Modular wall paneling system, wall panels, and method of installation

Abstract

A modular wall paneling system and installation method for wainscoting and other wall covering applications includes a plurality of rectangular wall panels each having a decorative front surface and a convex rear surface which provides line contact with the wall. A plurality of elongate upper and lower mounting rails are respectively affixed horizontally along the wall end-to-end at chair rail height and directly above the base board. Respective bottom edges of the wall panels fit into an upwardly open channel formed by the lower mounting rails and a top edge thereof snap-fits to the upper mounting rails. A plurality of elongate wall trim pieces snap-fit over the upper mounting rails to provide a finished look. The upper and lower mounting rails retain the top and bottom edges of the wall panels against the wall with a slight amount of interference which slightly warps the wall panels to provide a snug rattle-free against the wall along the contact line. The wall paneling system may additionally include corner mounting rails, corner trim pieces, and corner caps to finish inside and outside corners of a room. A version of the wall paneling system is provided for whiteboard and other applications.

1 . A modular wall paneling system for application to at least one wall of a room, comprising: 
 at least one wall panel comprising a generally flat member of at least limited flexibility having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, and a peripheral edge;    at least one elongate upper mounting rail having a base adapted to be affixed along the wall and a top panel attachment device adapted to retain said peripheral edge of said wall panel to the wall; and    at least one elongate lower mounting rail having a base adapted to be affixed along the wall and a bottom panel attachment device adapted to support said wall panel and retain said peripheral edge to the wall.    
   
   
       2 . The wall paneling system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel attachment device of at least one of the upper and lower mounting rails is of a configuration chosen from the group consisting of at least one locking clip which extends from the base thereof adapted to resiliently engage the peripheral edge of the wall panel, and an L-shaped member which extends outwardly from said base thereof to form an elongate channel defining a pocket therebetween to receive said peripheral edge of said wall panel.  
   
   
       3 . The wall paneling system of  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
 at least one elongate wall trim piece adapted to conceal one of the mounting rails which includes an outer member and a first half of a wall trim piece attachment device adapted to connect said outer member to said mounting rails; and    wherein at least one of the mounting rails includes a second half of said wall trim piece attachment device adapted to snap-fit to said first half thereof to retain said wall trim piece to said mounting rail.    
   
   
       4 . The wall paneling system of  claim 3 , additionally comprising at least one planar corner cap which includes a body having a rear surface with an outer portion adapted to be disposed along the wall and an inner portion adapted to be disposed along the wall panel, said body being of mating configuration adapted to conceal respective adjoining ends of respective pairs of the mounting rails and wall trim pieces at an intersection area thereof, and further includes a cap attachment device adapted to attach said body to at least one of the mounting rail and the wall trim piece at said intersection area.  
   
   
       5 . The wall paneling system of  claim 4 , wherein the corner attachment device is of a type chosen from the group consisting of a plug type comprising at least one plug which extends from the body adapted to closely fit within a corresponding open area of the wall paneling system defined by adjoining pairs of the mounting rails and the wall trim pieces to retain said planar corner cap thereto, and a snap-fit type wherein said body is formed in a substantially hollow configuration with said corner attachment device comprising at least one locking member which extends inwardly from said body adapted to resiliently connect to said mounting rails.  
   
   
       6 . The wall paneling system of  claim 3 , wherein the outer member of the wall trim piece is formed in a substantially hollow configuration having an outside edge adapted to engage the wall and an inside edge adapted to engage the wall panel, and wherein the first half of the wall trim piece attachment device thereof comprises at least one locking member which extends from said outer member thereof adapted to resiliently connect to the mounting rails, and wherein said outer member is of a cross-sectional shape chosen from the group consisting of partial rounded C-shape and partial flat C-shape.  
   
   
       7 . The wall paneling system of  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
 a corner mounting rail having a base adapted to be affixed to at least one of two intersecting walls along a corner of the room and a first half of a corner trim piece attachment device;    a corner trim piece which includes a base adapted to disposed along the corner in a relationship to adjacent wall panels chosen from the group consisting of abutting, overlapping, and both abutting and overlapping to conceal respective side edges thereof and to conceal said corner mounting rail, and a second half of the corner trim piece attachment device which extends rearwardly from said base adapted to snap-fit to said first half thereof, said corner trim piece attachment device being adapted to connect said corner trim piece to said corner mounting rail; and    a multi-planar corner cap which includes a body having an angled rear surface adapted to be disposed along the intersecting walls at the corner disposed at an angle corresponding to the intersecting walls, said body being of mating configuration adapted to conceal respective adjoining ends of said upper mounting rail, said corner mounting rail, and said corner trim piece, and further includes a cap attachment device adapted to attach said body to at least one of said upper mounting rail, said corner mounting rail, and said corner trim piece.    
   
