Adding
Wainscoting to Your Room Remodel
by Pamela Cole Harris
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One of the hottest looks today (and yesterday!) is
wainscoting. Whether painted or natural, it can add
character to any room. It can also add durability to
playroom or family room walls. Most home improvement stores
have precut wainscoting in a variety of styles and colors.
To add wainscoting to your room:
1. First remove the baseboards and cover plates in the room.
A wide-blade putty knife is ideal for removing the
baseboards from the wall. If you need more leverage, you
might try using a pry bar. Be careful not to damage the
drywall when using the pry bar. Take special care in
removing the baseboards if you intend to reuse them. Remove
any electrical cover plates that will be covered with
wainscoting.
2. Next establish the wainscoting height which would look
best in the room. As a general rule, the lower the ceiling,
the lower the wainscoting should be. A good way to check for
the ideal height is to make mock wainscoting with cardboard
or poster board. Raise or lower the height to create a
visual balance in the room. Mark the height you have decided
upon then subtract the width of the cap rail. This is the
height for the top end of your vertical wainscoting.
3. Lay out the top edge around the room with a level and a
pencil. Used a stud finder to go around the room again to
locate and mark the studs. Then draw a vertical line at the
center of each stud to just above the height line.
4. Next, starting in a corner or at the edge of a door,
measure for the length of the wainscoting. Cut the
wainscoting to length with a power saw (use a saber or
coping saw to cut the boards around windows or outlets.)
Continue around the room. Be sure to measure each board to
compensate for an uneven floor.
5. Apply construction adhesive on the back of each board.
The adhesive should be spread with a ¼ inch notched trowel
(disposable is best). Slide the board in place with its
grooved edge facing the corner or door (sliding helps spread
the adhesive). Cleanup any mistakes with mineral spirits.
6. Use a level to make sure the board you just installed is
plumb. Don't force the boards together, but leave a tiny
space between them to allow for contraction and expansion
with the changing humidity.
7. Nail each board on its face just above the floor into the
wall. Nail the boards at the top end at an angle in the area
made by the tongue. You should use a nail set to prevent
damaging of the tongue. Face-nail the boards into studs
wherever possible.
8. The next step is to miter the cap rail pieces at a 45
degree angle where they will meet at the inside and outside
corners. Some corners are not at a 90 degree angle, so it's
a good idea to make test cuts on scrap pieces.
9. Attach the cap rail with 1 ¼ inch finish nails, driving
them into the wainscoting. Nail the cap rail into the studs
wherever possible. A nail set should be used to recess the
nail heads.
10. The baseboards should be installed by mitering the
baseboards in the same way you mitered the cap rails. Use 2
inch finish nails to attach the baseboards into the
wainscoting and studs. Use a nail set to recess the nail
heads.
11. Using matching wood putty in all the nail holes in the
wainscoting, cap rails and baseboards.
Voila! Your room is finished! Time to relax and enjoy (at
least until you start on the NEXT project!)
Pamela Cole Harris is a writer, editor, marketer and
webmaster with 35 years experience. Sign up for her monthly
newsletter at http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com
to enjoy
her unique view of home improvement! Or visit
http://www.pamelacoleharris.com
for content for your
website.
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