With so many new prefab homes being built across the nation, there’s a definite lack of variety and personalization when it comes to the character of a home. So many homeowners are looking for unique ways to add personality and their own touch to their interior and exterior spaces. One of the best ways to achieve this is with accent walls. You’ve probably seen many walls with shiplap siding, but a less-common design element is wainscoting.
What Is Wainscoting?
Wainscoting is a popular addition with a traditional flair and classic appeal. For those who are unfamiliar, wainscoting is a decorative wood paneling along the lower half of a wall that adds dimension and protects the wall’s surface from scuff marks. These designs come in many different shapes and patterns. Some feature a frame-like appearance while others can have funky angles and shapes. How you choose to implement this feature is up to your discretion based on personality and matching your existing interior.
Traditional wainscoting hails from around the 18th century in England and was built with quarter sawn Oak and finished with an oil turpentine. Nowadays, this design is typically painted over and used as a texture accent, but is still sometimes left natural to tie back to its original roots.
Wainscoting can also be implemented in other ways beyond just the lower half of a wall. Many people love to showcase this design all the way to their ceilings, and some even on the ceilings! With wainscoting, there are really no rules. Take advantage of siding materials to give your space more depth and interest in places that need some TLC.
This is a traditional trend that has seen a massive resurgence in recent years. With the general shift of society towards a more rural, simple life— many folks are looking for ways to return to the classic ways of our world. And one of the least invasive and effortless installations to do this is wainscoting.
Build It With Shiplap
It’s no secret that shiplap is one of the best materials to work with when it comes to the accents in (and out) of your home. Not only is it an affordable product, but it is also incredibly versatile and great for a myriad of different projects and uses.
Specifically, wainscoting can be built tremendously with shiplap (and other tongue and groove materials). These siding materials are easy to work with and usually won’t require external labor or heavy machinery. It’s an easy weekend project for someone looking to upgrade the look of their home.
For wood species, we typically recommend cedar or pine. These will be the most affordable and best varieties to use if you plan on adding paint. While certainly beautiful in their own right, painting on top of them is no issue at all. For those looking to showcase the natural grain of the wood, we recommend a clear stain for cedar to make its raw beauty more prominent. Or if you’re looking to splurge, exotic hardwoods are another great option to take advantage of.
For more information or to get a quote from one of our representatives, contact us here.
