Cabin Wall Paneling

[Minicup28]

I am looking for suggestions on what to use to cover the interior walls of our cabin. Its a factory built 12x28 shed that we are using for camping. My first thought was to go with T&G pine boards but the time to finish both sides and apply will take too long. The 5/32 printed panels don't look very appealing. My wife liked the looks of 4x8 birch plywood or even prime ACX too. Our time there is limited to 1 1/2 days a week so we would like it go go on fairly quickly.  Any other suggestions?

[rwanders]

I'm considering birch plywood also for the cathedral ceiling in my 1 1/2 story cabin with birch battens in a 24" OC pattern. Also thinking about using sheet rock applied vertically on the 12' walls and continuing the birch battens on the vertical seams of the rock to avoid having to mud/sand and to tie it into the ceiling treatment. Not sure birch plywood is much cheaper than 1x6 pine T&G, but it would go up much quicker.   

[glenn kangiser]

I don't know where you are at but if you have a sawmill nearby you can possibly get 1/2 inch wavy edge/Adirondack type siding - put it on overlapping - goes up as fast as you can cut it to length and nail it.

Works inside or out - example

[FrankInWI]

good topic.... son wants wood.....and I would love it.  but $$$  thinking 1/2 drywall and 1/2 wainscoating (sic).   Then the cathedral ceiling....what to do there?  He wonders why we don't use "paneling".  I NEVER saw a good application of paneling.

[fritz]

Some thoughts....  Hal Nash (see is posts and his cabin in the gallery, used wainscoating panels between his roof joists.....nice look, but his comments suggest he wouldn't do it again.

In my experience, larger panels go up quickly, but single t & g is better is working alone.  Also, single boards are easier to make cut outs of outlets, collar ties, or window trim.

The cabin here is combination of dry wall and the thin t & g sold in the big box stores...it's the thickness of paneling and looks a touch better because it is true t&g.  it is not as rigid as a 1" t & g, so consider that in your planning.

I, too, wanted to avoid mudding and taping, so the paneling comes up 4' in most places and the the drywall is set long ways (4' width) and then cut to fit.  I'll try to post a photo.  In a few places, the drywall goes floor to ceiling in 4' width, on other walls, the wood goes floor to ceiling.

I have not done the ceiling yet, and am going back and forth between 1" t&G and the wall materials.

[muldoon]

I don't know where you are at but if you have a sawmill nearby you can possibly get 1/2 inch wavy edge/Adirondack type siding - put it on overlapping - goes up as fast as you can cut it to length and nail it.

This is the approach I am most likely to go with as I want to avoid hanging sheetrock as well.  There are two mills within a 50 mile radius that will do wavy edge cedar planks.  Here is the inside of a different cabin using these local materials.  They also smell great  

[glenn kangiser]

Looks great.  Keep in mind that if you do the overlap and the wood is wet, it will shrink about 5/8 to 3/4  inch per foot of width when dry so I suggest at least a 1" lap at the narrowest point of a lap at the narrowest lap in the  wavy area.

Trim boards will have to be about 1" 1/4" thick to trimm the lapped ends of the boards.  Depending on the wood you may get by with as thin as 3/8" panel boards rather than 1/2" allowing the trim to be thinner.  Nice square cuts are necessary when trimming this way.  If the top wavy edge is taken off it is easier to work with.

You can also do it as board and batten vertically leaving both wavy edges showing. using the full width boards.  Swap rop and bottom on each board to keep taper from getting away from you.

[glenn kangiser]

Here is a pix of our bathroom done as wavy edge board and batten using full width boards for both.



Again - watch laps - in this case both sides.  I was a bit narrow on one or two.

Trim straight edges as you need them using a chalk line for straight and a fine cutting Circular saw on the back side.

[dogneck]

I'm using cedar for my ceiling.   Any suggestions on the finish?  I tried spar varnish and gave up.   Now I'm trying satin polyurathane, but the cedar is drinking it up.  Two coats and it definitely makes it look good as far as darker and bringing out the wood grain and knots,  but no shine at all.

[MountainDon]

  ...but no shine at all.

Satin finishes have a subtle shine, not quite flat, but definitely not glossy, someplace inbetween.

A sanding sealer could help with the mass absorption of the poly, but if you already have applied 2 coats of poly that should be sealing it as well. A third coat could be the charm.     I got away with two coats on my spruce ceiling T&G, but the finish manufacturer did recommend three coats. 

We used a Minwax water soluble product and it has a slight sheen. Different products may have differing amounts of sheen.

I haven't used spar varnish for years. IIRC it was glossy. Not like satin at all. Of course they could make satin or matte I suppose. MTL.

[NM_Shooter]

I'm planning on using 1/2 inch sheetrock, and not taping the seams.  Instead I'll run a batten strip.  No tape, no texture.  Just a batten every 4'

[wildbil]

muldoon, where is that cabin in your pictures? looks interesting.

[Jens]

If you aren't willing to at least firetape your sheetrock, run low expansion foam or caulk, then put duct or gaffer's tape over the seam.  I didn't do this for the corners in my house, as I am planning trim in those places, and we are experiencing horrible drafts.  Probably wouldn't be as bad in a new house (ours is 80 years old), but I wish somebody had suggested it to me, citing these reasons.

[John Raabe]

Right on... drywall is the primary air barrier for most houses. Especially older houses that didn't have panel sheathing under the siding. In cold climates you can use a poly air/vapor barrier under wood or untaped drywall for the walls but not all climates need or want poly there.

You do have to stop or slow down the airflow through the walls, floor and ceiling if you hope to have an energy-efficient house.

[NM_Shooter]

yes... my solution is not for everyone... But then I am building a hunting shack... 14X20 with a woodstove.  Might not even have an insulated floor!

What did the folks with the plank and batten walls do for this?  Do you have any air barrier issues?

But maybe I should at least caulk the joint under the batten.... that would be cheap and easy. That is a good tip... thanks!

-f-

[MountainDon]

But maybe I should at least caulk the joint under the batten.... that would be cheap and easy.

Use a good bead of construction adhesive. That would seal the joint and allow minimal use of fsateners to secure the batten.   

[Jens]

Use a good bead of construction adhesive. That would seal the joint and allow minimal use of fasteners to secure the batten.  

Make sure it is elastomeric (I think all of them are, but make sure), as the larger boards may spit from being glued to the smaller.  Larger boards expand and contract at different rates from smaller ones, and this expansion/contraction is the reason for board and batten design.  The large boards are free to move behind the "hide-em" strip of the smaller boards, which are not nailed to the larger, but through the seams in between.

[MountainDon]

I believe Frank is going to place battens over the drywall seams inside as a simple effective method to finish the hunting cabin quickly. Leaves more time for fishing and hunting.