Wood is one of the most popular materials used to create a stylish interior. Designers prefer this material for practicality, natural beauty and environmental friendliness. In addition, it is quite simple to use elements of decor from wood when arranging an apartment or a private house. For example, you can independently make wooden slats and easily give a new look to your home.
The rail used in the interior is usually a flat bar, also called a lamella (from lat. Lamella - "plate, flake") or buffel. Depending on the purpose of the rail has a different width, thickness, length. Mount the lamella on any surface, whether it be walls, ceiling or floor.
Classification of slats in the interior
Wooden slats are divided by species of wood. Coniferous varieties of wood are widely used: pine, spruce, larch.
Pine veneer is an inexpensive material, but it is quite durable. Such wood is moisture resistant, resistant to rot and fungus due to resin. When used in the kitchen, pine lamellas are best treated with an antiseptic. Often the material is not stained, leaving a natural color and woody pattern. Otherwise, before painting the pine, the slats are treated with alcohol or a weak alkaline solution in order to slightly reduce the resinousity. So the paint lays more evenly.
Spruce is a light and soft material, has a low resinity, more elastic than pine. Due to its loose structure, spruce retains heat longer.
Unlike pine and spruce, larch is an expensive material, primarily due to its high resistance to water and steam. Such slats in the interior can even be used to design a bathroom and bath. According to designers from Finland, lattice rack walls contribute to relaxation.
Particularly strong and wear-resistant materials include beech. However, this tree is sensitive to moisture, the slats must be treated with drugs that increase moisture resistance, and varnished. The beech battens look great in the interior of the living room.
The oak is extremely durable, resistant to decay, fungus, hot steam, cold water, so it does not need additional treatment with drugs. Since oak products and lumber are durable and especially beautiful, their cost is high.
Buffers from veneered MDF (from the English abbr. MDF - Medium Density Fibreboard - medium density fiberboard) are often used to decorate kitchens. Products made of MDF have good strength and are resistant to moisture.
The use of decorative battens in the interior
Decoration of enclosed spaces with lamellas made of wood is regulated by GOST standards, as this is a combustible material that is dangerous in case of fire.
Lumber should meet the following criteria:
- Aesthetics - GOST does not establish standards for the presence of knots in planks. You should pay attention to this parameter directly when choosing products.
- Through cracks in the slats should not exceed 50% of the entire length.
- Wormholes, small chips, badasses, an extra angle of inclination are allowed. Such defects do not affect the basic characteristics of the material;
- The absence of soft rot, reducing the strength of the product.
Design options
Decoration with wooden battens in the interior creates dynamics, focuses on details and gives shape to the room. Lamella strips allow you to visually change the proportions of the room: expand or lengthen it, depending on the orientation.
A bar with gaps creates a feeling of spaciousness. Placing the rails diagonally creates a shape and adds volume. A fragmentary arrangement in the form of a panel is used as a color accent.
Practical tips
Wooden slats are widely used in the interior decoration of wooden houses and modern buildings made of steel and concrete. The use of rails in the interior can be limited only by the imagination of the designer. Independently transform the home will help a few tips for handling material.
Wood panels and slats can be easily cut lengthwise and crosswise with a circular saw or jigsaw. Always cut the product from the front so as not to spoil the surface of the rail. Additionally purchase a mallet with a magnet for attaching brackets. The holes for the sockets are first marked with a pencil. Then, frequent holes are drilled along the contour. It is better to knock out the middle with a hammer, and file the edges with a file. The places around the outlet for sockets are reinforced with plates nailed on the back.