It’s been a tad hectic here, what with trying to get a crippled elderly large dog down the stairs and all, but we’re almost done with the wainscoting in the living room. We’ve been wood-staining maniacs the last few days. Staining Maniacs would be a great name for your next thrash metal band, so by all means, use it. Actually, I may be a little high from four days of stain and oil/urethane topcoat fumes. But there’s so little to cover, and so much time. Or something… Let’s just make this post easy on everyone and go with mainly pictures, shall we?
The Design & Build process:
G ordered the wood from Heidler Hardwood and planed it down for the rails and stiles. We followed roughly the same design as in the entry, but included posts at the entrance – a bit of a twist on the classic room divider. They take up less space and open up more area between the living and dining rooms.
[sorry most of theses pics are dark/out of focus/not the best. Still learning this camera]
assemble the (top & bottom) rails and (vertical) stiles. Q: Why are there pink sheets of insulation on the floor? A: So we could have a large flat working surface, and protect the floor at the same time.
use pocket screws for tight, strong joints. G also used biscuits to attach each rail and stile, to help force the pieces into place so they wouldn't move around vertically.
route out the backs for each panel
chisel out each corner so the panels fit
apply the glue and drop the panels in place
make sure your height lines are level. G used a laser. PEW! PEW! PEW!
raise it and attach it to the wall. Don't forget to cut holes for your electrical boxes!
attach the cap and cove moulding
there you have it. Chapter 2, the staining and finishing - alternately titled "ah dude, look at my hand man, the vapor trails man..." coming soon.
UPDATE: Here’s how we stained and finished it.
I love watching your progress! My husband and I are in our third year of rehabbing a 1917 bungalow and are always looking for inspiration to see what our house could someday become. Your work is beautiful–can’t wait to see more!
Your wainscotting is beautiful. When you were planning the panel widths/reveals, were you able to make all of the reveals the same, or do they vary by small amounts to make them look so perfect (esp. around the windows)?
Hi Pete – Yes, the panel widths do vary slightly! If you’re interested in more about this, there’s a good article about how to get the variations looking right with a construction master calculator: http://www.garymkatz.com/TrimTechniques/Wainscoting/WainscotingArticle.htm
Corblimey, your project / house is amazing.Love that wainscoting.Wish I had your skills ( or skilzz hahaha).
Bea