Curved walls are widely used in modern spaces because their soft curves create an artistic and smooth feeling. However, constructing curved wall panels requires extremely high material adaptability and process precision. If the operation is not done properly, problems such as cracking joints and warping panels are likely to occur.
This article will explain the core technical points of curved wall paneling from the perspectives of material selection, process steps, tool selection, etc., and provide a guide to avoid pitfalls.
Installing wall panels on curved walls is a challenging task that requires high material and construction technology.
Curved walls usually choose materials with high flexibility and low elasticity. These include the following types:
Material type | Characteristics | Applicable curvature radius |
PVC wall panels | Strong flexibility (can be bent to R=200mm), waterproof and moisture-proof, but the texture is more plastic | R≥300mm |
Thin MDF boards | Density boards with a thickness of ≤6mm need to be grooved on the back (V-groove spacing 15-20cm) to increase flexibility | R≥500mm |
Solid wood veneer panels | Natural veneer + plywood substrate, requires steam heating and bending (moisture content 8-12%), high cost but good texture | R≥800mm |
Aluminum honeycomb panels | Honeycomb core structure is lightweight (density 0.5g/cm3), can be cold-bent (R≥1000mm), and is suitable for large curvature surfaces | R≥1000mm |
Adhesive: epoxy resin structural adhesive (shear strength ≥ 5MPa), MS-modified silane adhesive (high elastic modulus);
Edge banding: flexible PVC or rubber material, used for sealing seams;
Fixers: stainless steel self-tapping screws (with anti-rust coating), nylon fasteners (to reduce thermal bridge effect).
Installing curved siding is a challenging job. It is important to understand the construction steps before you begin.
When installing wall panels on curved walls, it is necessary to level the wall in advance to ensure that the base surface flatness error is ≤3mm/2m (can be detected with a 2m ruler).
Use wooden keels or light steel keels as base materials, arrange them in equidistant arcs (spacing ≤300mm), and fully cover 9mm waterproof gypsum boards.
Use a laser level to project the reference line and divide the vertical joint position according to the width of the wall panel (generally 100-300mm).
Complex hyperbolic surfaces require a 1:1 template to be made for on-site comparison and adjustment.
Flexible materials (such as PVC wallboard) are cold-bent according to the arc, and local heating (60-80℃) is used with a hot air gun to reduce the rebound rate.After bending, let it stand for 24 hours to set.
Semi-rigid materials (such as thin MDF wall panels) need to have V-shaped grooves on the back (the depth can reach 2/3 of the board surface, with a spacing of 15-20cm), and the grooves are filled with polyurethane foam to increase elasticity; and both sides must be painted with water-based sealing primer (to prevent moisture absorption and deformation).
3.1 Gluing
Apply glue to the wall and wallboard, and spread it evenly with a serrated scraper.
Use the pasting order of "from the center to both ends", and tap the wallboard with a rubber hammer to remove internal bubbles;
Use clips (such as suction cups or straps) as temporary reinforcement tools, and remove them after 48 hours.
3.2 Mechanical fixing method
Pre-embed stainless steel fasteners at the joints of the wall panels (spacing ≤ 200mm);
Fix with countersunk self-tapping screws and apply the same color repair paste on the nail caps.
4.1 Jointing techniques
The horizontal joints adopt the "high-low joint" design (overlap amount 3-5mm) to avoid cracking of the straight seams;
The vertical joints are lined with elastic strips (EPDM or silicone) to absorb deformation stress.
4.2 Closing of internal or external corners
External corners: Wrap with flexible PVC corner strips (lined with structural adhesive), chamfer radius R ≥ 5mm;
Internal corners: Reserve 3mm expansion joints and fill with elastic sealant (such as Dow Corning 791).
5.1 PVC wallboard
Wipe the surface with isopropyl alcohol to remove the release agent and spray a UV protective layer (to enhance scratch resistance);
5.2 Medium-density fiberboard/solid wood board
Fill the joints with putty and sand until smooth (grain size ≥240#);
Apply water-based polyurethane topcoat (2 coats on the bottom and the top, 4 hours apart).
The construction environment temperature must be maintained at 10-35℃, and the humidity must be ≤70% (to prevent abnormal curing of the adhesive);
During construction in the rainy season, materials must be brought to the site 48 hours in advance for constant temperature and humidity balance (moisture content change ≤2%).
A 5-8mm gap is reserved between the top of the wall panel and the ceiling, and filled with silicone weather-resistant glue;
When the length exceeds 6m, an 8-10mm wide expansion joint is set every 3m.
Double curvature suggests the use of metal-ceramic plates, and achieves precise points through CNC bending;
In the area with a small curvature radius (R＜300mm), it can be cut in sections (each arc length ≤500mm).
Problem phenomenon | Cause Analysis | Solution strategy |
Cracks at the seams | The adhesive is not elastic enough or the expansion joint is not left | Remove the old glue and refill with MS glue (elastic recovery rate ≥ 90%) |
Local bulge of wall panel | The base layer is deformed due to moisture or the fixing points are insufficient | Drill holes, inject structural glue, and add stainless steel screws to fix |
Obvious color difference on the surface | Different batches of materials or light-aging | Spray the same color fluorocarbon paint to unify the tone |
Edge trimming at corners | Insufficient bonding area of the corner guard | Use an L-shaped metal transfer corner guard, lined with structural adhesive + screw fixation |
Detected with a 2m ruler, gap ≤2mm;
Width error ≤0.5mm, no color difference, height difference;
No hollowing when pulled at 90°, no cracking in the glue joint;
No leakage in the water splashing test (tilt angle 30°), no deformation in the -20℃~60℃ cycle test.
Curved wall panels are a combination of material science and precision technology. The key to success lies in:
Match the flexibility of the material according to the radius of curvature (such as PVC for small curvatures and honeycomb panels for large curvatures);
Control the error in the whole process from lofting to edge finishing (recommended error ≤1.5mm/m);
Release stress through expansion joints, flexible glue, etc. to avoid potential risks in the later stage.
In addition, it is recommended that you use BIM modeling + CNC processing to achieve the prefabrication and precise installation of highly difficult special-shaped curved wall panels, perfectly combining artistry with engineering reliability.
CREATEKING is a high-quality interior wall panel supplier. Please leave your contact information on the consultation page so that we can help you with wall panel selection and installation guidance.
