DIY Fluted Accent Wall: Tutorial Using Pine Screen Molding

The story of this wall is actually a pretty fun one. In 2023 I threw my name in the mix to compete in an accent wall competition at a DIY Content Creator Conference and I was 1 of 4 selected. As part of the competition I had to submit my design idea as well as a list of all of the materials I would need so I decided to go with a fluted wall and after looking through all of the available materials, I stumbled across these pine screen molding pieces and they could not be more perfect! I'll let you know how I fared in the competition but you'll need to read to the end 😉.

Fluted accent walls are a popular way to add texture, depth, and modern style to a room. While pre-made fluted panels are much more convenient, they can be expensive. But I really love using the pine screen molding because they are a little bit more affordable and you can easily adjust them to fit whatever design you wish.

I also used the same molding on my sliding closet door, which you can check out here.

What to use for the fluted detail?

Pine screen molding is typically used for window screens, but it works perfectly

for creating a fluted wall because it is:

• Affordable compared to decorative wall panels

• Lightweight and easy to cut

• Consistent in shape, making spacing simple

• Easy to paint for a seamless finish

Most home improvement stores sell pine screen molding in 8-foot lengths, making it ideal for vertical wall installations.

The cost of pine screen molding has definitely gone up since I installed this accent wall. I love the curved detail of it but it would be much more cost effective to by sheet of plywood and cut it down to 3/4" strips.

Tools and Materials

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Materials

• Pine screen molding strips

• Construction adhesive (optional)

• brad nails or pin nails

• Wood filler

• Paintable caulk

• Primer

• Paint

Tools

• Miter saw or hand saw

• Tape measure

• Level or laser level

• Caulking gun

• Sandpaper or sanding block

• Nail gun or Pin nailer

Dimensions

The ceiling in this room is 8' high and there is a 3/8" gap between all of the slats on the bottom and up at the ceiling. My original design was just to have slats on the bottom and the top but I decided it needed a little something more so I used what I had left to create the pattern in the middle.

Suggestions for planning your space:

Start by determining the spacing between each molding strip. The spacing you choose will affect how bold or subtle the fluted effect looks.

Common spacing options include:

• ½ inch spacing – subtle texture

• 1 inch spacing

• 1½ inches or more – bold and dramatic

Measure the width of your wall and calculate how many strips you will need based on the width of the molding and your chosen spacing.

Prepping for the Wall

I chose to frame out my windows for a more cohesive look across the room. I used 1x4" primed boards all around the window and cut the ledge so it was flush with the trim.

Cutting the Screen Molding

I used a miter saw to cut the molding pieces but they can be a bit delicate so if you have a smaller miter saw or a finer blade, that is probably your best bet. You can definitely use a hand saw as well but if you need a lot of strips, this is a very tedious option.

Attaching the Molding to the Wall

My original design included a board above the strips but once I had it installed I didn't care for the look. However, I will say that having a horizontal piece in place when installing the strips was a really easy way to make sure everything stayed even and level.

I also chose not to use any adhesive in case I want to change up the design in the future. I used a nail gun to install the strips using a 3/8" spacer between. I would use a level every 5 or so pieces to make sure that everything stayed plumb as I worked my way across the room.

On the smaller pieces by the ceiling, I switched to a pin nailer. This tool is similar to a nail gun but uses smaller pins rather than a larger diameter nail.

Finishing work

The wood filling and caulking is by far the worst part of installing any slat wall but it is so important. I went through and filled every single nail or pin hole with wood filler and then sanded it smooth. Then I applied paintable caulk along each side of every single piece of molding. Yes, it is as awful as it sounds.

Priming and Painting

I always recommend priming raw wood but at this point in the project I was over it so I admit that I skipped this step. I painted the entire wall Snowbound by SW in a satin finish. I ended up hand painting the wall but spraying it would have been much faster and easier.

Final Thoughts

I still very much love this wall. It provides texture and interest but the neutral color makes it the perfect calming choice for a bedroom. Like I mentioned before, it would be a lot less expensive to buy an 8' sheet of 1/4" plywood and have it cut into 3/4" strips.

If you've made it this far, thank you and I wish you the best of luck on your accent wall! To finish my story from earlier, I competed against 3 other amazing DIYers and I'm not sure how, but my wall received the most votes from attendees at the conference. I won and my prize was a new front door and a lot more work, but that is a story for another day.