screws, and the other end is fixed with gluers. Interestingly, the gluers are attached to the frame using bugs. Observing this technology you can quickly and easily cover the entire surface of the ceiling.

• If you want to mount spotlight, then a hammer drill with special crowns will help you with this, which will make the necessary hole in this panel.

• Next comes the turn lighting fixtures, the installation of which is described in more detail by their manufacturer.

• Regarding installation wall panels, then you should not forget about special boxes for electrical wiring.

• The next step is to create the base of the frame. Here again you can use hangers that are fixed on the surface of the walls.
• And the SD profile is already installed on them.
• The top and them are directly separated by the UD profile.

As for the location of the horizontal profile, you should focus on those places that are most often exposed to impact, for example, in the area of ​​the knee, shoulder, and so on. The distance between this profile should be maintained at 60-70 cm.

MDF panels have become widespread not only due to their low cost and environmental friendliness. Do-it-yourself installation of MDF panels is not difficult; it requires only basic care and precision. It is possible to create an MDF coating with good decorative qualities without being a carpenter or finisher; the skills of a home craftsman are sufficient.

What is MDF?

MDF (MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard - English, HDF - German) is made from wood waste. But they should not be confused with fiberboard or chipboard. MDF is made by dry hot pressing of wood, without a binder. The essence of this method is that microscopic tubes and lignin fibers, of which wood is composed, under high pressure and temperature become plastic, as if steamed, interlock and stick together. The structure of MDF is similar to felt, but not from wool, but from wood fibers.

MDF is not special mechanical properties, but, due to the absence of a chemical binder, are absolutely environmentally friendly. For interior finishing of MDF – ideal option. The techniques for working with MDF are the same as for wood. MDF is glued with any wood glue. An adhesive composition “Liquid Nails” has been developed especially for MDF - a construction adhesive filled with sawdust, which allows both gluing and puttying cracks and sealing holes with self-tapping screw heads.

Note: MDF panels are produced with a decorative outer coating. When purchasing liquid nails, make sure that the tone of the hardened composition matches the tone of the MDF panels used. A sample is a frozen drop on the lid of a jar, or from the seller.

Tool for the job

Besides the usual home tool you will need a plumb line (it’s easy to make it yourself from a nut, fishing line or thread), a tape measure, a building level and a drill attachment for driving self-tapping screws. You can do without a special screwdriver. You also need a bench square (metal, with legs of different thicknesses). It will be convenient to cut pieces for slopes using it: the thick leg is used as a stop, and leaning on the thin leg, they make the cut.

To cut MDF you need a jigsaw or a hand-held circular saw. The saw is good for its compactness, convenience - it is similar in size and shape to a hair clipper - and versatility. By changing complete circles, you can cut wood, metal, stone. But a saw with a cutting depth of more than 12 mm or more is more expensive than a jigsaw; The thickness of MDF is 16 mm.

Installation technologies

Important: If the room for finishing MDF has been damp at least once, if traces of wetness, swelling or peeling of the plaster are noticeable, if the plaster is lumpy, uneven or its layer is more than 12 mm, then before finishing the MDF the plaster must be removed to the main wall. In any case, it is advisable to remove the plaster - this will reduce the cost of fastening and allow you to identify hidden defects in the walls. Of course, the baseboards also need to be removed.

Two technologies for installing MDF wall panels are used:

1. On wooden sheathing;
2. On a frame made of special galvanized profiles.

Wooden sheathing is easier to make; it requires less hardware for fastening, but wooden slats, or even slabs, are more expensive metal frame. In addition, wooden sheathing requires preliminary impregnation against fungus, rot and mold. In damp areas and in brick houses It is definitely not recommended to use wooden sheathing: moisture and fungal spores can penetrate from the outside simply through the pores of the brick, and the cavities between the cladding and the wall are an ideal environment for the development of pests.

For a metal frame you will need UD (guides) and CD profiles. Both of them are U-shaped and differ only in their cross-sectional configuration. Sellers often offer mounting end switches (“ears”) and connectors for the CD profile. Their use makes sense when performing a large volume of work in a limited time. At self-finishing One or two rooms can be done without them. How will be described below.

