When natural wood veneer is part of a project’s early budget conversation, the numbers depend significantly on how the material gets to the wall. SanFoot installs direct to drywall using a commercial wallcovering trade and arrives from our factory already prefinished. That method produces a documented 30 to 70 percent cost savings compared to architectural wood panels. Understanding where that range comes from helps design teams apply it accurately when budgets are being set.
Where the Cost Difference Comes From
SanFoot is a prefinished natural wood veneer wallcovering that installs direct to drywall using approved adhesive and standard wallcovering tools. No separate millwork substrate system is required. That approach affects material cost and trade coordination across the project.
Our patented slicing process produces three times the veneer yield from each log compared to conventional methods, which affects the material side of the equation. The installation is handled by commercial wallcovering contractors using familiar tools, which changes the labor side. Both factors contribute to the 30 to 70 percent range.
A Wallcovering Installation, Not a Millwork System
SanFoot is installed by commercial wallcovering installers using approved adhesive and standard wallcovering tools. It bonds directly to gypsum board and other approved substrates, and the material arrives from our factory prefinished with a urethane sealer and finish. There is no post-install coating step in the field, and installation time and labor savings compared to architectural millwork panels are substantial.
For projects where millwork is specified for casework or custom fabrication, SanFoot works alongside it. The cost advantage applies to the wall surface, and millwork’s role in a project does not change.
What This Looks Like in Practice
The cost difference is most pronounced on large, continuous wall fields: corridors, lobbies, and public gathering spaces where a high square footage of natural wood needs to be covered consistently. On those surfaces, our factory sequencing, standard 3-by-9 and 3-by-10-foot sheet sizes, and direct-to-drywall installation keep material and labor numbers within a range that can open natural wood as an option on projects where it might otherwise be set aside early in the budget process.
SanFoot can also be specified on the same project as millwork. Where surfaces call for custom built-ins or fabricated elements, the two work together without conflict. SanFoot addresses the wall field; millwork handles what it does best.
For guidance on where SanFoot fits within a project budget and how to plan the specification for large wall areas, contact Jacaranda.
