Best ways to use wooden slatwall in retail

One of the biggest challenges facing retail owners is how to display as many products as possible in an aesthetically pleasing way that will encourage people to buy. Wood slatwall panels are an incredibly versatile way to solve this problem, maximizing the available space and bringing your store to life.

Unlike many other display solutions, slatwall manages to combine both style and functionality, making it the smart option for the savvy businessperson. Here we explore some of the best ways to use wooden slatwall in your store.

What Are Wood Slatwall Panels?

Just in case you’re not sure, slatwall is a panel made of wood, usually square-shaped and coated in melamine, with neat grooves running vertically along it. The grooves can be close together or far apart, but they are always equally distanced from each other. In the grooves, you can add slatwall inserts to add strength and extra colour to the design, and a number of different slatwall accessories.

It has lots of different names, including slatwall, slotwall, groove wall, and bracket board. It is easy to fix to the wall and the slimline structure means it takes away very little of your premium floor space.

The best thing about wooden slatwall is that it has an unlimited number of design options. The only thing holding you back is your creativity!

Don’t Stick to One Colour

Who says your slatwall all has to be the same colour? If you are filling a big space with wood slatwall panels, mix and match! Whatever your two most prominent brand colours are, you can alternate these colour panels to create a wall that really stands out!

Another option is to have two different shades of wood – one dark and one light. Or you could go monochrome (that would look amazing in a store selling musical instruments!) Maybe you want two shades of the same colour. Whatever you do, make sure it represents your brand.

Don’t Hang Your Products All in A Line

Boring! Wooden slatwall offers a great chance to have fun with your design and create something eye-catching. One big, long line of things is not going to capture the imagination of your customers.

You could create groups of products in squares or circles. You could simply alternate grooves with each item. Make a pattern with your items that grabs the attention of passers-by, so they can’t help but stop and stare.

Mix Up Your Slatwall Accessories

A couple of hooks here, a shelf or two there. Maybe a few longer arms at the edges. Attention to detail in this area can make all the difference in your display and allow you to show off a far wider range of products than if you simply stuck to hooks.

Maybe decide on your star item and place that in the middle, on whichever accessory works best, and then grow outwards from there. Whatever you do, keep it interesting.

It’s Not All About Melamine

Melamine offers a standard paint finish that helps prevent the wood from warping and strengthens the panel. But you can change the look to suit your needs. Perhaps a powder-coated finish on your wood slatwall panels would look better in your store. Or an anodized finish. Of course, whatever you do to your panel can be replicated on your inserts.

This is a great way to add depth to your look, or interest when your colour palette is limited for whatever reason. Maybe you need to stick to white but you want to give it character. Texture adds an elegant touch that won’t distract from your goods.

Personalise Your Wood Slatwall Panels

Why not emblazon your wooden slatwall with your company logo? Or an image that speaks to your customers and captures the essence of your brand. This might cost a little bit extra in the long run, but it will tie in with the vibe you are trying to create in your store. Give your customers an experience every time they come in and they will return without hesitation.

Trim Your Wooden Boards

If you have a smaller piece of wall or a fixed unit in place, you can trim your boards to fit, allowing you to take full advantage of every single area of your store. There is a very specific way to do this, but you can find some excellent instructions at The Panel Company.

Wooden slatwall is not just for spaces of 4” x 4”. You can fill every space, big or small, with a little bit of DIY.

It’s Not Just for Your Store

Why not enhance your stockroom with matching wood slatwall panels? This is actually a very clever way to stay organized out the back and make it easy for staff to find what they are looking for. You can number slatwalls or recreate your store layout in your stockroom so everyone knows where everything is when it comes to restocking or looking for a particular customer item.

Best of all, it certainly keeps things neat, tidy, and off the floor, eliminating trip hazards and ensuring order out back.

Choose Quality Fittings for the Best Finish

However, if you choose to style your walls with wooden slatwall and slatwall accessories, make sure you choose high-quality fittings like the ones we sell at Valentino’s Displays.

Poorly made slatwall might be cheaper, but it won’t last long in a busy shop environment. You need something that can handle the demands of your customers and hold your heavier items. However, even well-made slatwall might need some reinforcement. That is where your slatwall inserts come in. They give your panel the strength they need to hold almost anything.

Buy Our Wood Slatwall Panels!

We stock it all. Manufactured to the highest quality and at great prices, so you don’t have to compromise on your wood slatwall panels. In addition to slatted wall panels we are the UK’s #1 supplier of shop display fittings – call us today!