Read more about lathing and its methods.

About thermal insulation

In the process of finishing a room with MDF panels, it makes sense to additionally insulate it by filling the cells of the sheathing with polystyrene foam. construction foam or silicone. The foam protrusions are cut off with a mounting knife.

In addition to the insulation itself, this will give additional protection from the accumulation of condensation in voids and the development of wood pests. MDF is the same wood, and is also susceptible to their effects, although to a lesser extent.

In the summer, when the building warms up, the heat flow into the room will decrease significantly. Just MDF on a frame - a single heat shield with a reflectivity of approximately 0.25. With a layer of foam - double screen. The reflection coefficient of foam is more than 0.7; accordingly, no more than (1 – 0.7) x (1 – 0.25) = 0.225 heat will enter the room through the walls compared to the previous one. The outflow of heat through the walls in winter will be reduced by the same amount.

Considering that heat exchange through the walls is at least 0.15 of the total heat flow, you can count on reducing heating/air conditioning costs by at least 10%, and this is a significant amount in the budget at current tariffs.

If more serious internal thermal insulation is planned -.

Lathing

Fasteners for sheathing

The wooden sheathing is attached to the wall either with self-tapping screws or assembly nails(dowel-nails). A dowel-nail is similar to a self-tapping screw with a smooth, asymmetrical thread profile. It is driven into a plastic socket with a hammer. The head of the dowel-nail has a slot for a screwdriver, so it can be unscrewed if necessary. The metal sheathing is secured only with self-tapping screws.

To fasten the sheathing, fasteners with a diameter of 4-6 mm are used. The stronger base wall, the smaller the required diameter. Each self-tapping screw or dowel-nail is equipped with a plastic socket. Holes in the wall for fasteners must be drilled to the diameter of the socket body; elastic protrusions are not taken into account. The nest is hammered into the hole with light blows of a hammer.

The body of the fastening element (nail, self-tapping screw) must sit in the main wall at least 30-40 mm. For example, if the thickness of the plaster layer is 12 mm and a 40 mm thick lath or profile is used for the lathing, the MDF thickness is 16 mm, then the length of the hardware must be at least 12 + 40 + 16 = 68 mm. Those. fasteners need a length of 70-80 mm. The depth of the holes for the nests is equal to the length of the nest + 15-20 mm for dust and crumbs. In this case – 100 mm. If the drill is longer, a stop tube should be placed on it. But don’t drill too deep: the thickness of the walls between rooms can be half a brick, which is less than 200 mm with two layers of plaster.

Wooden sheathing

We begin the wooden sheathing by installing vertical posts. We place the racks in all corners, in pairs, so that they form an angle, and along the edges of window and doorways from floor to ceiling. We check the verticality of the racks with a plumb line.

Having attached the stand, we outline it on one side with a pencil along the wall and drill holes for fasteners with a drill in concrete or stone in increments of 500-700 mm. We drive the sockets for the fasteners into them, and mark their position on the rack with a pencil. Then we drill holes in the rack with a diameter of 2/3 of the diameter of the fasteners and attach them in place. For more experienced craftsmen– the holes in the racks are drilled in advance, and the holes in the wall are marked directly through them.

Next, in a similar way, we install horizontal logs with the same pitch. Each piece of lag is fixed at the same pitch as the stand. We make sure to install logs along the top of the openings and under the window sills, regardless of whether they are “one step” or not. We also decorate the slopes of the openings with slats, along the inner and outer edges, without crossbars. Final stage– remove the ledges at the joints of the slats with a plane.

Note: When lathing the ceiling, keep in mind that the MDF panels are located along the racks and across the joists. That is, if the sheathing panels on the ceiling will be located along its short side, then the ceiling sheathing should be made parallel to its long side, and vice versa.

Metal sheathing

Metal sheathing is made in a similar way: racks in the corners and openings, then crossbars. The pitch of the sheathing is the same as that of wood. The racks are made from UD profiles; CD profiles are inserted into them and pushed into place. Then the CD, after alignment with a level and a tape measure for horizontality and pitch, is attached to the UD, and then to the wall, into holes pre-drilled in it.

