Timber Wall Panelling and Ceiling Linings: Specification Guide

Oak on a wall or a ceiling behaves differently to oak underfoot. It is read at eye level, in raking light, across a plane with nothing to interrupt it. The board has to be lighter, narrower and more precise, and it has to relate to the floor rather than approximate it.

A profile designed around the floor

Our wall and ceiling board is 120mm wide. That is exactly half the width of our 240mm flooring board, and it is not a coincidence.

Laid together, every second join on the wall or ceiling aligns with a join on the floor. The room reads as one continuous piece of joinery rather than three separate surfaces that happen to share a colour. It is the kind of decision that goes unnoticed when it is right and is impossible to ignore when it is wrong.

All twelve colours run across flooring, wall and ceiling boards, herringbone and stair nosings, from the same oak and the same finish.

Specification

• Thickness 12mm
• Width 120mm
• Length 2400mm
• Wear layer 1.2mm solid European oak
• Core Eucalyptus, with birch backing
• Species Quercus Robur, European oak
• Grade Prime
• Finish UV cured lacquer, gloss level 8 to 12 percent
• Joint profile Tongue and groove
• Pack 3.456 square metres, twelve full planks, 30kg
• Warranty 10 years residential and commercial

Fire performance for commercial interiors

Fire performance is where most timber lining specifications are decided.

Our manufacturer's technical specification records a Group 3 fire rating for the wall and ceiling boards with the standard coating, and a Group 1-S rating when an intumescent coating such as Firezone 92 is applied. Confirm the group number your occupancy requires with your fire engineer, and specify the coating at the outset rather than retrofitting it.

The formaldehyde testing we hold was run on the 20mm flooring, not on these boards. If a project needs a formaldehyde position for these boards specifically, raise it at specification stage and we will tell you what exists and what it covers. The specification sheet is published on our Resources page.

Substrates and installation

The 12mm profile keeps the assembly light enough for overhead work without sacrificing the solidity of real oak. Fixing method, substrate preparation, acclimatisation and moisture requirements all need to be confirmed for the specific substrate and orientation, and they matter more on a wall or ceiling than on a floor because there is no underlay to forgive a rushed substrate.

Talk to us before you fix a lining detail and we will confirm the requirements for your substrate in writing.

Where it is specified

Residential interiors, hospitality, retail, apartments, workplace and gallery spaces. For wet area applications, note that the ISO 4760 moisture testing covers the 12mm board. The 14mm board is not covered by it.

Twelve colours

Blanc, Clair, Picasso, Nectar, Saint-Tropez, Riviera, La Forêt, Vuitton, Lune, Chocolat, Bordeaux and Noir Bandsawn. Three pale, five mid, four dark. Nine warm and three carrying a grey undertone.

Order samples to see them in your own light before specifying.

Common questions

Can oak boards be used on ceilings as well as walls?

Yes. The 12mm profile is designed for both vertical and overhead application. The same board, the same colour and the same finish runs across walls and ceilings.

What is the difference between a wall board and wall panelling?

Panelling usually describes a pre-assembled panel or a decorative applied system. Our wall boards are individual solid oak boards laid plank by plank, tongue and groove, in the same way a floor is laid. The result is a continuous timber plane rather than a repeated panel module. If you have seen the term wood paneling used for both, that is common, and the distinction is worth clarifying at specification stage.

Is timber panelling suitable for commercial fit-outs in New Zealand?

With the correct fire rating, yes. Our manufacturer's specification records Group 1-S with an intumescent coating. Confirm the group number your project requires with your fire engineer, and specify the coating at the outset rather than retrofitting it.

Can the walls and ceilings match the floor exactly?

Yes. Every colour is produced across all formats, and the 120mm board is dimensioned so joins align with the 240mm floor board.

How is it priced?

One rate per square metre across every colour, with no loading for darker or more complex finishes. Request an estimate for your project.