Panelling that cracks, gaps or lifts after fitting

Hairline cracks at the mitres and joints

Panel material expands and contracts across its width. If the joints are filled rigidly and the material then shrinks, the filler cracks in a straight line. Flexible caulk at wall junctions and correctly closed mitres in the material handle that movement; hard filler does not.

Gaps between the panel and the wall

Very few walls are flat. A batten or packing system that follows the wall profile, or scribing the perimeter pieces, is what removes those shadow gaps. Glue alone on a bowed wall will always leave them.

Acclimatisation matters more than people expect

Sheet and moulded panel materials arrive at whatever moisture level the merchant's stock was at. Bringing them into the room for a few days before fitting lets them settle so the movement happens before the joints are closed rather than after.

Getting the setting-out right

The reason good panelling looks calm is that the layout was decided before anything was cut: equal margins, panels centred on the wall or on a fireplace, and rails aligned with door heads and skirting lines. Setting out from one corner and hoping is what produces a narrow slither at the far end.

Questions we're asked about this