Beadboard Wainscot

Wainscoting or beadboard can add a touch of class to any room in the home, and is particularly appealing to those who want a refined look similar to those of a bygone period. Wainscoting is typical in most higher-end homes, but getting the same look in any home is easy. Installing wainscoting or beadboard is a great do-it-yourself project that can be uncomplicated as long as you have a room with straight walls and level plumb.

Beadboard/Wainscoting Tips

No matter what experience you have with woodworking, your wainscoting project can be straightforward by following these tips from professional finish carpenters:

1. Measure, measure, measure. Triple check all of your dimensions before ordering your wainscot/beadboard. Since beadboard is often priced based on the quantity desired, re-ordering more later may very well mean that you pay more per piece for additional pieces needed when you discover a mistake in measurement.

2. Before cutting, triple check your measurements again. It takes just a few minutes to re-measure, but mistakes can be expensive and cause you to run behind schedule on getting your project finished.

3. If any of your components require staining/painting, do so before hanging. Don't allow built up paint to be present where pieces of your wainscot/beadboard interlock or join.

4. Nailing wainscoting/beadboard is a skilled art, so consider renting a pneumatic nailer. The results and time saved are well worth the cost. Use a stud finder to locate studs and paneling nails to help secure your beadboard.

5. Allow newly purchased beadboard to cure in the room where you will be installing it for at least 48 hours. This allows for natural expansion and contraction of the wood before it is installed.

6. Draw a level line around the room that you plan to install the beadboard in at the top of where it will hang. This allows you to properly line up your beadboard and allows for easy, level hanging and installation.

7. Use a zig-zag motion to apply paneling adhesive to the back of your beadboard.

8. Trim any narrower pieces of beadboard that you to finish corners with a circular saw or table saw - and place the beadboard in a face down position for trimming.

9. Accent your freshly installed beadboard with beautiful crown molding trim or baseboards around the bottom for a finished look that you will enjoy for years to come.