An Alternate To Drywall: Wainscoting
Vince J. Paxton
Wainscoting has been used as a wall covering for well over a
hundred years. Paneling that is placed on the lower half of the
wall has been used since colonial times since it was thought the
bottom of the wall would need more protection. Wainscoting can
be made of tile, marble, or plastic, but the most traditional
material is wood. The wood is usually constructed in tongue and
groove boards but other methods can be used. Even old doors have
served as wainscoting.
The original wainscoting of the early nineteenth century was
made of wood wagon siding, and since it was so plentiful, it
became widely popular. Traditionally, it was placed above the
baseboard to extend it. Baseboards had a decorative edge in
older houses, so when the baseboard was extended by
wainscoting, usually this decorative edge was placed above the
wainscoting. This lower style of wainscoting, really just a
heightened of the baseboard, was popular in the early 19the
century.
The wainscoting we see installed today will usually be from 48
to 54 inches high and this style became popular as both a
decorative and protective feature in the middle of the 19the
century. Tongue and groove boards were nailed to the wall and
the purpose then was to hide joints, but now we use them for
their looks and their durability. Later in the 19the century,
cloth wainscoting as high as 72 inches became popular,
especially for use in dining rooms. Many kinds of materials,
such as burlap or grass cloth was used, and often in deep, rich
colors.
Despite the historical aspect of wainscoting, today it is not
considered old fashioned. It is an easy way to add a new look
to a room very inexpensively. Despite its low cost, it adds an
elegant look to a room and many high end homes are now being
built with wainscoted walls, offering a rich wood look to a
room. Wooden wainscoting is very durable and will protect walls
from the abuse that everybody in the household, especially kids,
can pile on. Walls are protected from pushed back chairs and
dirty hand prints. They just need to be wiped down with a
cloth, perhaps dampened with water or a little furniture
polish. Wainscoting also protects the walls in older homes from
moisture buildup. Most modern homes have better insulation,
preventing moisture buildup on the walls, but the poor
insulation on older homes can lead to droplets of moisture
forming on the walls. This is aided by wainscoting. Another
advantage of wainscoting in older homes is that it can hide
imperfections in the construction of the walls.
After being so popular in the 19the century, wainscoting may
still continue in popularity into the 21st century.
About The Author: Focusing recent findings in taping
techniques, Vince Paxton is publishing normally for
http://www.insidewoodworking.com
. You can come across his
publications over at
http://www.insidewoodworking.com/drywall/index.html and various
other sources for drywall information.
Back to Index of All Floors, Windows,
Walls
& Doors
Search our site for any Home, Lawn or Garden Info
