How do you finish corners with decorative wall cladding?

Designed as a metre square interlocking cladding panel system, it comes complete with mastic and paints (sometimes several to achieve the effect) to hide the joins, and it enables you to achieve authentic-looking brick and stone walls and other features, quickly and cleanly using unskilled labour.

For External Corners – 45 Deg Mitre Cut: The most visually unobtrusive way to finish an external corner is with a 45deg mitre cut.

1. Work backwards from external corners, so you can get an realistic brick block end size after mitring for the corner, for example, see below a panel cut to replicate a square end brick with approx. 50 x 50mm square measurement
2. The panel at the external corner should be cut at a 45deg mitre to make the join work as shown below.
3. The sharp corner edge of each 45deg cut can be flattened by sanding to a more rounded corner, which then can be filled/textured with mastic like in the image below.

Some examples of good finishes:

For External Corners – Aluminium strip clashing: This provides a durable edge, as the Aluminium bar takes any impact rather than the brick edge. Suited for high use retail, hospitality environments.

Prepare aluminium clashing lengths to match depth of TRIKBRIK panel edge cut at 45deg. You want to ensure any impacts strike the aluminium not the Brick, so leave aluminium exposed 1-2mm.

1. Work backwards from external corners, so you can get an realistic brick block end size after mitring for the corner, for example, see below a panel cut to replicate a square end brick with approx. 50 x 50mm square measurement
2. Cut TRIKBRIK panels at 45deg, to replicate 90deg corner.
3. Work up one side of the vertical wall as shown below
4. At completion of one wall face, insert Aluminium bar, gluing to cut edge of the 45deg join
5. Complete cladding of the next wall face, gluing plank ends as you go to the aluminium clashing. Normally work upwards from bottom of wall.

For Internal Corners – Butt up to flat surface (i.e. gib or similar):

You will often finish a TRIKBRIK wall cladding install at a internal corner. This a straight forward saw cut, so there is just a few key things to note:

• Ensure the saw cut is straight so the finish is tight and doesn’t show any unrealistic shadows
• any chipping from the saw cut should be painted and left to dry before the panel is fixed to the wall. This is to prevent attempting this later and colouring the flat wall like painted gib.
• If the flat wall is unfinished (i.e. not painted) you can also use mastic to fill any crevices showing shadows to improve the finish.
• if using touch up spray paint around the internal corner, ensure you mask or cover the finished wall to save overspraying

Since our range of timber can vary in age (some reclaimed timber is up to 60 years old!) it also varies in hardness and durability.

There are three common ways edges are finished:

1. 45 Degree Mitre Cut:

The most visually unobtrusive way to finish an external corner is with a 45deg mitre cut.

Sometimes softer, more textured timbers will not achieve the best result over time with this method. For these timbers, use one of the methods outlined below.

• Firstly sample this timber edge finish by cutting two pieces at 45degs, and replicating a 90deg corner join. Does it come up visually as the best option, i.e. is it smooth enough to leave a consistent surface?
• Does this finish suit the environment? In high use retail environments, we would recommend another option below to guarantee longer term durability.

(Note: some textured timbers may require additional matching filler/caulking once joined to enhance the finish)

2. Aluminium strip clashing:

This provides a durable edge, as the Aluminium bar takes any impact rather than the timber. Suited for high use retail, hospitality environments.

• Prepare aluminium clashing lengths to match depth of timber plank edge cut at 45deg (i.e. PUREPLANK FSC® is 14mm thick, when cut at 45deg this becomes 20mm). You want to ensure any impacts strike the aluminium not the timber
• Cut pieces of timber plank at 45deg, to replicate 90deg corner.
• Work up one side of the vertical wall as shown below
• At completion of one wall face, insert Aluminium bar, gluing to cut edge of the 45deg join
• Complete cladding of the next wall face, gluing plank ends as you go to the aluminium clashing. Normally work upwards from bottom of wall.

3. Beading strips made from cladding material:

This works best with our solid timber planks, and works particularly well at wall ends and external corners, maintaining the complete timber look.

These can be made to order upon request.

• The size of the timber beading should be detailed on plans, this typically equates to measurements the same as the depth of the wall cladding planks. i.e. 20mm x 20mm
• Fit cladding to wall following our guidelines supplied, allowing for measurements of the beading at each external corner and/or wall ends.
• Beadings can either be glue fixed, or brad nailed after cladding installs to the flat wall surfaces.

These are the most straightforward options, but you can always get creative – The options with timber are endless!