Wainscoting Kit

Materials:

wainscoting kit (interlocking panel system)
screwdriver
hammer and pry bar
4' level
pencil
studfinder
pneumatic nailer
2-1/2" nails (or eightpenny finishing nails)
construction adhesive
drill
coping saw
miter saw
nail set
spackle
primer and paint (optional)

1. First, remove the cover plates from all electrical outlets. Then, with a hammer and pry bar, ease the shoe molding and baseboards from the wall surface (figure A).

2. Measure from the floor-up the height for the wainscoting and make pencil marks. Use a four-foot level to mark the height line around the entire room (figure B). Go around the room with a studfinder and mark the location of the studs, as well. Draw a vertical line along the center of each stud (figure C) to just above the height line to mark for the starting point for installing the baseboards and rails.

3. You are now ready to install the base rail. Find the most level part of the room and start there, so that you allow some room to work with in case the room slopes at one end. Add construction adhesive to the back of the rail and, using a pneumatic nailer, place 2-1/2" nails through the rail into the studs to attach the rail (figure D). You can hammer eightpenny finishing nails through the studs if you don't have a nailer. Continue until all base rails are in place.

4. Begin by installing the center style with adhesive. Continue down the wall line, installing a style, then a panel and repeating this process (figure E). Constantly check level and plumb to make sure the pieces fit together properly. When you approach a corner, use thin styles--in the wall middle, use thick styles.

5. For electrical outlets, be sure that an outlet falls in the middle of a panel or style, not around a groove. Place a panel under the outlet and mark the width (figure F). Extend the lines on the panel with a straight edge, then place the panel beside the outlet to mark the height. After drilling pilot holes at each corner of the panel outlet marks, use a coping saw to make the cutout (figure G). Then attach the panel to the wall, matching up the outlet with the outlet hole.

6. The wainscoting may alter the wall outlet so that an extender is necessary to keep the outlet flush with the new wainscoting. Simply turn off the power, attach an extender to the panel and re-mount the outlet (figure H) with extended screws.

7. Once all wainscoting panels and styles are in place, it's time to finish the top and bottom. You will need a miter saw cut and miter the rail pieces for installation. Slide the top rail over the rabbit cuts (figure I) and secure the rail with a pneumatic nailer. The top and bottom rails will butt together in the corners.

8. Next, place the rail cap over the top rail and secure with finishing nails and adhesive (figure J). Lay shoe molding along the bottom of the wainscoting and secure it with a pneumatic nailer, as well (figure K).

9. Set any nail heads below the surface with a hammer and nail set. Once all nails are set, fill in the holes with spackle. If you choose, you can now paint the wainscoting (figure L).

10. The cost of this project is around 800 dollars and will take two days to complete.