As somebody who has painted partitions in nearly each condo I’ve lived in as an grownup, let me say that portray sucks. I’ve discovered tips through the years to complete the job faster (I even personal a set of paint instruments!), however it’s nonetheless a protracted, annoying course of that may suck up extra time than you’d anticipate.
Final yr I used to be privileged to grow to be a home-owner, and naturally the Nice Algorithm observed and commenced shoving all kinds of dwelling makeover tasks, merchandise, and companies onto my Instagram. (Do you know you will get a roof substitute without spending a dime? Sure, it sounds too good to be true.) One did catch my eye, although—Wood Veneer Hub. I noticed advert after advert clawing via my feed showcasing dwelling setups with a stunning wooden slat accent wall. It was precisely my sort of aesthetic.
The corporate guarantees straightforward set up—a room makeover that will not take up a laborious day of portray, and it largely delivers. As WIRED’s resident dwelling workplace product tester, I made a decision to strive these panels for my office. I’ve carried out standing desks, office chairs, webcams, desk lamps, and even submitting cupboards, however by no means have I examined one thing that’d drastically change the look of my area.
Pretty Straightforward Set up
Wooden Veneer Hub’s Slatpanels, as they’re known as, comprise medium-density fiberboard strips connected to recycled felt materials with sound-dampening properties. Every field has two Slatpanels with about 9 slats per panel—you will must measure your partitions (or ceiling!) to seek out the required measurement. You may select between a No End or an Oiled End possibility, and I counsel the latter—it prices somewhat extra however saves you the effort of making use of a end and protects the wooden.
I made a decision to strive them out on one wall of my dwelling workplace, like an accent wall. It took about 13 Slatpanels (I used to be despatched seven containers, that means I used to be left with one spare Slatpanel), and I screwed them into the studs. You may set up them on prime of your baseboard, however I made a decision it seemed higher with out my baseboard, so I stripped it away. There is a tiny hole between the panels and my ground however it’s hardly noticeable. This additionally meant I did not want to chop the panels (aside from retailers and light-weight switches).
That is the tough half—slicing out holes. I wanted to chop out just a few holes for retailers, a light-weight change, and my gentle fixture. In case you have an electrical noticed, you are already in a significantly better place than I used to be. I had a easy handsaw and no workbench, so it was tough to get straight traces whereas sawing off items. I used my Milwaukee Fastback knife to chop from the felt facet first, and it did a surprisingly good job. Be smarter than me and use a protracted degree or ruler and tape it to the panels to maintain these traces straight. Fortunately, it’s important to look intently to see how jagged my holes are, or not less than that is what I maintain telling myself.
