Decorating the walls with laminate in the hallway with your own hands, varieties and styling options
You can create a unique style in the hallway by decorating the walls with laminate. Completely or partially complementing the walls of the hallway with laminate, it will be possible to transform the space. In addition, the design is of practical importance, since the entrance and dressing areas are particularly heavily contaminated.
Advantages of hallway wall decoration
Laminate is considered the only type of flooring that has caught on among designers and has become widely used off-label. Wall covering with panels gives the room a special style. In addition to decorative properties, the material has a number of positive characteristics.
The main advantages are:
- a variety of materials in texture and colors;
- increased strength, compared to PVC and MDF panels, which provides protection against mechanical stress;
- resistance to moisture absorption due to its dense structure and the presence of a polymer layer;
- ease of care and ability to clean with ordinary soapy water;
- environmental safety and the absence of harmful components;
- ease of installation on the wall thanks to its low weight.
Varieties
Modern laminate flooring mimics the color and texture of wood, leather and other natural surfaces. Depending on your own preferences for the design of the room, you can choose the appropriate type of material. When choosing panels, it is recommended to study the basic features and characteristics of each type.
Decorative vinyl
Vinyl laminate is a modern type of flooring and consists of several layers. The top layer of the material has both aesthetic and practical functions. Panels imitate wood and harmoniously complement the classic interior. Due to the strength and protection of aluminum oxides, the main layer of the material is resistant to external influences, moisture and discoloration due to ultraviolet radiation.
Glue
One type of adhesive laminate gets its name from the laying technique on the surface. The material is attached to the wall with glue, after which it is firmly held in place and retains good quality for a long time. In terms of external characteristics, the adhesive laminate is similar to the conventional laminate, but it has improved flexibility and is more resistant to wear.
The variety of glue in the structure are elastic tiles made in the form of boards. Just like vinyl, composite layers are protective with polyurethane or aluminum oxide applied and the main one, which has an adhesive base. The bottom layer can also contain a special smart tape, which allows installation without using glue.
Clicky
Click laminate is a modernized variant of the sheet pile material.The panels are characterized by a transverse pear-shaped ridge. For wall mounting, the adjacent panel is tilted approximately 20 degrees. The tongue of the lock is placed in the groove and facing the base under pressure, so the lock closes securely and holds the panels together.
You can attach the clicked material to the walls with glue or small nails. Finishing is done on a wooden crate. The retaining clips will not work, as they will not engage the lock.
Main selection criteria
The competent choice of laminate for wall decoration in the hallway requires consideration of a number of criteria.
The main points to which it is recommended to pay attention when choosing are:
- Material color. Considering the shades of the panels, you need to think about the combination with the given style of the interior. Of great importance are the geometric characteristics of the space, the level of lighting and the need to accentuate the walls.
- Brand. You should not buy cheap options from unknown and unreliable manufacturers, since such products can last a short time and quickly lose their original appearance. It is better to give preference to material from trusted brands and make sure of its good quality.
- Dimensions. If the apartment has a small hallway, the thickened panels will visually reduce the free space. In this case, a laminate that is too thin will be less resistant to external mechanical stresses. It is important to choose the best option, taking into account the size of the hallway. The width and length of the slats are also important, as this affects the speed of the masonry.
- Connection type. Having no practical experience in installing laminate on the walls, it is better to opt for a material with click locks.By making a mistake, it will be easy to disassemble the panels and place them correctly on the base. In addition, the presence of click-locks simplifies installation.
- Respect the environment. This indicator can be appreciated by the presence of a certificate of conformity from the manufacturer and the marking of the coating. Laminate with E0 and E1 markings is suitable for decorating living quarters.
- Moisture resistant. If there is a bathroom next to the hallway, evaporation will regularly affect the adjacent panels. Depending on the expected operating conditions, you should select the appropriate water resistance class. You can pre-soak a piece of liner in water to test the reaction.
DIY styling options
There are several options for placing panels on the wall, and they depend not on the installation technology, but on the selected shade, texture and technical parameters. The slats can be arranged horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
Horizontal
Stopping at the discretion of a horizontal finish, you need to lay the material so that the joints form a single line. It is covered with plinths and fixed to the wall with dowels. For fasteners, you need to make holes in advance through the panels themselves.
Horizontal stacking is very complex and not always reliable. For a quality finish and for the laminate to adhere well to the wall, it is recommended to cut the strips before laying. This will evenly distribute the load on the fasteners.
Vertical
There are several ways to lay the laminate vertically on the wall, if you install it with an adhesive solution on a dry basis.Using long panels as the main panels and remnants of different shades as a complement, the following styling options are available:
- At the bottom, the strip is arranged with complementary slats, and the main material is mounted on the upper edge of the wall. Skirting boards are placed at the horizontal and vertical joints.
- The main panels cover the lower part of the walls, and a whitewashed strip is left on top to create a laconic visual effect.
- A dark band of complementary slats is placed in the center of the wall and decorated with skirting boards. Pictures and other interior items can be placed on the strip, which will look original in the interior.
Diagonal
Diagonal laying opens up a number of design possibilities. If the panels are placed in a non-standard way, but with an offset of a certain angle, then the diagonal placement can correspond to the principle of parallelism to light rays.
In addition, the diagonal arrangement of the slats makes it possible to hide geometric imperfections.
Most often, diagonal installation is carried out in small hallways, since the masonry visually expands the space. This option looks spectacular in the room and gives uniqueness to the given style.
How to mount on the wall
You can fix the laminate to the wall with an adhesive solution or on tongue-and-groove piles. You should choose a mounting method taking into account the type of surface, your own wishes and practical skills. Before starting work, it is recommended to study the features of the fastener in different ways.
Language
When installing the laminate on the tongue, the first panel is laid at a distance of 5-10 mm from the floor.After laying one row of panels, the next is staggered so that the ends of the panels of adjacent rows are displaced by 25-30 cm relative to each other. The last row is laid close to the ceiling, and the dowels are driven into the previous row with special fasteners.
Glue
For fixing with glue, a flat surface of the walls is necessary, otherwise gaps will appear and the service life of the coating will be significantly reduced.
The laying of laminated panels using an adhesive does not require special knowledge and allows the slats to be fixed with or without locks.
As an alternative to glue, you can use silicone-based liquid nails. After fixing and adjusting the location, the slats are firmly pressed against the wall. Thus, the entire laminate is mounted on the allocated area.
How to choose the right color for the interior
The color scheme of the laminate directly affects whether the overall interior will look harmonious. Professional designers recommend combining no more than three color shades. If a neutral overall style is maintained in the hallway, the walls can be saturated, and furniture and decor will help to place accents correctly. When using flooring with large ornaments, laconic slats on the walls are the best option.
Examples of out-of-the-box design solutions
In design catalogs, a large number of ready-made options for decorating the hallway using laminate are presented. When developing a design project, it will not be superfluous to consider professional proposals and fully or partially implement them in practice.