Most wall panelling sold in Ireland is a flat pack kit you fit yourself. That works if you are handy, have a mitre saw and do not mind filling and sanding for a weekend. This page is about the other option: panelling measured, made and fitted by a joiner, finished so the joins do not show.
Who supplies and fits wall panelling in Dublin?
The Home Upgrade Co supplies and fits wall panelling in Dublin and the surrounding counties of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. One team handles the design, the supply and the installation, and the fitting is done by our own fitters rather than subcontracted out, so there is one point of contact from your first message to the last length of panelling. Shaker, board and batten, beading, slat and wood panelling are measured to your own walls rather than sold as fixed length kits, and drawn in 3D in your room before anything is made. Every job starts with photos, a short video and rough sizes of the room, and the 3D design and itemised quote are free with no obligation. Everything we make in wood carries a 2 year warranty against defects. Stephen, who coordinates our installation team, has more than ten years in kitchens, and the manufacturing partner behind our units has twenty years in the trade.
- What we do: supply and fit, designed in 3D, all by one team
- Who fits it: our own fitters, not subcontracted
- Where: Dublin and the surrounding counties of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow
- Styles: shaker, board and batten, beading, slat wall panels and wood panelling
- Materials: painted MDF, or real wood where you want the grain to show
- Rooms: hallways, stairs and landings, bedrooms, living rooms and feature walls
- Price: worked out from a free 3D design and itemised quote, drawn from your photos, video and sizes
- Warranty: 2 years against defects on everything we make in wood
- Experience: over ten years fitting kitchens, and a manufacturing partner with twenty years in the trade
- Contact: WhatsApp or call 089 222 3395
Which type of panelling suits which room?
Shaker panelling suits halls and living rooms, board and batten suits stairs and landings, and fluted panelling suits a single feature wall.
Shaker, meaning framed rectangles, is the safest choice in a period house because it echoes joinery that is already there. Board and batten, vertical battens at even spacing, handles the rake of a staircase better than framed panels because it does not need every rectangle to match.
Fluted or slatted panelling is the most contemporary of the three and the most demanding of the wall behind it, because the shadow lines show any lean or bow.
How high should panelling go?
Either to about a third of the wall height, or full height. The awkward answer is halfway.
Low panelling, finished with a rail somewhere around waist height, is the traditional proportion and the one that suits most Irish rooms. Full height reads as a feature wall and works best behind a bed or a sofa. Stopping at the middle of the wall tends to look accidental rather than chosen.
On a staircase the rail follows the rake, and getting that line right is most of the job.
Does panelling work in a small room?
Yes, but it changes the room, so it is worth being deliberate about it.
Panelling adds a little depth to the wall and a lot of texture. In a small room, low panelling in the same colour as the wall above adds interest without closing the space in. Dark full height panelling in a small room will make it feel smaller, which is sometimes exactly the intention in a snug or a study.
It is one of the things worth seeing in 3D before committing, because it is hard to picture from a sample.
Is panelling still in fashion?
Framed and board and batten panelling has been in Irish houses for over a century, so it is not really a trend. The very high gloss and heavily fluted versions are more of a moment.
If you are worried about it dating, the safe route is a profile that matches your existing skirting and architrave, painted the same colour as the wall. That reads as part of the house rather than as a look applied to it.
Everything we make in wood carries a two year warranty against defects.
Wood panelling or painted MDF wall panelling, which should I choose?
Choose painted MDF for a smooth, stable painted finish in most rooms. Choose real wood or timber panelling where you want visible grain and a natural finish.
MDF is made in sheets, so it does not shrink, swell or split with the seasons the way solid timber can. It takes paint cleanly, with no knots showing through, and it is the more economical material. That is why most painted shaker and board and batten panelling in Irish homes is MDF. In a room that sees more moisture, a moisture resistant grade is the right choice, and the paint finish matters more because it is what keeps the damp out.
Wood panelling for walls, whether tongue and groove boards, solid timber panels or wooden slats, is usually the dearer material, and it is a living one. Timber takes in and gives off moisture, so it moves slightly through the year, and the design has to leave room for that. In return you get real grain that can be oiled, stained or left natural, and it wears in with age rather than chipping.
As a rough guide, painted MDF suits hallways, stairs, living rooms and bedrooms where the panelling will be painted to match or contrast with the walls. Wood panelling suits a study, a snug or a feature wall where the timber itself is the point. The Home Upgrade Co. supplies and fits both in Dublin and the surrounding counties, and we talk through the trade offs when we design it so the itemised quote reflects the material you actually want.
