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    Home » Home Remodeling » Wall and Ceiling

    Published: Jun 1, 2021 · Modified: Nov 5, 2022 by Rachel

    How to Install Wainscoting

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
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    Wainscoting adds an elegance to a room you can’t get any other way. A beautiful architectural statement, wainscoting is an inexpensive way to make a room feel upscale and custom designed. This tutorial shows you how to get the look with basic materials.

    Wainscotting tutorial, DIY home improvement, DIY home projects, wood working, wall installations, interior design
    Contents show
    1 Recommended Supplies
    2 Deciding Your Wainscoting Design
    3 How To Install Wainscoting
    3.1 Step 1: Cut pieces to size using a compound miter saw.
    3.2 Step 2: Attach to the Wall.
    3.3 Step 3: Caulking around the Frames
    3.4 Step 4: Paint
    4 Final Thoughts
    5 More Simple Home Improvement Projects
    6 Frequently Asked Questions
    7 How To Install Wainscoting
    7.1 Tools
    7.2 Supplies
    7.3 Instructions
    7.4 Notes

    A few weeks ago, I shared that for the longest time, I had this terrible yellow bathroom and I hated it. Installing wainscoting added a classic, upscale style and broke up the space in a way that makes it feel elegant.

    Recommended Supplies

    • Trim
    • Chair Rail Moulding – you can see our design below, but there are multiple variations.
    • Compound Miter Saw
    • Tape Measure
    • Painter’s Tape (recommended)
    • Level
    • Wood Filler
    • Brad Nailer or Finishing Nails and Hammer
    • Wood Glue
    • Paintable Caulk
    • Paint

    I personally do not like pre-made panels you can buy at big box stores, because you can’t adjust the sizing. This leaves you ending in awkward places, especially on small walls. So we created our own!

    Our design is a combination of a few trims, particularly for the chair molding area. We glued and nailed them together. We used this Chair Rail Backer Moulding, along with a Small Crown Moulding, and a flat cap. Below is a 45-degree angled cross section of our dining room wainscoting, which is similar.

    Cross Section of layered crown moulding.

    Deciding Your Wainscoting Design

    For this or any type of wainscoting design, draw your design before you purchase materials. This will help you visually see how everything will look.

    You can adjust the height as needed and the sizing. This will also help you see anything that may interrupt your design such as wall vents, a sink, a doorway. For our bathroom, we had to work around the sink and a wall vent, but we did not change the size of the squares and it looks fine. Check the corners of your squares with a T-square or vertical level for perfect 90 degrees.


    QUICK TIP:

    Use painters tape while you are still deciding on the design. That way you only have to mark once. I still recommend drawing out the squares once you have decided the sizing.


    And of course, measure twice before purchasing your materials!

    Wainscoting ideas for designing and installing a classic style wainscoting. This example utilizes the bathroom.

    How To Install Wainscoting

    Step 1: Cut pieces to size using a compound miter saw.

    The corners are mitered (i.e. cut at 45-degrees to line up). I personally prefer to cut one piece at a time and tack them as we go around.

    If you are layering trim pieces like we did for the chair rail, I recommend putting them together and then cutting each piece.

    How to install wainscotting with trim nailed into wall.

    Step 2: Attach to the Wall.

    These easiest way to attach is to run a small bead of caulk along the backside of the trim and then nail into place. Use a level to make sure tops and bottoms are straight.

    Although nails and a hammer will work for this project, I highly recommend a brad nailer. It’s fast and requires a lot less hole filling.

    Fill any nail holes as necessary but gluing with caulk will cut down on how many nails you need.

    QUICK TIP:

    Label your cut pieces as you go so you aren’t searching for where they belong when tacking them to the wall.

    When tacking the boards to the wall and there isn’t a stud, nail at an angle for a better and tighter hold.

    Step 3: Caulking around the Frames

    Here’s the thing… walls are NOT perfectly flat, even brand-new ones. Taping, mudding, and patching create imperceptible bumps in walls. Therefore, you may notice that not all of the wood pieces lay perfectly flat against the wall. That’s ok!

    To get professional looking results, use a thin bead of caulk around every edge that touches the wall. Make sure to use paintable, interior caulk. For more tips on the best way to caulk, I repaired and caulked the baseboards last year. Caulking can be a bit of an art.

    Closeup of wainscotting with caulk being added to the wall frame.

    Step 4: Paint

    I used trim paint that matches our baseboards throughout the house. Since I used pre-primed wood, I did not have to prime.

    Painting and installing Wainscoting with white paint on the floor.

    Final Thoughts

    Installing wainscoting can be a tedious process, but it gives a look that you really can’t reproduce any other way. In total, we spent just under $200 on all of the wainscoting and supplies, which includes the crown molding we added to the top as well.

    Powder Room Update including crown molding and newly designed and installed wainscoting.

    It has been lovely not to have those horrid yellow walls smacking me in the face and the lighting color is so much better than it was before.

