Wainscoting Finishes

DEFINITION

- Wainscoting is an ornamental dressing that is applied to the lower portion of a wall.

- It is a panelling style applied to the lower 3' (900mm) to 5' (1500mm) of an interior wall , below chair

rail and above the baseboard or skirting board

ORIGIN

- The practice of lining interior walls with wooden panels began in the late Middle Ages and became

very popular during the Renaissance.

- Stone walls are cold, and they can pull dampness from the ground up into the building thus

wainscoting was an attempt to make living areas more comfortable.

- Covering walls with thick wood made them warmer and drier.

- Early wainscoting was tall, often covering the lower three-quarters of

the wall.

- Wainscoting was more durable and easier to clean than the wallpaper or

painted surfaces of the period.

 TYPES OF WAINSCOTING

- Raised Panel

- Flat Panel

TYPES OF WAINSCOTING

- Beadboard Wainscoting

PURPOSES / USES

- Wainscoting adds instant architectural detail and interest to a wall which comes in many decorative

styles, and most of those styles provide

physical protection to the lower portions of walls.

- With a raised panel appearance, wainscoting becomes formal.

- With a bead board appearance, wainscoting evokes the beach and lake.

- Dark stained wainscoting adds a masculine touch for a man's room or

den.

- White painted wainscoting against pastel walls becomes a youthful,

feminine combination.
PURPOSES / USES

- To protect the lower 36 inches of walls in mud rooms and laundry rooms.

- In the dining room under a chair rail to define the space and protect

the walls from the tops of chairs.

- In stairwells where people may touch walls, leaving scuff marks and

dents.

- In bathrooms and bedrooms to add immediate charm and detail.

- In kitchens as back splash or along the kitchen dining wall. Bead board

style panels can be installed in the central panel of cabinets to bring

old-style charm into the room.

FEATURES / DESIGNS

1. Chair rail

2. Top rail

3. Rail

4. Stile

5. Flat panel

6. Bottom rail

7. Baseboard

FEATURES / DESIGNS

- Stenciled Designs
FEATURES / DESIGNS

- Colour wash

FEATURES / DESIGNS

- Antiqued Aged Wood

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*The University Of Technology Jamaica*

*Faculty Of Education And Liberal Studies*

*Construction Technology Two (2)*

*Wainscoting*

*Group members*

*Garcia Howe 0802520*

Dwayne Marshall 0702710*

**

**

*Wainscoting*

Wainscoting is an ornamental dressing that is applied to the lower

portion of a wall. It is a panelling style applied to the lower 3' (900mm)

to 5' (1500mm) of an interior wall<http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Wall>,

below chair rail and above the baseboard <http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Baseboard>or

skirting board. It is traditionally constructed from tongue-and-groove

<http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Tongue-and-groove>boards.

There are various kinds of wainscot applications. A common format is when

wall panels are created by rails and stiles, which form boxes adorned by

elegant molding.

Wainscoting was once used to cover the lower part of walls which, in

houses constructed with poor or nonexistent damp-proof

courses<http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Damp-proof_course>,

are often affected by rising dampness; it now mainly serves a decorative

purpose.

Wainscoting was traditionally made of solid wood. The wainscoting

ideas discussed below not only incorporate interesting designs, but also

protect the lower walls from damage. The most common material used for

wainscoting today is medium density fiberboard (MDF). MDF is used in humid

environments, such as basements, since it does not warp when confronted with

the prospects of water damage. For most rooms, the height of the wainscoting

is most effective somewhere between 36 and 48 inches, but this does not have

to be a hard and fast rule. Dramatic effects can be created with taller

panels, but should be planned with care so as to not overwhelm a room. There

are three main types of wainscoting: beadboard (both individual pieces and

panels), plywood panels, and decorative panels like those of a door.

Wainscoting can also be created from other materials (e.g. metal sheets,

cultured marble) for uses in various rooms of the house.

While wainscoting is usually applied in the more formal rooms of a

house, including the dinning room, living room and bedrooms, it is also

found in bathrooms, hallways, staircase areas and foyers. It adds instant

architectural detail and interest to a wall which comes in many decorative

styles, and most of those styles provide physical protection to the lower

portions of walls. With a raised panel appearance, wainscoting becomes

formal. With a bead board appearance, wainscoting evokes the beach and lake.

Dark stained wainscoting adds a masculine touch for a man's room or den.