The parts of the metal sheathing are connected to each other with short self-tapping screws. The CD is also attached to the wall with self-tapping screws. Dowel-nails cannot be used: the fasteners will either not be finished or the profile will be bent. The CD profile pieces are pre-connected to each other to the required length.

Note: work on metal lathing it is better to do it using a small grinder or a manual one circular saw. With a jigsaw, even with a metal file, the work takes longer and a lot of waste results.

“Ears” and connectors

The “ears” of the CD are made like this: at the ends of the mounting pieces of the stick “P” we cut off the width UD to the crossbar plus 2-3 mm. The cut should be made slightly obliquely, so that from the ends of the “sticks” to the edge of the profile there is also 2-3 mm more than from the crossbar. With a straight or reverse bevel cut, the CD may get stuck during installation. “Ears” will be needed if the sheathing is made only from CD. If the racks are made of UD, then the CDs simply slide into them.

For CD connectors, we pre-measure a piece of it of the required length. One connector requires 100-120 mm of profile. If, for example, you need 10 connectors, they will take 1 - 1.2 m CD. The CD's "P" sticks are not straight, but curved inward. It is this bend that needs to be cut off by the same 2-3 mm. Then we cut the workpiece into required quantity pieces.

The CD is connected like this: the connector piece is pushed halfway into one of the profile pieces being connected, and the other piece is pushed over the rest. The connector, of course, will fit; There may be a small gap between the pieces being joined. This is not scary; this will not slow down the cladding work and will not make it more difficult.

Sometimes it is recommended to additionally secure the connection with self-tapping screws; this is unnecessary. During installation, it is already held quite tightly due to friction. In the future, the connector will not fall out - the wall will not let it - and will not slide to the side, because inserted with spacer.

Note: for communications - pipes, wiring in wooden slats or metal profiles the battens cut grooves in place. Before lathing, it is necessary to measure the height to which the communications protrude above the wall, and choose the thickness of the sheathing elements 5-10 mm more.

MDF paneling

Striker and Claimers

MDF panels are connected to each other by a symmetrical tongue-and-groove lock in the form of a ridge and a corresponding groove. MDF panels can be attached to a wooden sheathing with small nails, driving them diagonally into the corner of the groove. The nails are finished off with a metal striker and a hammer. It is similar to a metal punch, only at its narrow end, instead of a point, there is a shallow depression along the head of the nail. A nail striker can be made from a center punch by removing the point on an emery wheel and carefully drilling it into drilling machine deepening

For fastening to a metal sheathing (and to a wooden one when working according to the standard scheme), gluers are used. Claymer is a small metal bracket to the hole for the fastener and the teeth that press the shelf of the groove of the tongue. The gluer is inserted into the groove of the MDF panel until it stops, and secured with a self-tapping screw. Fastening with gluers is more expensive and requires more labor, but it is more reliable, and if necessary, the cladding can be disassembled without damaging the MDF.

Installation of panels

Installing MDF panels on the sheathing is much simpler than the preparatory work:

• We start from the corner. We cut the required number of MDF panels to size to cover the mounting plane to the nearest rack. We go over the corners of the cuts once (“widen”) with sandpaper.
• On the first panel, we cut off the tongue and groove and secure it in the corner with nails (on a wooden sheathing) or small screws (on a metal one). From the groove side of the lock we secure it with nails or gluers.
• Place the next panel, slide the ridge into the groove, fasten it along the groove, etc., until two remain last panels.
• We cut the last panel to length to size, with an edge of 2-5 mm, depending on what corner or plinth will be used for the final finishing.
• Cut the ridge of the last panel in half and round it.
• We insert the last two panels into place “housewise”, press until they “click”.
• We push the last panel all the way onto the penultimate one; At the free edge we secure it with self-tapping screws.

Note 5:“The last two” is a responsible operation and requires some skills. It is advisable to first practice on MDF samples. If the training “house” jams, you can pry it off at the joint with a screwdriver.