Where did Wainscoting Design and Styles Originate From

Wainscoting is a form of wood paneling that was used mainly in vintage Victorian and Edwardian homes from 16th century England.  Since then, this type of decorative wall paneling has become more appealing in homes and even in some commercial spaces around the globe.

Some luxury real estate builders have incorporated different styles of Wainscoting in their model homes prior to marketing them for sale. Wainscoting is typically installed below the chair rail that spans across any room, chair rail is also installed at 1/3 the height of the said room, typically 34 to 36 inches off the floor height in a standard 8 foot ceiling height room. Any decorative panel moulding above the chair rail is known as decorative panel moulding in which is a separate piece to any design.

Different Types of Wainscoting Styles and Design Ideas

The most common Wainscoting that many interior designers choose is a panel moulding design, this design is installed typically 3-4 inches below the chair rail while also keeping the same cap difference between each picture frame that is added to the length, height and depth of any wall. This design suits many types and styles of homes built today as far as character of the home, style and design. Any type of trim moulding installed should match the style of home and era in which it was built.

A recessed wainscoting design has also become more popular in modern and contemporary home designs, this design is applied with a board and batten thats usually 1 inch in thickness followed by a bead of trim profile installed on the inner shade of the picture box (s) being created along any wall.  If the designer chooses to not add the interior trim profile on the inner sides of the picture frame than the design is only known as a bead and batten look in which has also become just as popular.

The other popular design style is known as a raised wainscoting in which the trim carpenter will mill on site, this process is the most expensive install as the carpenter must create the raised panels during the installation process.

We at Miter5 can help create any wainscoting design style that a client may request or even create a unique design, the possibilities are endless and creativity is where we thrive!

What are Some of the Different Building Materials used when Installing Wainscoting

Their are many different types of building materials when designing a wainscoting style. It’s essential that the planning stage is when the trim carpenter and client speak about the different types of finish as this will help in choosing the materials used for milling the material and the installation process.

If you’re wanting a stain finish than oak would be great material to use, if you’re wanting a paint grade finish than a pine or poplar wood would be a great material to achieve the finish the client requires. If you’re working with a strict budget than a medium density fibreboard also known as MDF would be best suited for your trim moulding carpentry project.