Two Ways of Installing Wainscoting

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Installing wainscoting, specifically this raised panel style, will give rooms a more formal look.
Installing wainscoting, specifically this raised panel style, will give rooms a more formal look.
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Example of beaded strip wainscoting.
Example of beaded strip wainscoting.
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Diagram shows method of attaching beaded strip wainscoting.
Diagram shows method of attaching beaded strip wainscoting.
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Beaded strip wainscoting using wider boards.
Beaded strip wainscoting using wider boards.
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Diagram shows method of installing raised panel wainscoting. This style uses a framework to hold the
Diagram shows method of installing raised panel wainscoting. This style uses a framework to hold the "floating" panels in place.
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Homemade fence jig and roller guide.
Homemade fence jig and roller guide.
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Side view of roller guide.
Side view of roller guide.
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Detailed view of fence jig.
Detailed view of fence jig.
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Example of beaded strip wainscoting in a washroom area.
Example of beaded strip wainscoting in a washroom area.

It is said that someone once remarked that “90% of British tradition is less than a century old.” Fact or fiction, he no doubt had to confess that wainscoting had a much more hoary place among the ranks of the legitimate. After all, Shakespeare was a pup when English woodcrafters were importing select oak to decorate the walls of contemporary trendsetters — and when compared to the stone or wattle of the time, installing wainscoting is simple. So much so that wainscot paneling must have seemed the greatest discovery since the longbow.

Traditional or not, wainscot (a term that covers any use of paneling on the lower part of a wall) has a lot going for it. In a practical sense, it’s hard to beat the durability of wood in places that get kicked, scraped, and thumped as a matter of course. In fact, dry wall or plaster that’s been damaged to the point of cracking can often be covered with wood at less expense than would be required to restore the walls outright.

Better yet, a well-planned wainscot job is adaptable to almost any room. Panel widths and shapes can be modified to suit doorways, windows, fireplaces and other details that, aside from their function, sometimes seem to get in the way. Chair rails can be muted for a modern look, or extended to serve as a working shelf in a bath or kitchen area.

A lower-wall treatment also offers an opportunity to experiment with the change of textures and colors, either to put some life into an uninspired space, or to lend an air of formality to a room that needs a bit of urging.

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  • Published on Jan 1, 1989
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