Calgary Carpentry Services: Everything You Need To Know About Wainscoting

Unless you’re very familiar with architectural or interior design terms, the word “wainscoting,” may not be very familiar to you. However, if you are interested in adding decorative touches to your home, whether because you are selling it or for your own enjoyment, it is a term you should familiarize yourself with. Chances are that you already have wainscoting in your home now, especially if it is older, and just never knew what it was called. If you do not already have wainscoting in your home and decide that it would make a good addition, a carpenter in Calgary can install it for you professionally.

What Is Wainscoting?

Wainscoting is a type of decorative panelling that covers the lower portion of the wall, typically covering approximately the lower third to the lower half. It is available in many different colours and styles, some considered more elegant while others are regarded as more rustic. It creates visual contrast with the upper portion of the wall, which is usually painted or papered in a different colour or pattern. Wainscoting can give a room a more finished look.

Where Does Wainscoting Go in Your Home?

Theoretically, wainscoting could go into any room in your home. However, it is more traditional to put it in certain rooms than in others, and the traditions derive from wainscoting’s original function.

Today, wainscoting is regarded as primarily decorative, but in the past, it was intended to protect the walls from scuffs from moving furniture or stains. Wainscoting was much easier to clean than the materials underneath, and if it became irreparably damaged or stained, it was easy to replace while leaving the underlying wall intact. Therefore, wainscoting was typically used especially in rooms where people were always moving chairs around, such as the dining room, or where spills or stains were more likely, such as the kitchen or bathroom.

What Is Wainscoting Made of?

Traditionally, wainscoting was made of wood, particularly oak. In fact, the term originally referred to a specific type of oak panelling that may have covered the entire wall or only a portion of it.

Today, wainscoting is understood to mean panelling that covers only the lower portion of the wall. Wainscoting is still available in solid wood, not only oak but other types as well. This is the most traditional option but also the most expensive, as solid wood wainscoting can cost up to $40 per square foot. The most affordable option is raised wallpaper that gives the impression of traditional wainscoting, which costs about $5 per square foot. Other affordable options include wainscoting made of plastics, such as vinyl or PVC and medium-density fiberboard. MDF is made from byproducts of lumberyards mixed with wax and resin to produce a natural wood look.

How Can You Maximize the Value of Wainscoting?

Wainscoting does not really add to the overall value of your home. However, it can help you sell your home by making it more attractive and appealing to potential homebuyers. In other words, you cannot necessarily increase your asking price if you add wainscoting to a home you are trying to sell, but it may help you to sell your home more quickly.

If you want to maximize your wainscoting’s salability, choose the style and colour carefully. Think about how it blends in with the rest of the house rather than just the effect it has on the room it is in. Wainscoting in every room can be overwhelming, so use it in only a few areas where it is likely to have the biggest effect.

One of the best ways to maximize the salability of your wainscoting is to have a professional carpenter in Calgary install it rather than trying to do it yourself. Handyman Connection includes carpentry among the repair services we provide.