Aluminum diamond plate is a versatile, durable, and beautiful material that’s gaining popularity as an interior design material. It’s easy to cut the sheets to size and apply them to walls and other surfaces for an easy upgrade.

Make sure to choose the right material for your project so that you’ll love the final look. Know these three things to consider before buying aluminum diamond plate.

Many people overestimate how thick they need diamond plate to be for interior design projects. While some forms of diamond plate are used in industrial settings to create sturdy, skid-resistant surfaces, it’s best to use the thinnest material that will meet your needs.

When it comes to the most common ways to decorate with diamond plate, you almost never need a sheet thicker than .025 inches. At this thickness, it’s easy for you to cut and install the material. The thickness also affects the shipping costs, and at .025 inches, diamond plate is a very affordable material.

You also want to measure your surface area closely so that you can order the right amount of diamond plate. It’s a good idea to buy 10 percent extra to ensure you have enough after cutting.

One of the most popular ways to use diamond plate is as wainscoting in garages, man caves, and home gyms. Consider how you want the material to look in the space and if you need diamond plate accents to create a sleeker look.

For example, if you want to wrap the diamond plate around an outward-jutting corner, you can create a cleaner look by covering the edge with a diamond plate corner guard. And if you’re placing diamond plate on a wall or installing it as a backsplash, diamond plate outlet covers will help your outlets blend into the design rather than stick out.

The final thing to consider before buying aluminum diamond plate is what color you want. While bright silver is the most common color, you can find sheets in different colors and shades. Other colors include red, black, yellow, white, blue, and gray, and different companies carry different shades.

If you want a layered look, you can get two colors and use them together on the same project. A popular color scheme for finished garages uses white, black, red, and silver together for a retro design. Using red and black or red and white diamond plate on your walls can complete the look.