Are slat wall panels a good idea?
Yes, on the right wall. Slatted wall panelling adds texture, softens echo a little, and suits a feature wall behind a TV or a bed.
The appeal of slat panelling is the shadow lines. Vertical slats make a ceiling feel a little higher and give a plain wall depth without adding colour. Behind a TV they also hide cable routes and give a solid fixing line, which is why slats appear so often on a media wall. Behind a bed, a slatted wall can stand in for a headboard.
On sound, slats set over an acoustic felt backing take some of the echo out of a room with a hard floor and bare walls. Slats fixed straight onto the plaster look much the same but do far less for sound, so it is worth deciding which you want before anything is made.
The catches are dust and the wall behind. Every gap is a small ledge, so slats need a dust now and then, and the shadow lines show any lean or bow in the wall, which is why we check the wall when we measure. Most slat wall panels sold in Ireland come as kits in fixed lengths. Ours, whether wood slat wall panels or painted slats, are measured to your wall and fitted by our own team.
What are the best wall panelling ideas for each room?
Low shaker or beaded panelling suits hallways and living rooms, and full height panelling makes a strong feature wall behind the bed.
Half height panelling is the most common request, and in practice it means the lower third of the wall, finished with a rail at about dado height, rather than stopping literally halfway up. Beading is the lightest version, thin mouldings forming frames that are painted with the wall. Shaker panelling has more depth, so its shadows are stronger. Board and batten sits between the two.
Hallway panelling ideas
In a hallway, shaker panelling along the hall and up the stairs takes the knocks from bags, buggies and bikes, and a hard wearing painted finish wipes clean. It pairs naturally with fitted storage, so if the hall also needs a home for coats and shoes, see our hallway storage.
Bedroom panelling ideas
In a bedroom, the favourite is a full height feature wall behind the bed, in shaker, beading or slats, often painted a deeper colour than the other walls. It does the job of a headboard and frames the bed without taking floor space. Shaker panelling also sits well beside wardrobes with shaker doors, and our guide to built in wardrobe ideas covers that side of the room.
Living room panelling ideas
In a living room, low panelling around the room adds character to a plain modern house, while a single full height wall of panelling or slats works as a backdrop to a sofa or a TV. Whichever idea you like, The Home Upgrade Co. draws it in 3D in your own room first, for homes in Dublin and the surrounding counties.
How it works
Send us photos, a short video and rough sizes of the space and tell us what you want. Our designers draw it in 3D so you see the finished piece in your own room, and you get one complete itemised quote. Nothing is ordered and nothing is charged until you say yes.
Who is our wall panelling for?
Everything we build is premium and made to the highest spec: made to measure, designed in 3D, scribed to the walls and fitted by our own team, and it is priced to that standard. Quality at this level is not a budget purchase, and we would rather say so here than after you have waited for a quote. If you are working to a tight budget, we are honestly not the right fit.
One team for this and the rest of the job
The same team that makes this fits it, and we also do kitchens, fitted wardrobes, internal doors and windows. If more than one thing needs doing, it is one contractor, one schedule and one point of contact rather than four. See the rest of our fitted furniture.
Frequently asked questions
Who supplies and fits wall panelling in Dublin?
The Home Upgrade Co supplies and fits wall panelling in Dublin and the surrounding counties of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. One team handles the design, the supply and the installation, and the fitting is done by our own fitters rather than subcontracted out, so there is one point of contact from your first message to the last length of panelling. Shaker, board and batten, beading, slat and wood panelling are measured to your own walls rather than sold as fixed length kits, and drawn in 3D in your room before anything is made. Every job starts with photos, a short video and rough sizes of the room, and the 3D design and itemised quote are free with no obligation. Everything we make in wood carries a 2 year warranty against defects. Stephen, who coordinates our installation team, has more than ten years in kitchens, and the manufacturing partner behind our units has twenty years in the trade.
Do you fit panelling I have bought myself?
We generally supply and fit as one job, because the fit and the finish depend on how the panelling is made. Ask us when you send your details.
Can you panel a staircase and landing?
Yes. Stairs are the most common panelling job we are asked about, and board and batten usually handles the rake best.
Do you paint the panelling?
We can supply it primed or finished. Tell us which when you send your details and it will be in the quote.
Which panelling style is simplest to fit?
Board and batten is usually simplest, being straight lengths on a flat wall. Fluted and shaker panels need more setting out and cutting. Whichever style you choose, our panelling is premium and made to the highest spec, so it is not a budget purchase.