White painted wainscoting against pastel walls becomes a youthful, feminine

combination. How the wainscoting is designed and finished makes it usable in

almost any room in the house.

*The Origin of Wainscoting*

The practice of lining interior walls with wooden panels began in the

late Middle Ages and became very popular during the Renaissance. It was an

attempt to make living areas more comfortable. Stone walls are cold, and

they can pull dampness from the ground up into the building. Covering walls

with thick wood made them warmer and drier.

Early wainscoting was tall, often covering the lower three-quarters of the

wall. Oak was the wood most frequently used for the purpose. For several

centuries in England, "wainscot oak" referred to the beautiful quarter-sawn

oak surfaces that were typical of wainscoting.

Buildings were drier by Victorian period, but wainscoting was still

installed in many places. Often, it was placed in heavily used areas, where

it protected plastered, papered or painted walls. Wainscoting was more

durable and easier to clean than the wallpaper or painted surfaces of the

period.

*Types of Wainscoting*

Raised Panel

A raised panel wainscot, popular in England throughout the Stuart and

Georgian periods, was the earliest style to be developed. Each panel is

pushed out into the room slightly, so that it is in front of the styles and

rails. The beveled edge created by molding is very noticeable. Raised panel

wainscoting is the most formal wainscot style even today.

Flat Panel

Recessed panel, or flat panel, wainscot was developed during the 19th

century in North America. The panels are placed a little deeper than the

rails and styles, giving a recessed appearance. No molding is used, so the

panel edges are very obvious. These panels were used in Mission-style

buildings and were often placed in Craftsman houses.

Beadboard Wainscoting

Beadboard wainscoting is a method of finishing interior walls with

wooden paneling that extends typically three feet up from the floor and is

topped with a piece of wooden molding often referred to as a chair rail. The

term also applies to the product itself or finished project. The term arises

from the original British word for a superior grade of oak that was
frequently used to produce paneling.

During the Victorian period, wainscot made of beadboard was very

popular, especially for informal areas or beach houses. It was usually

installed with the beaded lines running vertically. The rails and styles

were quite narrow and inconspicuous. Today, beadboard wainscoting is often

used to create a casual or country mood.

*The Purposes/ Uses of Wainscoting*

Wainscoting adds instant architectural detail and interest to a wall

which comes in many decorative styles, and most of those styles provide

physical protection to the lower portions of walls. With a raised panel

appearance, wainscoting becomes formal. With a bead board appearance,

wainscoting evokes the beach and lake. Dark stained wainscoting adds a

masculine touch for a man's room or den. White painted wainscoting against

pastel walls becomes a youthful, feminine combination. How the wainscoting

is designed and finished makes it usable in almost any room in the house.

Wainscoting is used:

1. To protect the lower 36 inches of walls in mud rooms and laundry

rooms. Bead board applications are used in these more casual rooms to

maintain the informality of the space. The bead board may be finished with

a durable, easy-to-clean finish like a urethane on natural wood finishes or

a high gloss with painted wainscoting.

2. In the dining room under a chair rail to define the space and protect

the walls from the tops of chairs. This type of wainscoting is often

panelled and painted, allowing for a contrasting paint or wallpaper

treatment above the chair rail.

3. In stairwells where people may touch walls, leaving scuff marks and

dents. This type of installation is excellent for both the bead board style

wainscoting for more casual homes and panel style for more formal and

traditional homes. Paint is often the best finish in stairwells as light is

diminished and stained trim will tend to make stairs look dark.

4. In dens, libraries and home offices where dark colors reign supreme.

Panel walls up to shoulder height when the paneling is stained. Apply a dark

paint above the paneling and mount memorabilia this type of paneling can

also be matched to an entertainment <http://www.ehow.com/arts/> center in

the same wood finish creating a built-in and cohesive look.

5. In bathrooms and bedrooms to add immediate charm and detail.

Particularly nice in bathrooms when paired with pedestal sinks and

freestanding bathtubs (like claw foot), this application usually favors bead

board painted white or cream with beach or cottage summer colors above.

Protect the surface of this application with water-resistant finishes.

6. In kitchens as back splash or along the kitchen dining wall. Bead

board style panels can be installed in the central panel of cabinets to

bring old-style charm into the room. Paired with butcher block counter tops

and a hardwood floor, this style can transform a standard kitchen into a

comfortable retreat.
*How to Install Wainscoting*

You'll need a combination square, tape measure, level, utility knife,

clamps, hammer, chop saw, table or radial arm saw, or circular saw (or a

hand saw and miter box, and coping saw). A cordless drill/driver, dividers,

jig saw and pneumatic nailer can also be handy. You'll also need

construction adhesive, wood glue, 8d and 4d finish nails, wood filler and

wood shims.

