MDF Panels for Walls: Interior Photos

Easy installation, a wide selection of color and texture options allows you to recreate the desired wall design in any room. Panels are an excellent alternative to expensive materials.

Properties of MDF Panels

Wall panels made of MDF can imitate the appearance of any material:

• Wood;
  
• Plastic;
  
• Textured plaster;
  
• Tiles.
  

Considering that the properties of MDF differ significantly from those materials that can be imitated using panels, many people choose this material when decorating apartments with complex design elements.

Key properties:

• Eco-friendliness. The material is made using only natural ingredients, such as fine wood chips and wood resins. This allows using the panel in children's rooms and throughout the house, even if the homeowners prefer natural materials;
  
• Durability. The product can withstand significant loads when the size and thickness are properly selected. This allows planning furniture mounting points on the panel without interrupting the line;
  
• Resistance to temperature fluctuations and moisture resistance. This property is a big advantage when designing bathroom and kitchen interiors. The moisture-resistant version easily replaces tiles in the bathroom;
  
• Due to impregnation, the product never becomes subject to fungal growth or rotting processes. The finishing does not require additional treatment;
  
• Ability to take any necessary form for the interior. The material is quite flexible in the hands of a craftsman. Curved lines are no longer a problem – the panel easily takes the desired shape;
  
• Relative affordability compared to similar materials made of natural wood, without losing quality and eco-friendliness for a healthy microclimate in the home.
  

Design: Maks Kasymov

Pros and Cons

The pros of MDF panels are easy to list, and one more feature should be added – the ability to choose a panel that imitates any existing material, the use of which is not allowed in certain rooms.

For example, if a wall in the bathroom or kitchen is to be decorated in wood, it brings a lot of trouble with processing during installation and maintenance of the finished structures.
MDF panels in this case, from installation to maintenance during use, are simply ideal.

As for the cons, only one fact can be mentioned – a professional will still notice that this is an imitation material. But the panel can be veneered, which is a panel with an outer layer made of natural wood. Such a wall becomes a luxury item in the apartment. FA, if comparing this material to wood, MDF cannot be processed in case of damage to the top layer, unlike solid wood.

Types of Wall Panels

Various types – another advantage of MDF panels. An interior for any taste can be recreated thanks to the variety.
Several types of panels are often incorporated into interiors, which work well in apartment and house design:

• Laminated panel.
  

A thin film makes the panel functional, giving it a light sheen rather than a glossy finish. A wall in living rooms, kitchens, or bedrooms will only benefit from using panels in interior design.

• Moisture-resistant panel is made from natural, high-quality wood and repeatedly impregnated with water-repelling ingredients. This panel can be used for bathroom, balcony, or open terrace design. A movable wall in the shower can also be installed from this material
  
• Veneered panel – an ideal choice for bedroom or living room decoration, and creating light partitions. A sliding wall combined with glass is an excellent option for small apartments. During manufacturing, a thin wooden veneer is attached to the main glued panel – a slice of natural wood. The front side has an individual wood texture pattern.

• Glossy panel. The surface is laminated with a transparent, durable film, giving it a perfect glossy shine. Such panels easily fit into bathroom or hallway interiors. Photo examples of MDF panels with a glossy finish perfectly convey its structure.
• Painted panel. This option, in both matte and glossy formats, allows incorporating the desired color solutions into the interior.
  
• 3D Effect Panels. This is truly a great chance to create a completely individual wall design, bringing some, even the most daring wishes for your home to life.
  

Design: Nasonov DesignWerke

Installation of the Panel

Easy installation, finishing, and ease of adjustment – another significant advantage in favor of choosing MDF. Depending on the functional purpose and room where the panel will be used, two mounting options are selected. The wall can be made from any material.

This is mounting using wooden battens and metal guides. The designer or craftsman will orient themselves in the choice of one or another method based on the room characteristics.
Often, mounting is done with wooden battens using clamps.

There are tongue-and-groove panels and panels with a smooth edge – their installation is done in a butt joint, but such panels are often used for combining with other finishing materials.
Panel finishing allows not to spend on finish work in case of renovation in a new building, which is a clear savings. The wall can be simply smooth.

Designers value wall panels also for their ability to hide necessary utilities or unattractive parts of the wall.

Features of Use

Easy use – an obvious advantage. MDF panels, thoroughly processed and having a quality coating, never lose their shape, color, and characteristics. Following basic conditions during use, the wall will not lose its appearance for decades.