    More Simple Home Improvement Projects

    • The Easiest Way to Repair Baseboards and Trim
    • Building a Custom Closet
    • Tips for Easy Install of Peel and Stick Glass Tile
    • How to Spray Paint Outdoor Furniture
    • How to Paint a Garage Floor to Last
    • Living Room and Main Floor Design Inspiration

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between wainscoting and paneling?

    Both paneling and wainscoting or board and batten are styles of architectural additions to walls. Paneling may cover a wall floor to ceiling, while wainscoting normally covers ¼-2/3 of a wall.

    Is wainscoting expensive?

    It depends on the style and mouldings that you choose. Traditional wainscoting costs about $10-17 per panel for materials. Hardwood paneling is more expensive, depending on the species.

    Does Wainscoting make a room look bigger or smaller?

    Wainscoting by itself doesn’t make a room look larger or smaller. The paint colors that you pair with wainscoting make a bigger impact. Dark or bold colors will feel smaller, more intimate while light, airy colors will feel larger and casual.

    What is the purpose of wainscoting?

    Wainscoting’s purpose is mostly decorative, rather than functional. Particularly when paired with deep colors like navy and black, wainscoting helps create a bold statement without feeling overwhelmed by the dark, moody color.

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    Traditional wainscoting on the wall with measurements to guide how to space trim.

    How To Install Wainscoting

    Wainscoting adds an elegance to a room you can't get any other way. A beautiful architectural statement, wainscoting is an inexpensive way to make a room feel upscale and custom designed. This tutorial shows you how to get the look with basic materials.
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Project Time: 2 days
    Total Time: 1 day
    Author: Rachel
    Cost: $200

    Tools

    • compound miter saw
    • Tape Measure
    • Straight Edge or Level

    Supplies

    • Trim and Moulding
    • Nails
    • Wood Filler
    • Caulk
    • Paint's Tape
    • Paint

    Instructions

    • Cut pieces to size using a compound miter saw. Label your cut pieces as you go so you aren't searching for where they belong when tacking them to the wall.
      Traditional wainscoting on the wall with measurements to guide how to space trim.
    • Attach the trim to the wall using a small bead of caulk along the backside of the trim and then nail into place. Although nails and a hammer will work for this project, I highly recommend a brad nailer. It's fast and requires a lot less hole filling.
      How to install wainscotting with trim nailed into wall.
    • To get professional looking results, use a thin bead of caulk around every edge that touches the wall. Make sure to use paintable, interior caulk.
      Closeup of wainscotting with caulk being added to the wall frame.
    • After drying, paint the wainscoting in desired trim paint of choice. If using pre-primed wood, there is no need to prime before painting.
      Painting wainscotting and chair molding with can of paint on the floor.

    Notes

    General Tips
    • Use painters tape while you are still deciding on the design. That way you only have to mark once. I still recommend drawing out the squares once you have decided the sizing.
    • The corners are mitered (i.e. cut at 45 degrees to line up). I personally prefer to cut one piece at a time and tack them as we go around.
    • Although finishing nails and a hammer will work for this project, I highly recommend a brad nailer. It’s fast and requires a lot less hole filling.
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    1. Izzie says

      January 11, 2023 at 3:34 am

      5 stars
      WOW I love this design & so well explained

      Reply
    2. Sarah says

      October 07, 2022 at 6:19 pm

      5 stars
      Hi I love this. Can you please tell me what brand of paint you used and what the colors are? I love the combo but have bad luck choosing my own. Its so helpful to know the paint color so I can just go buy it. Is it in glossy, eggshell or matt? I love the Wainscoting. I am redoing my bathroom and love this look.
      Thank you,
      Sarah

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        October 11, 2022 at 8:25 pm

        The color is Benjamin Moore Winter Lake, although I will say that it looks a tad bluer in my bathroom than some photos I have seen. I believe it is because of the small room and daylight lighting. It’s eggshell sheen.

        Reply
    3. Sheryl says

      September 05, 2022 at 7:15 am

      Wow absolutely beautiful! I love this and want to do this in my powder room as well. Can you please link the chair rail/trim pieces you used at the top? I’m having a difficult time finding something comparable. Also, are this wood, or some other material? Thank you! Sheryl

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        September 08, 2022 at 12:48 pm

        Our design is a combination of a few trims, particularly for the chair molding area. We glued and nailed them together. We used this Chair Rail Backer Moulding, along with a Small Crown Moulding, and a flat cap. Below is a 45-degree angled cross section of our dining room wainscoting, which is similar.

        Reply
    4. Liz Smith says

      September 04, 2022 at 8:17 pm

      Hello and thank you for this amazing tutorial! How high are the ceilings in your bathroom? And what height did you hang the chair rail? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        September 05, 2022 at 1:11 am

        There’s no real rules about where the chair rail should be hung. I wanted it about 5 inches above the sink so I went with that. The ceilings in our house are 9 feet tall.

        Reply
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