Decorative Wainscoting

1" x 4" and 1" x 2" pine lumber
decorative trim
miter box
hammer
nail set
6d finish nails
drywall screws
level
pencil
tape measure
drill/drill bits
stud finder
jigsaw with scroll blade
spackle
caulk
220-grit sandpaper
primer
paint for wainscoting (Dutch Boy Antique White)

Steps:

1. Note: It's easier to prime all the lumber before attaching it to the wall. Determine how the top and bottom horizontal boards will be laid out (the featured project is 54 inches from the baseboard to the top of the wainscoting). Draw the top horizontal pencil line using a level around the entire room. Use a stud finder and mark each stud with a piece of blue tape. Cut a 1x4 to each necessary length (angle the cuts as needed if the wall is longer than the boards); hold it in place, and then use finish nails to attach it directly to the studs after checking for level.
2. Lay the bottom boards along the baseboard and attach as above.
3. For the vertical boards, decide how big each box will be. First, measure the length of the wall (156 inches for one of the featured room's walls). Divide that by 21 inches, which is seven. Since it will take eight boards to make seven boxes, multiply eight times the board width (3-1/2), which is 28. Subtract 28 from 156, which is 128 and divide that by seven. This yields a box width of 18-1/4 inches. Hold a 1x4 in the corner and make a mark on the horizontal board at the outer edge. Measure over 18-1/4 inches and make marks on the horizontal board where the outer edges of the 1x4 are. Repeat for the seven boxes.
   
   156 inches (wall width) divided by 21 inches (desired box size) = seven boxes
   3-1/2 inch (1x4 board width) times eight (number of boards for seven boxes) = 28 inches (board allowance)
   156 inches (wall width) minus 28 inches (board allowance) = 128 inches (total distance minus board allowance)
   128 inches divided by seven boxes = 18-1/4 inches inside box width.
   
   
4. Cut the vertical boards to length, checking each measurement between the bottom and top horizontal boards before cutting (the floor may slope so they won't all be the same length).
5. Starting in the corner again, place a vertical board in position and attach using finish nails. If there is no stud at the board locations, drill a pilot hole at an angle from the vertical board into the top and bottom horizontal boards and toe-nail a nail into the boards. Use drywall screws spaced 24 inches along the vertical board to secure it flush to the wall.
6. Repeat this process for all the walls. At the corners where the boards meet, butt the two corner boards together. The thickness of the board will be made up as you work your way around the room.
7. Add a quarter round block made from a 1x4 to each corner of the boxes for a finishing touch. To make these, cut out a block that measures three inches in length. Make a cardboard template of the arch and draw it on each piece. Cut out the blocks using a jigsaw with a scroll blade attached. Leave some of the pencil line, and then sand the blocks smooth.
8. Hold a block in place in the corner of a panel, and then drill pilot holes into the corners of the curved block and through to the horizontal and vertical boards. Toe-nail a nail into each hole to secure it. To give the boxes a completed look, attach a 1x2 board from the top with finish nails along the top of the horizontal board as a small shelf. Attach decorative detail molding to the horizontal board just below the shelf.
9. To make the wainscoting look like it's all one piece, fill all the nail/screw holes with spackle and let dry. Sand everything and remove the dust with a tack cloth or damp towel. Caulk any spaces and paint as desired once dry.