Following is some general information for using precut panels and a rail

system from Pacific Column. Complete installation information is available

from their website.

The first step is to lay out the wall. For a Classic Traditional design,

locate the centre of the wall, and lean one of the panels against the wall

with the centre of the panel aligned with the centre line of the wall. Take

a 3-inch stile and lean it against the wall next to the centre panel. Make

sure the stile overlaps the panel by the amount of the notch. Take another

panel and fit against the stile and then take another stile and fit against

the panel. Repeat until you reach the corner at one side of the wall.

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*First step is to lay out the room to create equal size panels and stiles.*
When you reach the corner, the last piece to be installed must be a 3- or a

10-inch stile, not a raised panel. If the last piece ends up as a raised

panel, go back to the centre of the room and substitute a stile for the

panel in the centr. This will make the first piece either a three- or

10-inch stile. Trim it to fit. Once you have done this, you've established

the layout of the panels and stiles.

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*The Panel Set kits from New England Classic includes panels and stiles. A

matching Frame Pak kit contains the bottom and top rails and a cap.*

When laying out a wall with windows, assemble the parts for under the

windows first. In most instances, a single panel should be turned on its

side and centered below the window. A 10-inch stile should then be cut to

the proper width to fit between the panel and the bottom of the window,

allowing for the bottom rail width. A Classic American and Classic Beadboard

layout from Pacific Column is somewhat different. With this system either

the panels or end stiles may be cut to match the length of the wall. Under

windows use the Classic Traditional layout, except rather than using a

10-inch-wide stile, trim one or more panels so that a 3-inch-wide stile may

be used at each corner of the window and below the windowsill. A

10-inch-wide stile can also be trimmed for below the windowsill.

Classic Beadwork paneling does not require a layout. Simply start at one end

of a wall and lay in the panels, cutting around windows, doors and corners.

For outside corners start your panels there.

Proper preparation of the wall is important for a quality installation.

Remove all existing baseboard, moldings and other trim that will interfere

with the paneling. Use a long, straight piece of lumber or level to check

for unevenness of the walls. Sand or scrape off any high spots. Apply a thin

coat of compound to extremely low spots, or shims can be tacked on the wall

behind the panels during installation. Then locate and mark the wall studs.

Using a level or plumb bob, create a plumb line from the height of the

wainscot down to the floor centered on each stud location. Pacific Columns

also suggests the components be conditioned in their final environment for

at least two to three days prior to installation.

Since floors are rarely level and flat, locate the high point of the

floor. Then, using a level and a long straight board, mark a level line

starting at the high point. Place the bottom rail slightly above the floor.

If the floor slopes more than 1/2 inch, place the rail directly down on the

high point. Shim the bottom rail up as you go around the room.

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*The bottom rail must be installed level. nail the rail into place.*
Miter the bottom rail where it meets at the corners, or when joining pieces

to create the needed length. Position the mitered end of the rail in a

corner. Then attach to the wall along the two "nailing grooves" with 8d

finish nails in predrilled holes, or with the air nailer, making sure the

rail remains level. Make sure the nails are angled downward so they won't

interfere with the slot where the panels and rails will fit. If attaching

several rails, join with a 45-degree scarf joint. It's a good idea to

tack-nail the rails in place first to make sure everything aligns. Then

finish-nail once you're satisfied.

Compound miter saws make precision cuts easy for tight joints on stiles,

rails and caps.

Install the stiles and paneling starting at one end. Rip the first stile

that will go into the corner to the width determined by your layout. Apply a

few dabs of construction adhesive to the corners on the back of each panel

and stile as you install them. Use a block of wood and a hammer to seat the

panels and stiles together and down in the rails. Press the panels and rails

securely in place following the instructions with the adhesive.

Next, install the top rail. Miter the ends as needed. Make sure the slot on

the top rail is resting down over the panels and over the lip of the stiles.

Nail the top rail in place along the upper and lower nailing grooves.
Glue the cap pieces in place with construction adhesive. If necessary, nail

it along the lower edge in a few places, at least 2 inches from the ends,

using 4d finish nails. Predrill the holes with a small-diameter drill bit,

but not all the way through. Make any miter cuts needed to join at the

corners, or scarf joints to make up long runs.