   
       8 . The wall paneling system of  claim 7 , wherein the second half of the corner trim piece attachment device of the corner trim piece is chosen from the group consisting of a center member of mushroom shaped cross-section and a pair of opposed center arms, and the first half of said corner trim piece attachment device of the corner mounting rail is chosen from the group consisting of a single locking clip and a pair of opposing locking clips which extend from the base thereof adapted to resiliently engage said second half of said corner trim piece attachment device.  
   
   
       9 . The wall paneling system of  claim 7 , wherein the bases of the corner mounting rail and the corner trim piece are of L-shaped cross-section comprised of respective pairs of legs connected together edgewise at an angle corresponding to the intersecting walls at the corner, said legs of said corner mounting rail and said corner trim piece each having a rear surface adapted respectively to engage the intersecting walls at the corner and to engage the front surface of adjacent of the wall panels at the corner, the first half of the corner trim piece attachment device of said corner rail being disposed centrally thereon extending forwardly therefrom and the second half of said corner trim piece attachment device of said corner trim piece being disposed centrally thereon extending rearwardly therefrom, and wherein the rear surface of the corner cap is disposed at angle corresponding to the intersecting walls at the corner.  
   
   
       10 . The wall paneling system of  claim 7 , wherein the cap attachment device of the multi-planar corner cap is of a type chosen from the group consisting of a plug type comprising at least one plug which extends from said body adapted to closely fit within a corresponding open area of the wall paneling system defined by pairs of adjoining components chosen from the group consisting of the corner mounting rail and the corner trim piece and the upper mounting rail and a wall trim piece to retain said multi-planar corner cap thereto, and a snap-fit type wherein said body is formed in a substantially hollow configuration with said cap attachment device comprising at least one locking clip which extends from the body thereof adapted to resiliently engage a second half of said cap attachment device to snap-fit thereto.  
   
   
       11 . The wall paneling system of  claim 1 , wherein all visible component parts including the wall panels are of a common genre chosen from the group consisting of a functional design, an artistic design, and a theme, and wherein said common genre is applied thereto using a process chosen from the group consisting of molding, printing, embossing, and applying a decorative papering.  
   
   
       12 . The wall paneling system of  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
 at least one each of said upper and one of said lower mounting rails;    at least one elongate wall trim piece adapted to conceal one of the mounting rails which includes an outer member and a first half of a wall trim piece attachment device adapted to connect said outer member to said mounting rails, said outer member being formed in a substantially hollow configuration of a cross-sectional shape chosen from the group consisting of partial rounded C-shape and partial flat C-shape having an outside edge adapted to engage the wall and an inside edge adapted to engage the wall panel, said first half of said wall trim piece attachment device comprising a first locking member which extends vertically within said outer member which terminates at a bulbous end and a second locking member which extends in a curved horizontal manner within said outer member which terminates at a bulbous end, each being adapted to resiliently snap-fit to a second half of said wall trim attachment device of at least one of said mounting rails to retain said wall trim piece to said mounting rail; and    wherein the wall panel is of a rectangular shape having a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges with the rear surface thereof being of a rearwardly convex shape of a configuration chosen from the group consisting of a curved planar surface adapted for engaging the wall by creating unbroken line contact therewith, a plurality of parallel ribs which create broken line contact with the wall, and other curved configurations which provide line contact with the wall, said wall panel including at least one additional feature chosen from the group consisting of a panel edge joining device wherein the peripheral edge includes respective interlockable halves of said panel edge joining device to allow adjoining wall panels to interconnect, a panel edge hiding device wherein the peripheral edge includes respective indent halves of said panel edge hiding device which form a full indent at adjoining wall panels to provide a finished look therebetween, and an erasable front surface adapted for erasable writing thereon, wherein said second half of said wall trim attachment device comprises a first locking clip of S-shaped cross-section which includes a curved base portion which extends initially parallel with the base thereof then outwardly and a primary retaining portion of C-shaped cross-section adapted to resiliently engage said bulbous end of said first locking member of said wall trim piece, and a second locking clip of T-shaped cross-section including a base leg which extends perpendicularly from said base thereof and a cross leg which terminates at respective ends including a bulbous end adapted to engage said bulbous end of said second locking member of said wall trim piece to snap-fit thereto and a wedge end comprising the top panel attachment device of said upper mounting rail adapted to engage said top edge by snap-fitting thereto to retain said top edge of said wall panel to the wall, said base of said upper mounting rail having a plurality of holes therethrough for respectively receiving a plurality of attachment devices therethrough to affix said base along the wall, wherein the bottom panel attachment device of said lower mounting rail comprises an L-shaped member which extends outwardly from the base thereof to form an elongate channel defining a pocket therebetween to receive said peripheral edge of said wall panel to retain said bottom edge of said wall panel to the wall, said base of said lower mounting rail having a plurality of holes therethrough for respectively receiving a plurality of attachment devices therethrough to affix said base along the wall, and wherein said wall panel is retained against the wall at said top and bottom edges respectively by said upper and lower mounting rails such that there is a slight amount of interference with the wall so said wall panel bows slightly outwardly at a middle area thereof between said top and bottom edges to take out any gap between the wall and said wall panel.    
   
