Wall and Ceiling Plywood Treatment

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Hardwood plywood offers a relatively easy and affordable means of transforming the walls and ceiling in your house into something truly unique. In the project designed by Vern for the couple's bedroom in Scottsdale, Ariz., the treatment was extended up the walls and across a cathedral ceiling. For most homeowners, however, the effect might be most useful on either the walls or on a flat ceiling.

Shopping List
4x8 sheets of 1/4-inch-thick hardwood plywood
Solid wood boards of matching wood for trim
1 1/2-inch finish nails for the plywood
3-inch finish nails for the trim
Wood putty, color matched to the wood you are using
Clear finish or stain

Material Choices

Hardwood plywood differs from common plywood in that one face is covered with a layer of veneer cut from maple, oak, cherry or another type of attractive hardwood. This plywood is intended to mimic the look of solid wood and is used most often to build shelving and cabinets. Birch veneer plywood is not particularly attractive; it is most often used on projects that will be painted, and so is not a good choice for this project. Vern found a very good deal on 1/4-inch-thick maple plywood for his project, which he finished with clear polyurethane.

Since the plywood serves only a decorative, and not a structural, function, you can use thin sheets, which are easier to handle and to pay for than thicker sheets. Light-colored maple plywood would look good in just about any setting, but oak might be a better option in a room with oak floors or furniture.

Vern framed the large panels with 6-inch-wide strips cut from thicker sheets of maple plywood. The strips cover the edges of the plywood while adding depth and character to the surfaces. While this approach is quite affordable, it does result in exposing the edges of these strips, which you may find less than appealing visually. An easy way to avoid this would be to use 1x4 or 1x6 solid boards of matching wood to use for the frames.

Design Options

The ultimate look of a plywood and trim treatment can be adjusted to suit a variety of design options.

• Use it on only one wall, or on every wall.
• Use it only on the ceiling.
• Expand or reduce the size of the grid by spacing the trim farther apart or closer together.
• Use plywood to create wainscoting by attaching it only to the lower part of one or more walls.
• Adjust the width and thickness of the trim pieces.
• Use a darker stain rather than a clear finish on the wood.

Plan Ahead

Measure the room carefully and plan the layout on paper first. That way you will know how much material to buy and how to install it.

Cutting Plywood

Plywood is normally sold in sheets measuring 4 feet by 8 feet, which is perfect for rooms with 8-foot-high ceilings. Unless you are very lucky, however, chances are good that you will need to cut some plywood. If you have a table saw, cutting big sheets is a breeze. But a circular saw or even a jigsaw can be used. To make accurate cuts with one of these hand tools, mark a line on the plywood as a visual guide or clamp a long straightedge to the plywood to serve as a guide for the base of the tool. To cut smaller holes in the interior of the plywood to allow access to electrical boxes, first carefully measure and mark the plywood. Drill small holes in the corners of the intended cut, then use a jigsaw or keyhole saw to finish the cuts.

Keep in mind that the plywood sheets do not have to fit right next to each other. Since you will be covering the joints with strips of wood or plywood, you can leave gaps between each sheet, as Vern did in the show. This approach may even save you from having to buy an extra sheet or two.

What to Look Out For

Adding a new surface to your walls or ceiling can create some additional chores that you will want to consider and plan for carefully. On almost any wall that you cover there will be electrical switches and receptacles (outlets) to contend with. If you simply remove the cover plates, add the new plywood and try to reattach the cover plates, you will discover that the electrical boxes are now recessed into the wall too far. The electrical boxes themselves can sometimes be adjusted to bring them out flush with the new surface, but more often than not they will require the addition of extenders. Extenders are inexpensive and can be used on either metal or plastic boxes. You can find them at a home-improvement center or an electrical supply store.

If you want to do the work yourself, the first thing to do before touching any boxes is to shut off the power at the service panel (see the section on electrical safety below). Check all switches and receptacles with a voltage tester to confirm that the power is off. Note that you may need to shut off power to more than one circuit in the room. If you are not comfortable doing electrical work, however, plan to hire an electrician or a remodeling contractor to tackle this small job for you.

