Wall moulding

Wall moulding, or boiserie, divides a wall into frames, bands and lines in relief, like the old wood panelling of palaces. Here you recreate it with self-adhesive mouldings, decorative lines and skirting boards, from 1 to 5 m long, some in flexible foam and others in PVC: you cut them to size and stick them on without nails.

For other profiles see the self-adhesive decorative wall mouldings or the wooden mouldings for painting.

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Wall moulding and boiserie: what they are and what they mean

Boiserie is a French word that comes from “bois”, wood. Originally it meant the wooden covering of walls: panels divided by raised frames that, between the 17th and 18th centuries, covered the walls of reception rooms. The word is often used as it is, and in decoration today people also speak of wall moulding.

If you wonder what wall mouldings are today, the answer lies more in the effect than in the material: a wall divided into frames, bands or lines, even without wood. The mouldings in this collection are ready-made boiserie in the simplest sense: profiles already shaped, to cut and stick. If you like the grain of wood, see the wood effect wall panels.

Boiserie panels or self-adhesive mouldings: the models available

Traditional boiserie panels, in solid wood or MDF, are boards already divided into frames that are fixed with glue and nails. Here you will find instead self-adhesive wall panelling mouldings, profiles with which you draw the frames yourself. For a continuous relief across the whole surface there are the decorative wall panels.

  • Flexible mouldings: 2 m × 4 cm, 5 m for ceilings and walls, and white foam 230 × 12 cm.
  • Decorative lines 3D and in relief: 230 × 10 cm, thin ones of 3 m × 12 mm, in sets of 2 pieces.
  • Border and strip: 3D border 230 × 8 cm, European-style PVC strip.
  • For mirrors and doors: 5 m PVC roll and a paintable 1 m moulding.
  • Skirting board, self-adhesive, 5 m × 10 cm.

How to choose wall mouldings: size, height and colour

The width of the profile decides the style: lines of 12 mm give a minimalist boiserie, with vertical or horizontal stripes; 4 cm profiles draw small frames; those of 8 to 12 cm create marked bands, in a classic boiserie style. For the height there is a practical rule: low boiserie, also called half-height, usually reaches about a third of the height: 90 cm with a 270 cm ceiling. If you take it to full height, you can carry on upwards with the corner profiles and ceiling roses for the ceiling.

For a modern white boiserie a white profile on a white wall is enough: the pattern comes from the shadows of the relief. For coloured mouldings, paint the wall and, if the model is paintable, the mouldings too: sage green, blue, taupe or grey. You can also make a two-tone boiserie, dark below and light above, or cover the inside of the frames with self-adhesive wallpaper.

Where to put them: living room, TV wall, hallway, stairs and bathroom

In the living room a single wall with moulding is usually enough, the one behind the sofa. Behind the TV draw a large frame around the television and two narrow ones at the sides: the screen no longer looks hung in empty space. In the hallway the PVC moulding frames the mirror with the same profile as the frames; along the stairs a line at mid-height follows the slope of the flight. In the bedroom, behind the bed, a headboard drawn with frames works just as well.

Boiserie in the bathroom can be done: choose a dry wall, away from the shower and from splashes, and prefer PVC profiles, which can be cleaned with a damp cloth. To cover the whole washbasin wall see the marble effect PVC panels for the bathroom. The same goes for the study, the office and the dining room.

How to fit self-adhesive boiserie on the wall

Putting a moulding on the wall needs neither a drill nor nails, but it does need precision: a crooked frame is noticed straight away. Prepare a tape measure, a pencil, a spirit level, a sharp utility knife or a saw and a mitre box for 45-degree cuts. The wall must be smooth and firm; if you have painted it recently, wait a few days before sticking on the profiles.

  • Draw the frames in pencil with the spirit level, at the same distance from each other and from the skirting board.
  • Clean the wall of dust and grease and let it dry.
  • Cut the profiles at 45 degrees at the corners, so that the joints fit.
  • Remove the film little by little, starting from a corner, and press along the whole line.
  • Close any gaps in the corners with a bead of acrylic sealant.

Cleaning and caring for self-adhesive mouldings

Dust settles on the raised edges: a feather duster or a soft cloth is enough. On PVC profiles you can use a barely damp cloth with a little mild detergent; avoid abrasive sponges and solvents, which damage the surface.

If an end lifts, press it for a few seconds or add a dab of mounting adhesive. It is worth keeping one extra piece of the same model, to replace a damaged length.

How much wall mouldings cost and how many metres you need

Mouldings are sold by the piece or by the roll, so the price per square metre says little: what counts is the perimeter of the frames. Add up the sides and add 10% for cuts. Three frames of 80 × 60 cm measure 8.4 m; with the margin you reach about 9.2 m, that is, two rolls of 5 m or five pieces of 230 cm.

In this collection the price depends on the type of profile and the length: to compare, divide the price by the metres of profile included in each piece or roll. Delivery is tracked, the maximum delivery time for your country is shown on each product page before you buy, and you can return your order within 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

What is boiserie called in English?

In English you can say “wood panelling” or “panelling”, and in decoration also wall mouldings, but the French term is used as it is and is spelt like that. It is pronounced roughly “bwaz-ree”, with the stress on the final syllable. In French “bois” means wood, and boiserie refers precisely to woodwork applied to the walls of a room; today the name also covers the frames made with profiles in other materials.

What is the difference between dado panelling and boiserie?

In common use, dado panelling is a covering of slats or tongue and groove boards that covers only the lower part of the wall, like a tall skirting board. Boiserie, on the other hand, is made of frames and bands in relief and can stay at mid-wall or rise almost to the corner with the ceiling. With self-adhesive mouldings you get the look of framed boiserie, not that of slats.

How high should boiserie be?

There is no fixed measurement. Low boiserie usually lines up with something already in the room: the window sill, the top of the TV unit, the backs of the dining chairs. If you take it to full height, leave between the last frame and the ceiling the same space as there is above the skirting board, so the wall stays balanced.

How much does it cost to have boiserie made?

It depends on the material, the measurements and the hours of work, so you always need a quote from a joiner or a decorator. With self-adhesive mouldings the sum is simpler: you pay only for the material and do the fitting yourself with a utility knife, a spirit level and a mitre box for 45-degree cuts.

Can you put boiserie in the bathroom?

Yes, on walls that stay dry, for example behind the door or next to the washbasin unit, away from splashes. Choose PVC profiles, which are easier to clean, and fit them on a sound wall, without damp stains. Inside the shower and over the edge of the bath, where water arrives every day, it is better not to put it.

Can self-adhesive mouldings be painted?

It depends on the model. The 1 m moulding for walls and doors is sold as paintable: after fitting it you can paint it the same colour as the wall, for a tone-on-tone effect, or in contrast. For the other models check the product page and test on an offcut, because not all foam or PVC surfaces hold paint.