Home
  • Architecture + Renovation
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Tours
    • Landscape Design
    • Preservation Corner
    • Retro Road Trip
  • Interior Design
    • Collecting
    • Designers + Craftsmen
    • Rooms + Essentials
    • Style Ideas
  • Cool Stuff
    • Art + Gifts
    • Entertaining
    • Everyday Life
    • Furniture + Décor
    • Seasonal
  • Real Estate
  • Retro Holiday




Home
Subscribe
Home
  • Architecture + Renovation
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Tours
    • Landscape Design
    • Preservation Corner
    • Retro Road Trip
  • Interior Design
    • Collecting
    • Designers + Craftsmen
    • Rooms + Essentials
    • Style Ideas
  • Cool Stuff
    • Art + Gifts
    • Entertaining
    • Everyday Life
    • Furniture + Décor
    • Seasonal
  • Real Estate
  • Retro Holiday
mid century paneling in a kitchen
  • Architecture + Renovation
  • Curb Appeal
  • Designers + Craftsmen
  • Interior Design

Weldtex Mid Century Wood Paneling is Still Available Today

  • December 6, 2019
  • Hemant Tiwari
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

mid century paneling in a kitchen
The paneling on this kitchen island creates a bold contrast against the smooth surfaces of the rest of the space.

Have you ever noticed a “combed” or “striated” accent wood panel in a Mid Century home and wondered what exactly creates the texture? It may look like wallpaper at first glance, but “Weldtex” is actually a decorative form of Mid Century paneling, developed by Donald Deskey in 1940.

Produced throughout the Mid Century, it was especially popular in the 1950s. Jeff Nichols, owner of Vintage Plywood Millworks and Eichler Siding, began recreating this unique plywood about 5 years ago in his Novato, California, workshop.

mid century paneling ceiling tiles
Square Weldtex tiles are usually used for the ceiling, while the larger panels can be utilized for accent walls.

Prior to making Weldtex, Jeff began recreating Eichler siding, a grooved plywood used heavily by Joseph Eichler in his Mid Century homes. After numerous requests from builders, architects and realtors looking for replacement siding for their Eichler homes, Jeff started producing the panels.

“I learned very quickly that [Eichler siding] wasn’t available and I was … surprised because I knew there were at least a couple thousand [Eichler] homes in Marin. I later found there were close to 11,000 Eichler homes in the Bay Area,” says Jeff.

mid century paneling on kitchen island
The thinline siding under the kitchen island mimics the side wall for a crisp Mid Century look.

Using Weldtex

Vintage Plywood Millworks produces the Weldtex panels and ceiling tiles in the same way it was done in the 1950s. “It was almost always 3/8″ thick plywood with a pine face,” says Jeff. Split into three sections (1/8″ back, 1/8″ center core and 1/8″ face), the striations are milled onto the top face layer to create a decorative appearance in softwood.

Plywood made from hardwoods, however, comes from mills with an extremely thin face layer to save cost, making them unsuitable for creating striations on the thin top layer. “But then I started thinking, ‘What if somebody wanted walnut or birch or oak?’ So that’s why I make the hardwood planks,” Jeff says. Also called “solid stock,” the hardwood planks are 3/8″ thick, made from solid wood instead of 3-ply.

mid century paneling across an entire wall
To add dimension to the room, use thinline siding for an entire wall. The light gray used here keeps the look neutral, while the grooves add visual interest.

Because of their porous texture, the pine plywood panels and planks are best finished with primer and paint, rather than stain. “However, some clients have had good success using a stain conditional prior to staining. This helps even out the color between the soft and hard grain on the plywood material,” Jeff explains.

The hardwood planks, however, look best with a clear-coat finish. When it comes to installation, a combination of panel adhesive and finish nails (instead of larger, heavier nails) works best. “Because of the uniqueness of the combed texture, the finish nails kind of hide themselves in the valleys … if some care is taken,” Jeff advises.

Plank-Tex siding is used almost exclusively for exteriors.

Plank-Tex siding is used almost exclusively for exteriors.

Using Eichler Patterns

“The three main Eichler patterns are thinline, wideline and Plank-tex,” explains Jeff. “The best one that works on the interior is the thinline, and that’s because the grooves themselves are narrower and shallower and give a crisp appearance of the pattern without exposing too much of the inner veneer core,” he continues.

While the deeper grooves of the wideline siding are generally used for exteriors, some of Jeff’s customers have used it for inside walls. Planktex, with its very rough face, is almost exclusively for exteriors. “It’s meant to look like re-sawed planks that came out of a sawmill,” says Jeff.

mid century paneling exterior
The Eichler exterior paneling gives the home some retro curb appeal and character.

Originally designed for siding, the panels tend to be a bit thicker and heavier than average interior panel. However, standard interior application for wall paneling can be used during installation. Jeff advises to find the studs in the wall, use standard nails along with panel adhesive and ensure the panel is placed against a solid substrate. “For the most part, these are painted and not stained,” he adds.

Joseph Eichler’s homes are known for their easy transition from inside to outside, created with a variety of different design tricks. “Eichler had a number of floorplans where he often brought that exterior siding into the room itself, so it looks continuous. He did that with both the thinline and the wideline,” says Jeff.

mid century paneling hotel room
Built in 1955, the Orbit In Hotel provides an example of Weldtex used in Mid Century architecture (seen here on the accent wall with built-in clock). The architect, Herbert Burns, used the combed wood in several of his properties.

