Innovative Uses for Wood Panelling in Outdoor Spaces

Wood panelling has wide appeal as a top choice for indoor wall and ceiling applications. And it’s no wonder. People fall in love with the warm colours and natural feel, as well as the visual textures. It’s also durable, non-toxic, environmentally friendly and a sustainable material.

But did you know it is also covetted as an outdoor building material as well, for all the same reasons? We’re not just talking about exterior siding, which we talked about in our last blog.

We’re talking about using wood panelling to extend your usable living area into the outdoors. Think vertical gardens, cosy garden nooks, private spas, saunas, functional walls and enclosures for outdoor kitchens, theatres and more. 

Wood panelling innovations in outdoor buildings 

• Vertical garden
• Cosy garden nook
• Private spa
• Sauna
• Functional wall for outdoor kitchens
• Enclosures for outdoor theatre
• Sun porch

Vertical gardens

Vertical gardens use wood panelling installed along a vertical or horizontal plane and planters placed with optimal spacing. Popular plants include succulents, flowers, fruits like strawberries, spices like sage, parsley, thyme, basil and oregano, even lettuces and some vegetables. Vertical placement allows for growing gardens upward to leave more groundspace for other uses. You can catch some Vancouver businesses creating eye-catching vertical gardens too.

Cosy garden nook 

What’s more peaceful than enjoying a good book or afternoon tea in a cosy outdoor garden space? Wood panelling creates beautiful border expressions to differentiate areas of the yard as well as provide privacy.

Private spa

A backyard spa is a special place to rest and rejuvenate, but let’s face it, doing so in front of the neighbours is not very relaxing. There is an easy fix. Wood panelling blocks sightlines to give you and your guests your desired level of privacy. Opt to decorate it too, with plants, vines, art pieces or spa accessories.

Sauna 

Saunas are all the rage in other countries, however the benefits are catching on fast here in Canada. Building your own sauna to enjoy in your backyard is within reach. Different types of wood panelling have their own pros and cons for this use but cedar, spruce and pine are popular choices. Also consider using different kinds for walls and the sitting areas, for comfort’s sake.

Functional wall for outdoor kitchens

When summer gets hot, an outdoor kitchen becomes the biggest envy. Although it shares a similar function as the one in your house, an outdoor kitchen has a more open design. One of the easiest, and more attractive ways to build functionality is to use wood-panelled walls to hang easy-access hooks and shelving for a variety of cooking items.

Enclosures for outdoor theatre

Enjoying a movie outdoors is a special treat on a warm night, especially when shared with family and friends. An enclosure made of wood panelling creates a theatre-like aesthetic and helps with acoustics. Wood absorbs sounds and makes for a better listening experience. Pass the popcorn!

Sun porch

Sun porches are the perfect structure to add exceptional visual interest to your outdoors. Use different textures, spacing and angles of wood panelling to create striking patterns with wood, colour, sunlight and shadow. A sun porch is its own outdoor art piece. It doubles as a comfortable sitting area, too!

Alpine Mouldings custom mills all your siding needs. Looking for something specific? Need suggestions, or have other questions? We love to help! Give us a call 403-627-8873