How Much Does the Wall Panel Cost?

George Panel
July 26, 2024
5:19 pm
2 comments

When choosing decorative wall panels for your home, you may wonder if wall panels are expensive and how much benefit they can provide. The good news is that wall covering is one of the cheapest options for creating high-quality wall decoration in your home, and high-quality wall panels are worth the money because they require little maintenance and will retain their original appearance for many years.

PVC wall panels, such as shower wall panels and stone wall panels, are cheap to install and easy to replace because they are easy to install with very few tools. They can even be installed over your existing wall coverings, or even over tile. Due to their natural waterproof properties, bathroom wall panels are a great choice for wet room walls or other areas in the house where water or moisture is a problem.

I. Changes in wall panel pricing

The main difference in wall panel prices lies in the material you choose when purchasing wood wall panels. For example, when looking at traditional home center style pressed wood wall panels, you can buy 32 square feet of paneling for $12 to $40. This usually depends on your needs.

As you would expect, higher quality wall panels cost more. For example, horizontally oriented wood wall panels, the same size of each wall panel mentioned above, cost $400. Still, this is much cheaper than solid ebony.

Speaking of hardwood, a walnut veneer panel costs $90 per panel. If that’s out of your budget, you can still get cheaper products, such as walnut-look panels, for about $20 per panel. The cost of the hardwood used on the front side will be one of the cost factors when panels are veneered with real hardwood.

Sometimes, contractors or homeowners may use a higher grade of hardwood on the front side of the panel and a lower quality of the same hardwood on the back side. Doing so helps with the expansion and contraction of the panel. When only a portion of the board is veneered, any movement on the back side can put stress on the entire board, causing it to crack.

tongue-groove-wood-panel

II. Wall panel cost

Adding paneling to your walls can elevate the texture and sophistication of your home’s interior design. There are many wall paneling ideas to choose from, whether you like the simple look of flat paneling or prefer a more ornate look, such as raised panels with custom designs.

But before you decide on a style, it helps to know how much wall paneling costs. Typically, it costs $3,000-$4,500 to install wall panels in a 12-foot by 12-foot room, but prices can vary based on a variety of factors. Learn more about the cost of installing wall panels, based on factors such as style, material, and whether you hire a professional to install the wall panels.

1. How much does it cost to add wall panels per square foot?

Wall panels are typically priced by square foot. The average cost to add wall panels is about $20 per square foot, but prices can range from $1 to $40 per square foot, depending on the style.

2. How much does it cost to add wall panels by style?

There are many types of wall panels, and the style you choose will be a major factor in determining cost. For example, shiplap is a more affordable material, while decorative sheathing or raised panels cost much more per square foot.

The table below includes typical prices for different types of wall panels to help you determine which type might fit your budget.

Wall Panel Type	Average Cost per Square Foot	Introduction	Application
Bead plate	$7 ~ $20	It comprises vertical wooden boards with small grooves or notches between each board.	It can be used as a wall panel or lay the wainscoting from floor to ceiling.
Slat	$7 ~ $20	Slatted paneling consists of vertical moldings fixed at the seams of large flat panels.	The labor costs of measuring and setting everything up correctly account for a large portion of this price.
Flat wall panel	$7 ~ $10	Flat paneling is one of the cheapest types of paneling.	The flat paneling has a modern design and is free of ornamentation, creating a sleek, streamlined look.
Raised panel	$10 ~ $30	Raised panels feature a beveled panel in the middle.	Usually square or rectangular, inside a larger panel.
Lap plate	$1 ~ $30	Lapboard walls consist of a series of panels that are usually laid horizontally.	But sometimes placing it vertically can add texture to the wall.
Wainscoting	$1 ~ $10	A combination of different panel types and styles with horizontal lines at the top and bottom.	A large, flat panel formed into a rectangular shape with trim, wainscoting usually covers only the lower half of a wall.
Covering	$10 ~ $40	They are the most expensive type of paneling, but also the most ornate.	Cladding is decorative molding that you can add to existing siding to dress it up with an interesting texture or design.

You also need to consider the type of material used to produce the paneling. Paneling made from less expensive to produce and more durable materials, such as medium-density fiber (MDF) boards, will likely be priced at a lower level, while hardwood and especially more popular rare wood species will climb to $40 per square foot.

III. Installation cost at a glance

In addition to the style and cost of wood paneling, you must also consider the price of installation if you don’t plan to install it yourself. The average cost for contractors to add wall panels to a 12-by-12-foot room is between $1,050 and $1,600. However, prices can vary based on a variety of factors, including materials, style, and setup.

The paneling prices above include only the material fee, and labor costs can add $0.25 to $3 per square foot to the total price, depending on the complexity of the design. Simple wainscoting or flat panels are generally the cheapest to install, while board and batten or wainscoting, which requires a lot of labor, are more expensive to install. However, in most cases, labor costs will not account for more than 10% to 15% of the total cost of installing wall panels.

If you hire a general contractor to install the wall panels by the hour, you will need to pay about $90 per hour in labor costs in addition to the price of the panels.

IV. Conclusion

The cost of wall panels should be determined based on factors such as project characteristics, wall size and height. If you have specific project needs, please consult us for a more detailed cost estimate. If you have other questions or need more help, please feel free to contact us!

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