How To Install Wall Panelling
How do you create a panelled feature wall?
Wall panelling lifts the look of a room without any structural work, and fixing it with an adhesive rather than nails or screws avoids filling and sanding dozens of fixing holes afterwards. The method is short: clean the wall and the back of the panel, cut the nozzle to about 5 mm, lay adhesive along the panel, press it into place, and adjust it while you still can. The product used here is Selleys Hold Up in the cartridge, which holds up to 360 kg/m² on vertical surfaces.
Two numbers shape how you work. Hold Up is adjustable for up to 15 minutes, so you have a genuine window to slide a panel into alignment — unlike a fast-grab construction adhesive. But it needs at least 48 hours to cure, and the data sheet is explicit that it must not be disturbed until cured. So the panel goes up quickly and then nothing happens for two days.
Technical specification — Selleys Hold Up
| Technology | Sil-X |
| Appearance | Smooth white paste |
| Adjustable | Up to 15 minutes |
| Skin time | Approx. 45 minutes |
| Cure time | At least 48 hours |
| Paintable | After 48 hours, with water-based paints |
| Vertical hold — cartridge | Up to 360 kg/m² |
| Vertical hold — tube | Up to 240 kg/m² |
| Packaging | 290 mL cartridge, 130 g tube |
| Shelf life | 12 months |
| Resistance | Heat, UV and water resistant (not for permanent water immersion) |
Indicative data only, not intended for the preparation of specifications.
What the 15-minute adjustable window changes
Panelling is a job where alignment matters more than speed. Battens and boards have to line up with each other across a whole wall, and a millimetre out at the bottom of a two-metre panel is visible from across the room. An adhesive that grabs instantly forces you to place each panel perfectly the first time; Hold Up gives you a quarter of an hour to nudge it.
The trade-off is at the other end. Skin time is around 45 minutes and the product needs at least 48 hours to cure, during which it must not be disturbed. In practice that means bracing or taping panels that might slide, and not hanging anything on the wall, sanding it, or painting it for two days.
On the 360 kg/m² figure: that is the cartridge's vertical hold across a full square metre of bonded area, which is why covering the surface properly matters more than putting more adhesive in fewer places. Selleys still recommends additional supports such as clamps during cure as a precaution for heavy objects, overhead applications and non-porous materials such as glass and metals.
What you need
- Selleys Hold Up cartridge
- A caulking gun — the data sheet notes that Hold Up is a high performance product and recommends a high quality gun for best results
- Wall panelling
- Mineral turpentine or white spirits
- A cloth to clean up
How to install the panelling
- Prepare the surfaces. Make sure they are clean, dry and free of dust. Selleys also directs you to sand back any loose or peeling surfaces — adhesive bonded to flaking paint is only as strong as the flakes.
- Prepare the cartridge. Cut the cartridge tip, then cut the nozzle tip to the desired width, about 5 mm.
- Apply the adhesive. Use the caulking gun to apply a bead of Hold Up along the length of the panel in an 'S' shaped pattern. Selleys' own cartridge directions describe facing the V cut-out of the nozzle upwards and applying the adhesive in long vertical beads approximately 5 cm apart, covering the full surface — either way, the point is to cover the panel rather than run a single line down the middle.
- Position the panel. Bring the surfaces together and manoeuvre the wall panel into the desired position, pressing firmly so the adhesive spreads. The product is repositionable for up to 15 minutes.
- Clean up straight away. Clean up any excess with mineral turpentine before the product cures.
- Leave it for 48 hours. Allow 48 hours to cure before painting. The panel must not be disturbed during that time.
Limitations — where Hold Up should not be used
- Not for some plastics — specifically polyethylene, polypropylene and PTFE — or some rubbers.
- Not suitable for permanent water immersion. It is water resistant, which is not the same thing.
- Must not be disturbed until cured — at least 48 hours.
- Additional supports are recommended for heavy objects, overhead applications, and non-porous materials such as glass and metals.
