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Interior and finishes

Wall Finishes & Linings

Internal finishes are judged by eye, which makes the substrate underneath them unusually important. Most complaints about a painted or plastered wall are really complaints about preparation, suction, drying conditions or movement in the background — not about the finish material itself.

These entries describe the lining and finish materials and the conditions they depend on. They contain no application instructions, no coating specifications and no product-specific method statements; those come from the manufacturer's own documentation and the tradespeople doing the work.

12 reference entries · educational materials reference · suitability always depends on the complete assembly and qualified professional review

Scope

What this category covers

Where the boundary of this part of the library sits, including what it deliberately leaves to qualified professionals.

  • Board and wet-applied linings for internal walls and ceilings
  • Decorative and protective coatings and coverings
  • Panelling and acoustic wall linings
  • Not covered: application methods, coating specification or product-specific instructions

Start here

Frequently referenced entries

A starting point, not a ranking — these are simply the entries most people arrive looking for.

Plasterboard →A factory-made lining board with a gypsum core faced in paper, fixed to studs or bonded to masonry to form a flat internal surface ready for decoration.Gypsum plaster →A wet-applied gypsum-based plaster used for internal undercoats and skim finishes, setting comparatively fast to a hard, smooth and relatively vapour-closed surface.Emulsion paint →A water-based, film-forming wall and ceiling paint in which pigment and binder dry to a continuous film that sits on the surface rather than bonding chemically into it.

All entries

Every wall finishes & linings entry

The complete set for this category, in reference order.

Plasterboard →A factory-made lining board with a gypsum core faced in paper, fixed to studs or bonded to masonry to form a flat internal surface ready for decoration.Gypsum plaster →A wet-applied gypsum-based plaster used for internal undercoats and skim finishes, setting comparatively fast to a hard, smooth and relatively vapour-closed surface.Lime plaster →A slower-setting, softer and more vapour-open internal plaster, traditionally used on solid-walled and timber-lath buildings where compatibility with the background matters.Clay plaster →An unfired earth-based internal plaster of clay, sand and fibre, valued for a matt mineral texture and humidity buffering, but not intended to resist liquid water.Polished plaster →A decorative burnished finish built from very thin mineral layers and worked to a sheen, where the result depends more on the applicator's skill than on the material itself.Emulsion paint →A water-based, film-forming wall and ceiling paint in which pigment and binder dry to a continuous film that sits on the surface rather than bonding chemically into it.Mineral silicate paint →A mineral coating bound with potassium silicate that reacts chemically with a mineral substrate and stays highly open to water vapour, rather than forming a film over the top.Wall primer and sealer →A preparatory coating that is not a decorative finish: it evens out substrate suction, improves adhesion and holds back staining before the visible finish is applied.Wallpaper →A decorative sheet covering hung with adhesive, made as paper, vinyl-faced, non-woven or natural-faced material, whose finished look depends on the wall behind it.Timber wall panelling →Wood or wood-based wall lining in boards, sheets or framed panels, fixed to battens or a solid background, whose fit depends on how timber and the room move together.Acoustic wall panels →Wall-mounted panels made in felt, fabric-wrapped, slatted timber or mineral-cored forms, considered within a wider acoustic conversation and also chosen as a visible finish.Cork wall covering →A wall covering made from granulated or sliced cork bark, supplied as tiles, rolls or panels, giving a warm textured surface that takes pins readily and marks easily.

Browse by role

By the role the material plays

The same entries, clustered by what they typically do in an assembly. A material can appear in more than one cluster because it genuinely plays more than one role.

Substrate and base

Backgrounds and bases that other materials are fixed or applied to.

Moisture and air control

Thin layers that control where moisture and air are allowed to move.

External surface

The visible outer face of a wall or roof.

Where they appear

Parts of a building this category touches

An orientation aid only — it does not imply that any entry is suitable for that part of a particular building.

  • External walls · 1
  • Internal walls and ceilings · 12
  • Wet areas · 1

Elsewhere on Build Design Hub

Planning guidance for this subject

This library explains what materials are. These sections help with choosing between them and preparing for the conversation.

Wall and surface finish guides →The choosing-and-planning side of wall finishes.Wall finish ideas →Design directions for walls and surface treatments.Material and finish decisions →Preparation before a finishes conversation.

Materials & Systems Encyclopedia

Reference entries for building materials, product formats and system components — what they are, what their behaviour depends on and what to ask about them.

Browse the full Materials Library →