By following simple rules, you can delay the next renovation for a long time and keep the wall fresh and new:

• Using soft, non-abrasive fabrics for cleaning;
  
• A small amount of water;
  
• Do not use products that can damage the coating integrity;
  
• Avoid scratching, puncturing, or breaking the panel.

Light damp cleaning without special products – an ideal opportunity to keep the desired interior intact for years and preserve the wall panel or individual panel in its original form.

Applying MDF Panels for Wall Finishing

Since the beginning of using panels for interior rather than furniture manufacturing, the boundaries of apartment design have expanded. Photo examples of MDF panel finishing allow choosing existing designs or creating a completely individual interior for your home. The possibility to incorporate the panel into any style, where each room is subordinated to its own design – an invaluable gift for people looking for their unique, harmonious design.

It is better to avoid using MDF panels for wall design in children's rooms, especially if children are under 12–15 years old. Panels are not known for their strength, and a scratched surface cannot be restored in place.

Panel in the Bedroom

The bedroom, first of all, should meet the basic conditions for hygienic sleep. This includes safety, naturalness of finishing materials, hygiene, and ease of cleaning, and must also have breathable surfaces.
MDF panels and a bedroom are compatible provided that this is indeed a quality panel, and the manufacturer guarantees safety.

Panel with light lamination or simple pressed surface fits well into the design, and the bedroom comes alive with new colors.
The room, and each wall separately, can have various textures and shades due to such finishing.

Many modern styles strive for deliberate subtle extravagance, which can only be achieved with furniture and decor. Wall finishing becomes the focal point, and the wall texture tone can be considered a bright designer's response to simplicity in the rest of the interior.

Kitchen Finishing

Kitchen finishing always calls for simplicity and functionality. Quality wall coating solves cleaning problems, allows easy mounting of necessary furniture and decor items.
A living room differs from the kitchen in constant temperature, relative absence of moisture, and rare physical or chemical impacts.

The kitchen requires more attention. Wall panels easily take on these functions.

Laminated or glossy panels are used both for wall design and as a backsplash, which is easy to match with the style, easily installed, and simple to use. MDF panels in kitchen interiors, photos of which show gloss and shine, prove the right choice in favor of this material.

Living Room Renovation

This room is ideal for applying MDF material. High traffic, constant presence of family in the room, frequent cleaning – conditions under which renovations become frequent guests in the living room.
Room with MDF panels in the interior does not cause headaches for homeowners.

Texture and color variety provide an opportunity to transform any area of the room, whether it is one wall or full-room finishing.

A solution where one wall in the living room becomes a focal point has become a favorite designer discovery. Photo examples of such combined interiors can be found on endless web pages.

Partial wall finishing also has its priorities, especially when combined with properly placed lighting fixtures.

Design: Anastasia Rykova and Anastasia Bozhinskaya

Hallway Decoration

If a room is usually furnished with furniture and has large dimensions, the hallway often lacks space. Especially severely affected are narrow hallways. The main problem is wall wear and the feeling of overcrowding. Panels allow realizing any color palette, texture, and form, enabling a unified design for the entire apartment. Finishing is quite simple but still adds clear elegance.

Modern style dictates the simplicity of lines and unity of color solutions for small spaces. The owner of a hallway, whose walls are made using MDF, can expect an overtly stylish appearance for the hallway – the visiting card of the entire house. Wall decoration can serve multiple functions: harmonious appearance and ease of care, long-term use, and the possibility to create a complex interior. Photo examples of hallway finishing with MDF panels prove that ideal appearance and functionality are possible.

Design: Tatiana Alenina

Bathroom Finishing

This room is often finished with tiles, acquiring that oppressive coldness that many do not like. Panels literally turn traditional standards upside down.

Even one wall can become a work of art. Softness of texture and shades of panels allows not only to fundamentally change the relationship with the bathroom but also to create a completely harmonious image.
Thanks to the moisture-resistant properties of some types, the bathroom now has the right to look as its owner wants.

Panel combined with tiles allows dividing zones in combined bathrooms, adding ergonomics and style to the design

Despite the variety and richness of materials, wall design should be planned from the beginning of the project. The combination of materials, shades, textures, especially if it's about a room with limited space or a small apartment, should be maximally subordinated to one style.

MDF panels – truly a multifunctional and vibrant example of wall finishing. Proper material type selection will solve several urgent issues at once, and the finishing won't be a challenge, no matter if it's one wall or the entire apartment.

Design: Natalia Chayka, Grigory SevastyanovDesign: Studio Prosperity

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