Interior - Wainscot a specialized way

This room encompasses one of the most technical examples of woodwork we’ve seen in a long time. Normally, to create a raised panel wainscot wall, pieces of 1x wood are cut and used to create the boxes, and panel moldings are installed inside the frames to finish off the look. This can be done by typical finish carpenters. The problem is that over time, the numerous joints separate and look bad. In the case of this project, we wanted to avoid that pitfall and do something exquisite AND long-lasting. Over several days, each section of the wall was laid out to determine the appropriate size of each panel. Electrical outlets or switch plates that weren’t centered were moved. Each panel was then specially made at the shop out of 3/4” MDF because its smooth surface is ideal for painting. The raised panels (the pieces that go into each square opening) as well as the panel mouldings (the pieces that frame out each interior panel) were fabricated off site at the shop. Between the set-up, fabrication and the installation, two skilled craftsmen required three solid weeks to make each aspect absolutely perfect. Other finishing details including using a “Back Band” moulding to cap the top of the wainscot and using matching moldings (base, window casings and crown moldings) in areas that needed it for continuity of design. This room’s woodwork is an exquisite example of true craftsmanship. Words and pictures cannot describe the level of skill required for this project. Once everything was completed, it was sprayed with white enamel paint and wallpaper was installed above the wood wainscot to finish off the room. In a nutshell, each wall panel was constructed like a custom made high end cabinet. Literally.