Peel & Stick Wood: Pros and Cons

Peel and Stick wood planks are a relatively new idea that are becoming more popular. Most involve a thin wood veneer with high bond adhesive strips on the back.

Stikwood was one of the pioneers of this type of product, with more options popping up like plank and mill and rewoodd.

First, let's talk about the pros of peel and stick. Peel and stick wood products can be put on almost any interior surface, so you can really let your creativity shine. I've seen hundreds of creative ways to use these products on social media.

Another pro is the slim profile. You can place this right on drywall and in most cases not have to remove trim or readjust outlet covers.

Lastly, I love how easy it is to install. It takes hours instead of days to get the look you want. And you don't need to invest in a lot of tools to do this yourself.

Now let's talk about the cons. First is price. Peel and stick is significantly more expensive than similar refinished wood products.

Peel and sticks range from $10 to $16 a square foot. Other prefinished products can cost 50% less or more.

For example, Synergy Wood is $6 to $12 a square foot, and Real Soffit by Woodtone is only $4 a square foot. That's a significant cost difference if you are installing in a large area.

Another downside is there's no warranty on the adhesion or the wood itself. Most companies state the adhesion is rated for 10 years, but there are a lot of factors at play and if it fails in a couple of years they aren't responsible.

When it comes to installation, peel and stick companies do a good job explaining that you need to acclimate the wood to the environment for a few days before installing. But I would take it a step further and say you should only install peel and stick in a conditioned space.

I was walking a multi-family job site under construction and ran across a peel and stick wall that was recently installed and already peeling away. I think the reason the adhesive was failing was that it was in a hot and humid space and in a construction site filled with constant dust.

I would recommend waiting until the project is climate controlled and almost finished before installing a peel and stick.

If you like the thin profile of a peel stick without the worry of adhesive failure, Rewoodd sells a 3/8" tongue and groove board. This profile is still half the thickness of a typical interior wood siding and you can use finish nails to secure it to the drywall.

Bottom line: if you have a small accent wall or space that you want to make a focal point in your home, I think peel and stick is a great option. If you are remodeling or building custom and need to fill a large area, you might want to look at other wood siding options.

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