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    Home » Home Remodeling » Wall and Ceiling

    Published: Jun 1, 2021 · Modified: Jun 1, 2021 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.

    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.

    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 Frequently Asked Questions
    6 More Simple Home Improvement Projects
    7 How To Install Wainscoting
    7.1 Tools
    7.2 Supplies
    7.3 Instructions
    7.4 Notes

    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. I don’t like the idea of ending in awkward places in the pattern, especially on small walls.

    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 in your own home including design ideas and DIY tutorial

    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.

    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

    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.

    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, waincoting helps create a bold statement without feeling overwhelmed by the dark, moody color.

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    PS I love seeing your creations! Be sure to take a photo and tag #cravingcreative on Instagram! You can also stay in touch with me through following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Subscribing to the Newsletter!

    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 11 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.
    • 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.
    • After drying, paint the wainscoting in desired trim paint of choice. If using pre-primed wood, there is no need to prime before painting.

    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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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ankur says

      April 11, 2022 at 5:54 pm

      Nice work! Do you have a link to the layered pieces and cap you used? Thanks

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        April 21, 2022 at 7:39 am

        Unfortunately, I do not because it is very difficult to be sure it’s the exact ones from Home Depot’s website. I find it much easier to find them in store.

        Reply
        • ankur says

          April 22, 2022 at 5:43 pm

          5 stars
          Thanks! Im going to give it a try soon.

    2. Martie says

      March 26, 2022 at 6:33 pm

      5 stars
      This tutorial is the total package! Perfectly explained, easy to follow with great visuals! Since I can’t cut trim to make a good enough square, I will use a perfect square template as a pattern to cut my trim pieces. Thanks for the awesome easy inspiration!

      Reply
    3. Liz says

      March 08, 2022 at 5:00 pm

      Can you show how you went around the sink?

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        March 09, 2022 at 4:35 pm

        We have a small pedestal sink in that bathroom. The railing at the top of the design is higher than the sink. The bottom of the railing is a few inches above the sink. The box designs go around the pedestal but end into the sink where necessary. We did not remove the sink for installation.

        Reply
    4. Sam says

      January 27, 2022 at 5:04 am

      Hi, can you tell me what the floor tiling is in the picture with the blue wall? Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        January 27, 2022 at 7:19 am

        That is a white marble 3×9 tile. It is real marble, but if I had to do it again, there are many better options available now. I would go with a porcelain tile that looks like marble as it is much easier to maintain. Real marble is porous, and I seal this floor every year since this is our most used bathroom.

        Reply
    5. Stephen Merf says

      November 25, 2021 at 10:44 am

      Our wall has a little texture, do you recommend covering the wall?

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        November 29, 2021 at 11:39 pm

        It would depend on how much texture and where you want that to show. If it’s small, you can usually sand the wall smooth. If it is moderately textured, it may be easier to cover it with a thin, flat material. There are also designs today of wainscoting that is made from panels, so that might be the easiest.

        Reply
    6. Lauren says

      November 20, 2021 at 3:58 pm

      What size flat cap did you use?

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        November 22, 2021 at 7:41 am

        It varies depending on the thickness of your other trim. Ours dining room is 1-3/4 x 3/16 and the bathroom is 1-1/2 x 1/2 (actual measurements, not nominal).

        Reply
    7. Helen says

      November 22, 2020 at 5:43 am

      5 stars
      What type of paint did you use for wall with panels on and the panels we have just had these fitted to our wall thanks

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        November 22, 2020 at 10:29 am

        We used trim paint to match all of the trim in the house.

        Reply
    8. Sharon says

      June 22, 2020 at 4:33 pm

      5 stars
      Was the white on the wainscoting semi glossy?

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        June 30, 2020 at 11:08 pm

        I use a satin trim paint, but you can use a semi-gloss if you like. Before I painted the wainscoting, it has a primer on it that was more matte than semi-gloss.

        Reply
    9. Sirlei says

      May 17, 2020 at 7:55 am

      5 stars
      Could you pretty please make a video explaining step by step on how you achieved this breathtaking wainscoting!?! I’m dying to do/have one exactly like yours. Thank you very much.

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        May 18, 2020 at 7:39 am

        Thank you so much for the suggestion. Video is something I am working through for the site. At this time, however, I do have a large backlog of tutorials to work through. I answer all my emails, though it might take me a few days if I am in the middle of a project. Feel free to ask any specific questions you need.

        Reply
    10. Courtney says

      April 24, 2020 at 8:49 am

      5 stars
      May I ask what color is on the walls?! We currently have Wayne’s coating like that and we love that blue!

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        May 04, 2020 at 1:01 pm

        I’m pretty sure that the color on the wall is Benjamin Moore Winter Lake.

        Reply
    11. Jo says

      April 18, 2020 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      Really useful post, did you prime the wood and wall before paining and if so what type of primer did you use?

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        April 21, 2020 at 11:24 pm

        The wood we used was already primed, so I didn’t prime them. You only need to prime if you have bare wood or walls that have never been painted. I also sometimes use stain-blocking primer if I am going from a very dark color to a light color. That’s more because primer is cheaper than good paint and covers better. Regardless, when I do need to prime walls, I generally use Kilz Original or Premium.

        Reply
    12. Hannah Cousar says

      January 07, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      May I ask what you used? I don’t know how many different sizes or styles of picture rail there is. Is this just normal “go to home depot and ask for picture rail?” or do I need to pick among many different widths, kinds and styles?

      Thank you,
      Hannah

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        January 26, 2020 at 9:45 pm

        The fun thing about this is you can use whatever kind of trim you like or layer it for a fun effect. They do make pre-made frames also if you would rather go that route, but this is the trim we used.

        Reply
    13. Max says

      August 11, 2018 at 4:01 pm

      5 stars
      We just started our new carpentry services and found this article.
      Really appreciate you taking the time to give us instructions on how to install wainscoting. It’s a very good DIY guide.
      wainscoting is an interesting topic to discuss, and you did an excellent job of keeping it entertaining. Thanks a lot!

      Reply
    14. Animeyt says

      September 04, 2017 at 3:46 am

      5 stars
      Great post. Thanks for your instruction

      Reply

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