   
       13 . The wall paneling system of  claim 12 , additionally comprising: 
 a corner mounting rail having a base adapted to be affixed to at least one of two intersecting walls along a corner of the room and a first half of a corner trim piece attachment device;    a corner trim piece which includes a base adapted to disposed along the corner in a relationship to adjacent wall panels chosen from the group consisting of abutting, overlapping, and both abutting and overlapping to conceal respective side edges thereof and to conceal said corner mounting rail, and a second half of the corner trim piece attachment device which extends rearwardly from said base adapted to snap-fit to said first half thereof, said corner trim piece attachment device being adapted to connect said corner trim piece to said corner mounting rail;    a multi-planar corner cap which includes a body having an angled rear surface adapted to be disposed along the intersecting walls at the corner disposed at an angle corresponding to the intersecting walls, said body being of mating configuration adapted to conceal respective adjoining ends of said upper mounting rail, said wall trim piece, said corner mounting rail, and said corner trim piece, and further includes a cap attachment device adapted to attach said body to at least one of said upper mounting rail, said wall trim piece, said corner mounting rail, and said corner trim piece; and    wherein said bases of said corner mounting rail and the corner trim piece are of L-shaped cross-section comprised of respective pairs of legs connected together edgewise at an angle corresponding to the intersecting walls at the corner, said legs of said corner mounting rail and said corner trim piece each having a rear surface adapted respectively to engage the intersecting walls at the corner and to engage the front surface of adjacent of the wall panels at the corner, said first half of said corner trim piece attachment device of said corner rail being disposed centrally thereon extending forwardly therefrom and said second half of said corner trim piece attachment device of said corner trim piece being disposed centrally thereon extending rearwardly therefrom, said rear surface of said corner cap being disposed at angle corresponding to the intersecting walls at the corner, said base of said corner mounting rail having a plurality of holes therethrough for respectively receiving a plurality of attachment devices therethrough to affix said base along the wall, wherein said second half of said corner trim piece attachment device of said corner trim piece is chosen from the group consisting of a center member of mushroom shaped cross-section and a pair of opposed center arms, and said first half of said corner trim piece attachment device of said corner mounting rail is chosen from the group consisting of a single locking clip and a pair of opposing locking clips which extend from said base thereof adapted to resiliently snap-fit to said second half of said corner trim piece attachment device, and wherein said cap attachment device of said multi-planar corner cap is of a type chosen from the group consisting of a plug type comprising at least one plug which extends from said body adapted to closely fit within a corresponding open area of the wall paneling system defined by pairs of adjoining components chosen from the group consisting of said corner mounting rail and said corner trim piece and said upper mounting rail and said wall trim piece to retain said multi-planar corner cap thereto, and a snap-fit type wherein said body is formed in a substantially hollow configuration with said cap attachment device comprising a first locking member which extends downwardly within said body which terminates at a bulbous end adapted to resiliently engage the primary retaining portion of the first locking clip of the second half of said wall trim attachment device to snap-fit thereto and a second locking member which extends horizontally within said body in a curved manner from said body which terminates at a bulbous end adapted to resiliently engage the bulbous end of the second locking clip of the upper mounting rail to snap-fit thereto.    
   