Hold Up works on most materials you would meet on a wall: timber, concrete, MDF, particleboard, plasterboard, metals, glass, masonry, tiles and ceramics, plus some plastics. A timber or MDF panel onto a plasterboard wall is squarely within that.
Painting the finished wall
Hold Up is paintable after 48 hours with water-based paints. If you are filling the joints between panels, or the line where the panelling meets the skirting or cornice, use a flexible gap filler rather than a rigid one — Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose is the interior product for that, with a maximum recommended gap of 10 mm wide by 5 mm deep for good paint crack resistance.
Clean up and storage
Clean up immediately with white spirits or turps before the product cures. Store the cartridge in a cool, dry place below 30°C. Shelf life is 12 months.
Common questions about panelled feature walls
How long can I reposition a panel?
Up to 15 minutes. Hold Up is described as adjustable for that period.
How long before I can paint?
At least 48 hours, with water-based paints.
How much weight will it hold on a wall?
Up to 360 kg/m² on vertical surfaces from the cartridge, or 240 kg/m² from the tube.
Do I need to nail or screw the panels as well?
Selleys recommends additional supports such as clamps during cure as a precaution for heavy objects, overhead applications and non-porous materials. For a standard timber or MDF panel on plasterboard, the adhesive is the fixing method described.
What pattern should I apply the adhesive in?
An 'S' pattern along the length of the panel, or long vertical beads about 5 cm apart covering the full surface. Both aim at the same thing: adhesive spread over the whole bonded area.
How wide should the nozzle be cut?
About 5 mm.
What cleans up the excess?
Mineral turpentine or white spirits, before the product cures.
Can I use Hold Up in a bathroom?
It is water resistant, but not suitable for permanent water immersion.
Will it bond to a plastic panel?
Some plastics, yes — but not polyethylene, polypropylene or PTFE, and not some rubbers.
What if a panel slides down the wall before it cures?
Brace or tape it. The adhesive must not be disturbed until it has cured, which takes at least 48 hours, and skin time is only about 45 minutes.
Does the caulking gun matter?
Selleys notes that Hold Up is a high performance product and recommends using a high quality caulking gun for best results.
How long does an unopened cartridge last?
The stated shelf life is 12 months, stored in a cool, dry place below 30°C.
What is this Selleys guide about?
The guide, titled 'How To Install Wall Panelling,' explains how to create a stylish and unique panelled feature wall in a living room using Selleys products.
What adhesive is recommended for creating a panelled feature wall?
Pro-Trade Construction Adhesive is recommended, and specifically Pro-Trade Construction Adhesive Multipurpose is ideal when bonding wallboard or panelling to wood or metal frames.
How much coverage does the recommended adhesive provide for wall panelling?
The adhesive provides approximately 6 square meters of coverage per 2 standard sheets, which helps in planning the project efficiently.
What application technique should be used for shiplap panels?
For shiplap panels, which are surfaces of moderate width, the adhesive should be applied using zig-zag beads rather than continuous lines, ensuring proper bonding while avoiding excess adhesive.
How should panels be secured after applying the adhesive?
After applying sufficient beads of adhesive, panels should be secured with nails, screws, or clamping to hold the load and achieve contact over the total bond area.
How long can panels be repositioned after fitting?
Wet bonds remain repositionable for up to 20 minutes after fitting, giving time to adjust panel placement if needed.
How long should the adhesive set before removing temporary fasteners or clamping?
The adhesive should be allowed to set for at least 24 hours before removing any temporary fasteners or clamping.
How long does it take for the adhesive to fully cure?
Strong bonding is typically achieved after 24 hours, the bond continues to strengthen over 2-3 days, and full cure can take up to 7 days.
What should be considered when planning a panelled feature wall?
Before starting, choose and measure the wall to be featured, and consider the style of panelling preferred—such as shiplap panels, wall panels, or traditional wall cladding panels—based on desired aesthetic and budget.