Product Spotlight | Details Matter

Bespoke Panel Hanging Hardware Elevates the Installation In a Colorado Home

A recent post highlighted our built-in entertainment center project with large, custom stained wood panels as the focal point of the build. Here we’ll show the innovative hardware used to attach the panels to the wall.

There are a number of ways to hang large panels, ranging from quick and dirty to elegant.

The panels can simply be screwed to the wall. The problem here is the visible screws on the face of the panel. An option I’ve heard of is countersinking the screws and then filling them in and staining to match the surrounding panels. Not only would this be labor intensive, cancelling out any time savings, it would also look amateurish. There are better ways.

Hanging brackets can be installed on the wall and on the panel. These interlocking metal strips typically run the width of the panel and several are required, depending on the size of the panel. They’re strong and invisible. A much better choice than fastening through the face of the panel. A downside is that they can be rather fussy to get lined up perfectly, requiring precise measuring and installing that can be a challenge on larger panels.

For this project we used a new-to-us product from the UK called Button Fix (www.button-fix.com/us). Consisting of female parts that attach to the wall and male parts that attach to the panel, they proved to be easy, elegant and secure.

A significant benefit of this system is that no precise measuring is needed, saving quite a bit of time and reducing the opportunity for error. The female parts are screwed to the wall in a general layout, but exact spacing is immaterial. An innovative marking pin is then inserted into each female part, the panel is held in appropriate place and pressed into the pin, marking the back of the panel. The male part is easily attached to the panel. The panel is then popped into place. It’s not fussy, and the panel can be taken off as needed. It’s super secure.

There are other makes of hardware with similar characteristics. This is the one we used for this project.

Understand your custom furniture options | Handmade craft

The point here is that your furniture maker should be knowledgeable of what’s available in the market. Too often craftsmen are stuck in their ways - this is how we’ve always done it, and it’s fine.

I heard that a lot when I was a surgeon - this is the way I do the operation, or these are the tools and techniques that I use and they’re fine.

Well, can things be improved? Can you achieve a better outcome with a newer tool or technique? Or can you achieve the same outcome in a faster, more efficient, more cost effective or more elegant way?

What does it say about someone who is unwilling to learn new things? This is not a judgement, but a question. If you’re choosing to invest in custom furniture, what kind of artisan fits your style? Not just aesthetic style but personal. Do they mesh with you. These are important questions to consider.

Using the newest and shiniest new toy is not always the right thing. Our sales people want us to think it is, of course. But like everything else, something new should be rigorously evaluated and questioned before jumping in with both feet. If that evaluation shows potential benefit then having a willingness to try something new can provide insight into the character of the person.

How do you want to live? And how do you want to get there?