How to Install Wainscoting

Wainscoting hails from the Edwardian era when opulent interiors featured coffered ceilings, paneled walls, ornate casework and finely crafted wood furnishings. The use of bead board is both cozy and elegant, cottage and estate. Though most popular in bathrooms these days, you can apply bead board in any room or hallway in the house. It's a fine detail and worth the effort.

Choose one of two installation systems. The first system, pictured left, is the most time consuming and requires more expensive materials. This systems consists of four finish pieces of wood; Chair Rail (cap piece), Tongue and Groove Stiles (vertical wainscoting pieces), Baseboard and Base Shoe. The second system consists of the same trim pieces except the stiles are replaced with 4'-0 x 8'-0 sheets of grooved MDF or fine plywood. The sheets provide savings in material cost and installation time. The first system is more attractive when completed.

Since the second system, which utilizes sheets of bead board, is a much easier installation, I will focus on the first system. Should you choose the second system, follow the same steps but enjoy a faster installation with bead board. Quick warning for those leaning toward sheets of bead board: you will be able to see the seams where the separate sheets meet. The stiles system is a series of small tongue and groove pieces and there are no seams when you are finished.

Plan your installation. Measure out the room(s) you plan to apply bead board and tally the lineal footage of wall space. The material is expensive, so you don't want to buy more than necessary. You will need to purchase this product from a specialty lumber store. A place typically utilized by contractors, fine carpenters and not the public. This where you will find the best bead board materials.

Prep all the pieces with primer. If you are in a really cold climate with harsh, damp winters it is best to use an oil based primer. Prime both sides of all trim pieces. To be safe, apply a finish coat of paint on the tongue. This will compensate for movement in to wood during the changing seasons. There is potential that a slice of the tongue can suddenly become visible as the wood moves seasonally. If it's painted the same color, no on will notice.

Install the baseboard first, typical of most systems. Prior to doing so, use a level and a chalk line and establish a perfectly level line for the top of your baseboard to meet. If your baseboard is out of level, you will be able to pick up the mistake when looking at the chair rail; the top of the bead board detail. Don't be concerned if the level installation of baseboard leaves uneven gaps between the base board and floor. This is what the base shoe is for, it perfectly blends the baseboard into the floor while covering gaps upwards of 3/4".

Using construction adhesive, squeeze a large "S" on the drywall in the area you will be installing your stiles. Not too much though, construction adhesive works poorly when applied in goops and globs.
Gently push the tongue into the groove and tap with a rubber mallet to create a tight fit. Once set, use a finish nail gun and toe nail through the tongue with a finish nail gun. If you are using a hammer, you will have to pre-drill a little pilot hole in the tongue for the nail. This step keeps the stile in place while the adhesive dries

Install the chair rail or top cap. Go ahead and miter cut these corners since the cut is so small. Glue to the top of stiles lightly and place a length of chair rail on top. The chair rail is commonly groove on the bottom to fit tightly onto the stiles. Tap down with a rubber mallet and toe nail into place. Carefully glue and secure you mitered corners.

Sand lightly and apply wood putty where necessary. Your bead board will look stunning once painted.