Wainscoting and paneled accent walls in Boca Raton

Wainscoting styles we build

Wainscoting covers many different looks. The main styles:

• Picture-frame. Rectangles of applied molding on a painted wall, under a chair rail. Classic in dining rooms and halls.
• Raised panel. Beveled panels set into rails and stiles. The most formal option and the most work.
• Flat panel. Recessed flat panels with square edges. Reads as Shaker or transitional.
• Board and batten. Flat vertical battens over a smooth backing. Works in mudrooms, bedrooms and casual living spaces.
• Full-height paneling. Floor-to-ceiling grids on a stair hall, a fireplace wall or behind a bed.

The photos above show three of these on real jobs: a picture-frame hallway, a stair hall paneled to the ceiling, and a fireplace wall framed out with panel molding and a mantel before paint.

How we lay out a paneled wall

Layout separates good wainscoting from poor. Panels should be equal in width on each wall, centered on windows and doors, and sized so no sliver panel ends up in a corner. We measure each wall, draw the panel spacing, and adjust widths so the grid looks deliberate from the doorway.

On a stair wall the layout follows the rake. On a fireplace wall it centers on the firebox and mantel. Outlets and switches get planned into a panel or moved off a rail.

Board and batten accent walls

Board and batten is a common accent wall style. A good one starts with a flat wall. Where drywall is wavy, a smooth backer goes up first, so the battens sit straight and the shadow lines stay even. Battens are set on a layout, glued and nailed, then filled and caulked. A cap rail or shelf finishes the top edge.

Paneled accent walls can run to the ceiling and meet the crown molding, which makes the wall part of the room’s architecture instead of a stuck-on feature.

What affects the price of wainscoting

• Style. Picture-frame is the quickest. Raised panel takes the longest.
• Height. Full-height walls use more material and need staging.
• Wall condition. Wavy drywall may need a backer panel.
• Interruptions. Windows, doors, outlets and vents each break the layout.
• Stair walls. Raked panels take more measuring and cutting than level ones.
• Trim already there. Removing and resetting baseboard or casing to meet the new paneling adds a step.

A single feature wall costs far less than a full room. We price either once we have seen the walls.

Wainscoting with the rest of the trim

Wainscoting looks best when the chair rail, baseboard and casing profiles are chosen together. If the baseboards are being replaced at the same time, the new base can meet the bottom rail of the paneling cleanly. On a staircase, the panels match the railing and newel posts.