Check out the Mid Century paneling for yourself here, and of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Mid Century Modern articles and ideas!

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Hemant Tiwari

Related Topics
  • Eichler
  • mid century paneling
  • plywood
  • retro kitchen
  • wood paneling
Next Article
twin palms exterior
  • Architecture + Renovation
  • Preservation Corner
  • Retro Road Trip

We Get a Kick Out of Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate

  • December 5, 2019
  • Rabekah Henderson
View Post
Previous Article
  • Cool Stuff

23 Good Reads for Your Mid Century Library 

  • December 7, 2019
  • Surajpal Singh Bisht
View Post
You May Also Like
Mid Century Modern Constellation
View Post
  • Architecture + Renovation
  • Designers + Craftsmen

Mid Century Modern living in lively Austin, Texas

  • Dana
  • March 21, 2021
Fullerton Forever bathroom
View Post
  • Architecture + Renovation
  • House Tours

A Fullerton Forever Kitchen + Bathroom Renovation

  • Written by Erin Lawrence and Photography by Bret Gum
  • March 14, 2021
Calabasas home inspiration for Project House
View Post
  • Architecture + Renovation

AR Project House Inspiration: A Star Home in Calabasas

  • Jolene Nolte
  • March 13, 2021
The Shoreland Apartments West Vancouver
View Post
  • Architecture + Renovation
  • Preservation Corner
  • Retro Road Trip

Miami Modernism in West Vancouver

  • Hritik Godara
  • March 12, 2021
Eichler siding playhouse
View Post
  • Architecture + Renovation
  • Curb Appeal

MCM Siding 101 with Eichler Siding

  • Jolene Nolte
  • March 8, 2021
EvaZeisel  TalismanPHOTO
View Post
  • Collecting
  • Designers + Craftsmen
  • Interior Design

Modern(ist) Women: Eva Zeisel

  • Jolene Nolte
  • March 4, 2021
MCM home in Christchurch NZ
View Post
  • Architecture + Renovation

Mid Century Modern in Christchurch, New Zealand

  • Jolene Nolte
  • March 4, 2021
Mid Century Sofa
View Post
  • Architecture + Renovation
  • Guest Writers
  • Interior Design
  • Midcentury Lifestyle
  • Renovate + Refresh
  • Rooms + Essentials
  • Style Ideas

SacMod Makeover, Part 5:  A Place to Sit Down—a Mid Century Sofa Arrives

  • Patricia Kline
  • February 28, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


CAPTCHA Image
Reload Image
  • Russel Wright Designed American Modern Dinnerware

    Mod Products for Kitchen and Dining That Will Make Life Easier

    View Post
FOLLOW US


Subscribe Atomic Ranch
Newsletter
TRENDING POSTS
  • MCM-Inspired Decor from Black-owned Businesses 1
    MCM-Inspired Decor from Black-owned Businesses
    • February 26, 2021
  • Russel Wright Designed American Modern Dinnerware 2
    Mod Products for Kitchen and Dining That Will Make Life Easier
    • December 29, 2020
  • bullet planter portland split level 3
    Bullet Planter Basics + A Few Of Our Favorites
    • November 5, 2020
  • mid century modern storage 4
    Your Guide To Staying (Stylishly) Organized
    • October 9, 2020
  • smoke colored drinking glass set 5
    Get a Head Start on Fall With These Modern Tableware Finds
    • August 28, 2020
We’re dreaming of a Palm Springs getaway! The Orbit In features incredible original interior and exterior elements including pink tile bathrooms, Weldtex accent walls, and white metal kitchenettes. Built in 1955 by Herbert Burns, it was originally  called “The Village Manor.” Click on the link in our bio to learn more about the history of this boutique hotel, as well as the legacy of its hospitable caretakers over the years. Could this dream property be available for sale? ⁠
Here at Palm Springs' Orbit In, the poolside lounging atmosphere is right out of 1955. In the foreground to the right, note the original sandstone planter and vertical pole elements, common features in Herbert Burns architecture. Learn more about the history of the @orbitinhotel via the link in our bio. ⁠
Mid mod inspired  kid's spaces are perfect for the young and the young at heart.❤️ We love this play area in the home of @kevion and @AlanaDawn. If you're looking for more midcentury inspired setups for the mini members of the family, take the link in our bio to check out more. ⁠
Talk about a restful restroom! The subtle patterns on the tile add depth and visual interest set off by the contrasting colors of the countertop and slim mirror frames. See more of this home's serene palate via the link in our bio. ⁠
How does a MidMod enthusiast say "I love you?"⁠
Homeowners, DJ and Page Sigband, like to use this outdoor atrium space for entertaining on cool, Southern Californian nights. Their "desert oasis" style backyard blends a xeriscape  concept with tropical plants and palm trees. Take a tour of the space via  the link in our bio. ⁠
GET THE MAGAZINE

LEARN MORE
  • About Atomic Ranch
  • Write for Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Condition
  • Do Not Share My Personal Info
FOLLOW US
Get The Newsletter
© Atomic Ranch | Engaged Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.