   
       14 . The wall paneling system of  claim 12 , additionally comprising: 
 at least one planar corner cap which includes a body having a rear surface with an outer portion adapted to be disposed along the wall and an inner portion adapted to be disposed along the wall panel, said body being of mating configuration adapted to conceal respective adjoining ends of respective pairs of the mounting rails and wall trim pieces at an intersection area thereof, and further includes a cap attachment device adapted to attach said body to at least one of the mounting rail and the wall trim piece at said intersection area;    wherein the cap attachment device is of a type chosen from the group consisting of a plug type comprising at least one plug which extends from the body adapted to closely fit within a corresponding open area of the wall paneling system defined by adjoining pairs of the mounting rails and the wall trim pieces to retain said planar corner cap thereto, and a snap-fit type wherein said body is formed in a substantially hollow configuration with said cap attachment device comprising a first locking member which extends downwardly within said body which terminates at a bulbous end adapted to resiliently engage an end retaining portion of C-shaped cross-section of the first locking clip of the second half of said wall trim attachment device to snap-fit thereto and a second locking member which extends horizontally within said body in a curved manner from said body which terminates at a bulbous end adapted to resiliently engage the bulbous end of the second locking clip of the upper mounting rail to snap-fit thereto.    
   
   
       15 . A modular wall panel for application to a wall of a room, comprising a generally flat member of at least limited flexibility having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, and a peripheral edge, said rear surface being of a rearwardly convex shape of a configuration chosen from the group consisting of a curved planar surface adapted for engaging the wall by creating unbroken line contact therewith, a plurality of parallel ribs which create broken line contact with the wall, and other curved configurations which provide line contact with the wall, said wall panel being adapted to be retained against the wall at opposite portions of said peripheral edge such that there is a slight amount of interference with the wall so said wall panel bows slightly outwardly at a middle area thereof to take out any gap between the wall and said wall panel.  
   
   
       16 . The wall paneling system of  claim 15 , wherein the wall panel is of a rectangular shape with the peripheral edge comprising a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges.  
   
   
       17 . The wall paneling system of  claim 15 , wherein the wall panel includes at least one additional feature chosen from the group consisting of a panel edge joining device wherein the peripheral edge includes respective interlockable halves of said panel edge joining device to allow adjoining wall panels to interconnect, a panel edge hiding device wherein the peripheral edge includes respective indent halves of said panel edge hiding device which form a full indent at adjoining wall panels to provide a finished look therebetween, and an erasable front surface adapted for erasable writing thereon.  
   
   
       18 . A method of installing a modular wall paneling system for application to at least one wall of a room, comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one wall panel of at least limited flexibility having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, and a peripheral edge, the rear surface being of a rearwardly convex shape of a configuration which provides line contact with the wall; and    restraining opposite portions of the peripheral edge of the wall panel against the wall in an upright position such that there is a slight amount of interference with the wall so the wall panel bows slightly outwardly at a middle area thereof to take out any gap between the wall and the wall panel.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , additionally comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one elongate upper mounting rail having a base adapted to be affixed along the wall and an attachment device adapted to retain the peripheral edge of the wall panel to the wall;    providing at least one elongate lower mounting rail having a base adapted to be affixed along the wall and an attachment device to support the wall panel and retain the peripheral edge to the wall;    securing the lower mounting rail to the wall;    securing the upper mounting rail to the wall at a measured distance above the lower mounting rails for the particular height of the wall panels to snap-fit to the trim mounting rails; and    wherein the wall panel provided is of a rectangular shape with the peripheral edge comprising a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges, and wherein the step of restraining the wall panel against the wall includes engaging the bottom edge of the wall panel with the lower mounting rail and pivoting the top edge into engagement with the upper mounting rail.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the attachment device of the upper mounting rail provided comprises an elongate locking clip which extends from the base thereof adapted to resiliently snap-fit to the top edge of the wall panel, the attachment device of the lower mounting rail provided comprises an elongate L-shaped member which extends outwardly from the base thereof to form an elongate channel defining a pocket therebetween to receive the peripheral edge of the wall panel, and the and wherein the engaging the bottom edge of the wall panel with the lower mounting rail comprises inserting the bottom edge of the wall panel into the pocket of the lower mounting rail, and the pivoting the top edge into engagement with the upper mounting rail includes pushing the top edge past the locking clip which deflects slightly to allow passing thereunder to lock the top edge in place.