If you’re looking for a traditional look, nothing beats the look of chair rail and wainscot paneling. The look is classic, easy to achieve, and very durable. The above picture from Cambridge Trim is a great example, and it isn’t anywhere near as hard to do as it looks! You can do this.
As you can see in this picture from Artisan Specialties, a wainscot look can be done without solid paneling below the chair rail. This is considerably less work and looks great! If your walls are textured, it can be hard to achieve the look. As you can see, these walls have not been textured.
Just Do It
I was thinking yesterday about this question: What keeps people who want to be able to do work on their home from learning how?
I think part of it is the fear of making a mistake and messing things up. But that’s how you learn! That’s how I learned. That’s how most pros I know learned. They just start. They look at something, see how it’s done, then do it.
Mistakes get made, but they can be fixed. Once you know how to do it yourself, then you can build on those skills and do more and more!
Three Parts In This Job
- Baseboard – pick a cool base, and nail it in place! The corners are usually cut on a 45 degree angle. It’s easy.
- Chair Rail – very similar installation to the baseboard. It’s just a little tougher to keep it level. (be careful about level if your base isn’t level, if your floor is out of level, you’re usually better off keeping the chair and base parallel. You can just measure up off your base)
- Panel Molding – there are about five hundred names for little moldings. Panel molding may not be what the one you want is called. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT IT IS CALLED. If you like the look of it, it will work. Any small molding, cut like a picture frame, will make those panel areas on the wall. Fasten them with a little glue and a brad nailer. (Amazon affiliate link)
You can do it, there really is no need for detailed instructions.
I’ve written more on these subjects in the past…
Baseboard and How To Install Baseboard
I hope you decide to give it a try.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Are there any secrets to installing beadboard or board and batten treatments?
Mombrud – Good to hear from you! Nothing I would call a “secret” really. One thing to be careful of when installing any paneling over existing walls is what kind of fastners (nails/screws) you’re using. You don’t want to shoot through and into a wire or a pipe. For thin beadboard panels, I would use a brad nailer (with short nails) and glue, shooting my nails at opposing angles to hold the panel while the glue dries. I would try to hit solid framing with a longer screw every so often. Thicker wood has to be attached more securely, generally requiring that you know where your framing is so you can hit it. If you can’t get into framing, thick wood (3/4″) would need to be held on using drywall anchors. Honestly, if I were doing solid 3/4″ thick board and batten, I would run nailers the opposite direction first. (fir out the wall)
Probably more of an answer than you bargained for! Just enough to really confuse you.