What to Look Out For (cont'd)

Cut holes in the plywood to match the existing holes in the wall or ceiling. Remove the cover plates and the screws holding the switch or receptacle to the box. If you are using metal extenders, play it safe and wrap electrical tape around the sides to cover the contact screws and bare wires so that they cannot make direct contact with the box later on. Install the plywood and then slip the extender around the wires and into the box. Use the extra-long screws that should be included with the extender to secure the switch or receptacle to the extender and the box. After the finish has dried, reattach the cover plates.

Another problem will arise if you try to attach plywood to walls containing doors or windows. Depending on the type of trim that surrounds the door or window, you may either need to remove and readjust the trim or leave it in place and add some small molding (cove or quarter round) to cover the gap between the plywood and the existing trim. The solution here may be very simple or very complicated, depending on the house involved. Either way, it is wise to figure out exactly how you plan to tackle the problem before you buy any materials and begin working.

Finally, if you are covering entire walls with plywood, you will need to figure out what to do about existing baseboard trim, and perhaps crown molding as well. In most cases, it will look best if you remove the existing trim, attach the plywood, then add new trim pieces that complement the framing members used elsewhere on the wall.

Attaching the Plywood and Trim

Use 1 1/2-inch finish nails to attach the plywood to the wall and somewhat longer nails for the trim pieces. All nails must be driven through the wall and into the framing; nails that are driven through drywall alone will not hold. Wall studs and ceiling joists should be located at regular intervals, usually centered every 16 or 24 inches. You may be able to locate the framing members by rapping on the surface with your knuckles. When the sound turns from hollow to solid, you are over a stud or joist. A safer and more accurate method is to use a battery-operated stud finder, which you can purchase at any home-improvement center.

Used as directed, a stud finder works great for locating framing members behind drywall, though it is less useful with plaster. Mark the stud or joist locations on surfaces you are covering, then plan to drive your nails at those locations. Space the nails about 12 inches apart. Be very careful when driving nails, as you do not want to dent the surface with stray hammer blows. Use a nail set to drive the head of the nail below the surface. Before applying your finish, fill all of the nail holes with a wood putty that matches the color of the wood.

Finishing Choices

The surface of hardwood plywood is intended to be seen, not to be covered with paint. It should be sealed with some type of finish, however, to protect the surface from damage. A clear waterborne polyurethane is the best choice if you want to maintain the exact color of the wood. A clear oil-based polyurethane will usually darken the surface a bit, creating a tone that many people associate with "natural" wood. For a more dramatic color adjustment, use a tinted stain. If you are uncertain about which finish to use, buy small containers of different products and apply them to scrap pieces of the plywood you are using. Let the test finishes dry before making your choice. If you are using a stain, always test the product on scrap wood before applying it to the finished surface.

Electrical Safety: Shutting Off the Power

Never, ever, begin working on an electrical switch, receptacle or fixture until the power has been shut off at the service panel. The service panel contains circuit breakers or, in older homes, fuses that control the flow of electricity to different circuits throughout the house. You can cut the electricity to a circuit by switching the breaker to OFF or by removing the fuse.

Do not assume that all of the electricity to a room is controlled by one circuit. Always verify that the power is off at each device you are working on by using a neon tester or other type of voltage tester. With a neon tester, push the probes into the slots of a receptacle. If the tester light comes on, the circuit is still hot. To test a switch or light fixture, touch one probe to a hot wire or terminal and the other to a neutral wire or terminal, the grounding conductor, or a grounded metal box.

Always test the tester on a live circuit before use to confirm that it is functioning properly. Hold the probes by their insulated handles, not by the metal ends. And if all of this strikes you as too scary, have an experienced do-it-yourselfer show you how to do it or leave the work to someone else.

Quick Color Tip

You can also alter the color by selecting the type of plywood that best matches the color and tone you are after. Maple veneer tends to be on the light side, while cherry is much darker.