What is imitation timber in the interior?

Wood is a wonderful material, beautiful, warm, pleasant to the touch. But in the modern world, its use in construction is often an impractical solution. Fortunately, there is a way out – the use of imitation timber for wall cladding or ceiling.

Natural wood is exactly what you need to radically transform the interior

This type of finish consists of wood planks approximately 15-35 mm thick, mounted to the surface of walls or ceilings using a steel or timber frame. Outwardly, such panels are very similar to profiled timber. With their help, the feeling that you are in a wooden house is created..

False beams are grooved boards, carefully dried and sanded

Pros and cons of this solution

Wooden cladding, imitating timber, has a number of advantages:

easy to assemble;
has a pleasant smell;
boasts a beautiful unique texture;
characterized by good thermal insulation properties;
can serve for a very long time;
has great aesthetic potential.

Timber imitation can be combined with other materials

This finish always harmonizes well with wooden furniture.

Among the disadvantages is the relatively large thickness of the finishing layer..

Timber imitation in terms of interior design

Such imitation in the field of modern design is now a very popular solution. It fits well with both modern and traditional styles..

Decorating a bedroom in a modern style

For example, imitation of a bar remains an almost indispensable element for an eco-style based on the use of everything natural and natural. Often, the crisp graphics of wood surfaces blend in with minimalist interiors. Country, Art Deco, Ethnic Styles also go well with timber or imitation..

Country style can’t do without wood trim

Types of finishing materials used to imitate timber

Imitation of a bar in the interior of a house can look very different depending on which specific type of this material you choose. There are different possibilities.

The cladding of the walls of the bedroom with imitation of pine timber

For example, boards from different types of wood are used for decoration:

from cedar;
pine trees;
larch;
ate;
oak;
linden;
alder.

The original interior of the living room, sheathed with cedar imitation of timber

There are other options, but it is these types of wood that are most often used to imitate timber. The table shows a comparison of their main properties:

Breed	Density (kg / m3)	Colour	Resistance to decay and fungal formations (class)	Where is the best to use	Price
cedar	445	heterogeneous brown-pink color, pronounced pattern	average	suitable for a nursery, bedroom, living room; not used in places with increased requirements for wall stability	average
Pine	500	bright warm reddish-brown color, the pattern is not pronounced	average	suitable for a nursery, bedroom, living room; not used in places with increased requirements for wall stability	very cheap
larch	660	the color varies from red-brown to light pink, the pattern is pronounced	high	can be used in any type of premises, including a kitchen, sauna, pantry	cheap
spruce	445	soft light yellow color, the pattern is not pronounced	low	suitable for a nursery, bedroom, living room; not applicable in places with high humidity	very cheap
oak	690	the color varies from dark brown to golden, the pattern is contrasting, pronounced	high	can be used in any type of premises, including a kitchen, sauna, pantry	relatively expensive
Linden	530	golden beige, the pattern is often poorly expressed	low	suitable for a nursery, bedroom, living room; not applicable in places with high humidity	relatively expensive
alder	490	golden reddish, the pattern is poorly expressed	low	suitable for a nursery, bedroom, living room; not applicable in places with high humidity	average

Important. The density parameter is related to how much the tree is able to resist mechanical damage. The higher it is, the longer the home decoration will retain its attractive appearance..

As is clear from the table, this value is best in oak and larch. In terms of their ability to resist decay, these two types of wood are also ahead of the rest..

Larch is great for bathroom decoration

But at the price, pine looks the most attractive, which at the same time surpasses the slightly more expensive larch, cedar and alder in a number of important characteristics..

It is up to you to decide which type of material for imitation is suitable in your case..

For the ceiling, inexpensive types of wood are usually used.

Another parameter by which the types of finishes used to simulate timber differ is the size of the boards. Wider options look more brutal, more reliable and are easier to install. However, for small spaces, it is better to take thinner panels in order to visually expand the interior of the house..

The choice of material for imitation of timber

Each case is different. It is up to you to decide what kind of cladding is needed for the interior of your home. However, there are several general patterns that it makes sense to take into account..

Living room

For a given room, the texture and color of the material is more important than its mechanical characteristics. At the same time, it is permissible to use even active and dark shades; large boards. However, only if the area of the room allows it. For a small living room, it is better to dwell on a plain and dull imitation of a bar..

Living room interior in classic style

Beautiful and practical living room interior in a private house

Kitchen

The cooking space requires the most resistant types of wood. After all, here the wall decoration will be exposed to steam, moisture, fat. In addition, in the kitchen, it is recommended to use only light shades with a monochromatic structure. More active design decisions of this room are much more difficult to make harmonious..

A successful combination of a light headset with wood wall decoration

Stylish dining room with natural wood paneling

Bedroom

In this part of the house, it is permissible to use both dark and light versions of imitation of a bar. Both will look quite appropriate and impressive in the bedroom..

For a small bedroom, it is better to use a light finish.

Finishing in dark colors will make the room warmer and more comfortable

The corridor

In narrow spaces like a corridor, interior decoration with imitation of a bar does not always look appropriate. However, if you choose the right type of cladding, such an interior solution may well turn out to be successful. In this case, you should focus on light, even whitewashed panels of small width..

The original idea of lighting a narrow corridor

Entrance hall of a country house with imitation of valuable wood species

Library

Here, wood veneer or imitation is ideal. Moreover, it is better to choose a dark finish with a large texture. However, bright solutions also have a right to exist..

Cozy library with wooden ceiling

Attic library with sloped mahogany imitation ceiling

In a word, timber imitation is suitable for the design of a wide variety of premises and is a very versatile and interesting tool..

Do-it-yourself installation of imitation of timber: a brief instruction

One of the advantages of this type of finish is the ease of working with it. You can easily install it yourself if you follow a simple procedure..

Calculation of the required amount of material

You can simply calculate the surface area that you want to cover and purchase raw materials based on this figure. Do not forget in this situation to subtract the area of window and door openings from the total value..

The material must be purchased with a small margin, taking into account defective and damaged boards

However, you will get a more accurate result if you estimate the layout of the panels in advance. That is, you will draw a sweep of the walls, find out the dimensions of the boards and draw how they will be located. Such a scheme will avoid mistakes..

Surface cleaning

There must be no dust, dirt or grease on the plane where you intend to attach the timber imitation trim..

Installation of vapor barrier

You need to purchase a special insulating film and attach it to the surface with a construction stapler. It is important to remember that the smooth side of the vapor barrier must be adjacent to the wall..

Sheathing device

The lathing for this kind of imitation is made either from a metal profile or from a bar with a section of 25 by 25 mm. It is fixed vertically with a pitch of 50-80 cm using dowels or self-tapping screws. It is recommended to use a building level.

With the vertical arrangement of the cladding boards, the battens are mounted horizontally

Setting up a simulation

After the lathing, it is the turn of the installation of the imitation of the timber. This process should start at the bottom. Moreover, the position of the first, lowest, panel is very important to check using a level – it must be strictly horizontal.

Installation is carried out from the bottom up, the first board is leveled

Finishing elements are attached to the crate using special fasteners, cleats. You can also use screws or nails, but then the process will take longer and require more care..

It is more convenient to use clamps for installation.

All subsequent imitation timber panels are attached in the same way, moving from bottom to top, with gaps equal to 2 mm. The latter is necessary to prevent deformation of the coating..

Final processing

This step is not always necessary. However, after installation, the imitation of the timber is often painted or varnished. This allows you to achieve interesting aesthetic effects, make your home decoration easier to maintain and durable..