Journal
Timber panelling as a system, not a finish
What sits behind the panel matters as much as what shows.
Timber panelling is usually treated as a finish. For us it is a structural system: lighting, cabling, door frames and storage are all resolved within the same depth.
That makes panel depth one of the earliest decisions on a project. It cannot be increased later, and increasing it costs centimetres of room.
Moisture is part of the calculation too. Without a ventilation gap behind panels adjacent to wet areas, joints will open within a few years.
