A subtle background or a strong statement – the wall and ceiling linings that you choose for your home or office environment will allow you to create the impression you are looking for. Plain or patterned plasterboards, wallpapers, brick finishes, reclaimed timber or pressed tin panels are among the many options available, and some of these products offer additional acoustic benefits as well.

Wall Linings

Wall linings are the interior surface of walls. There are many options to choose from and in some cases, where specialised panels are used, a separate lining product is not required at all.

However, in most cases, wall linings are used to create high impact or fire resistance or acoustic performance. Different types of wall linings may be suitable for different areas of the house. For example, in wet areas specially designed lining may be required to resist moisture.

What are the options for interior wall linings?

Depending on the design intentions and specific requirements of a certain room, there are various options for interior wall linings available in New Zealand. Many wall lining products provide high impact resistance or high fire resistance ratings, so it is worth understanding the available options before specifying wall lining products. Wall lining comes in many forms ranging from pre-finished products that don’t require painting through to glazed linings.

What wall linings can be used in wet areas?

Pre-finished wall linings designed for wet areas are a popular option for bathrooms, mainly because the finishes now available can create easy-clean, ceramic-look walls easily. Many pre-finished linings such as these are easy to maintain and clean over time and can be fixed straight to the framing. Pre-finished wall linings for bathrooms are often a more economical way to create a crisp, clean aesthetic than using tiles or other finishing options.

In contrast to the pre-finished lining, smooth-finished wall lining is another option and is different from pre-finished products in that it can be painted, wallpapered or tiled as desired.

What speciality wall lining products are available?

Wall lining products are manufactured for a variety of purposes. Some wall linings have acoustic ratings and are designed to reduce the level of noise pollution between rooms in a building. Others are designed to provide higher levels of impact resistance and are particularly suited to hard wearing areas such as garages or gyms. In some cases, a wall lining can provide specialised performance such as X-ray radiation protection for medical imaging rooms.

The range of wall linings now available is vastly different to what was available even a few years ago. Traditionally, living and sleeping areas were lined with paper-faced plasterboard while wet areas were lined with hardboards. Ceiling linings were generally made with soft board.

Today, the intended use of the room or area will determine the best type of wall lining to choose. Other factors include whether or not the wall/s in question will be wallpapered, tiled or painted and whether there is a need for acoustic panels or high impact resistance, for example. Discussing the options with a design professional or product supplier is the best way to understand the options that may best fit the specific requirements for any project.