Wall Paneling

Aside from the general cost of drywall - it's heavy. I wanted something that was lightweight, sturdy when nailed to the studs, and was something I could afford. I ended up buying semi-flexible hardboard paneling at Home Depot for $8 for a 1/8th x 4ft x 8ft sheet, and I trimmed them with a jigsaw.

Here you can really see how the edges weren't smooth yet

I covered all the edges with a drywall caulking first to try to smooth it out as much as possible. The second step was to go over the walls with joint compound. I bought this box of joint compound for maybe $11, and it was enough to do most of the truck walls. Pre-mixed, lightweight, "all purpose" joint compound worked great. I still have some in the box and it still works!

I used a plastic mud pan with a metal edge, and cheap plastic putty knives (one small, one large). You can add water to joint compound to make it thinner (I used a spray bottle) but add too much water and it will crack when it dries. (You can sand those cracks out if that happens).

The joint compound was a tan color, but dries to white

Trying to level out those surfaces and add texture to the wall so the edges don't stand out

It takes hours for each layer to dry so this was a multi-day project. It's not something you can do in one day. Once the layer was dry I would sand it with 200 to 400grit sandpaper, wipe the wall down with a dry towel to get off the dust, and apply more coats as needed. 

If you have any corners that stand on their own, like my bathroom wall corners below, then you need to add corner bead to the edges. It's a thin metal strip that gives strength to the corner and lets you get a sharp edge. You cut these with tin snips and they nail into the stud with wide head nails (Short, smaller diameter nails - even galvanized roofing nails could work); These require heavy amounts of joint compound to cover up - I went as thick as 1/4inch in some areas, but less is better. You can smooth out the edges later. Be precise when you're hammering, and try not to hit it hard enough to bend the metal inwards. If it bends, it's hard to get back into place. They don't have to be perfectly flat against the wall, but pretty close. You'll get the hang of it with a little practice. It doesn't hurt to buy an extra piece or two than you need. I was glad I had an extra piece!

Once it was entirely dry, and I was satisfied with the texture, I sanded the surface and cleaned off as much dust off the walls and out of the truck as possible (A broom on the wall helps get the dust off). Now it was ready to paint.

The heavy texture hid the edges really well and I liked that look thankfully

Originally I planned to trim the edge of the window with cedar, but I decided to just level out the difference with joint compound and make it flush with the wall.

I used that drywall caulking again to smooth out the edges

Trying out storage options

So there we are! So far the panels have worked out great, and I might try it again for the ceiling. Overall I like them very much and would recommend them if anyone is looking for a cheap way to cover a wall. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

Sincerely,

Kelli