Seeking Advice: Wainscotting / Shadow Boxing

[fred]

Hello from sunny Seattle, WA.

I'm trying to come up w/ a way to add wainscotting to an office. I'd like to use stainable wood (instead of mdf) to achieve a rich, dark color -maybe something cherry-toned.

what is the most economical manner to achieve this?

I was thinking about using 3/4 birch ply ripped into rails/stiles and then pocket-holed together, w/ a 1/4 birch insert in the middle and some picture-frame molding around the edges.

does this seem like a reasonable appoach?

any adive is appreciated.

THANKS! fL

[fred]

Hello from sunny Seattle, WA.

I'm trying to come up w/ a way to add wainscotting to an office. I'd like to use stainable wood (instead of mdf) to achieve a rich, dark color -maybe something cherry-toned.

what is the most economical manner to achieve this?

I was thinking about using 3/4 birch ply ripped into rails/stiles and then pocket-holed together, w/ a 1/4 birch insert in the middle and some picture-frame molding around the edges.

does this seem like a reasonable appoach?

any adive is appreciated.

THANKS! fL

[SonomaProducts.com]

Sounds very doable. You want to find what they call "Panel Molding" it has a rabbit cut at the back. Or you can by standard chair rail (very small version) and cut a rabbit in the back side yourself.

You can see some Panle Molding here.

only problem with using a Birch ply is you can't easily get the Birch molding to go with it, so staining will likely look different. Of course you could get some molding custom cut but that ain't gona save you any money.

[Duane Bozarth]

Ooooh, that poor widdle wabbit! :)

(Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

[David]

it coulda been worse--he could have written "rebate". :)

dave

[fred]

good call on finding the matching molding...what do most people use for this?

If i go w/ an affordable hardwood (Alder, Poplar) then I won't be able to find 1/4" panels for the centers...if i go w/ Cherry it'll cost $78,492.23.

Thanks, fL

[SonomaProducts.com]

Built up panel wainscoating like this is usually either painted or they pay to have molding cut to match their selected wood. Sorry for that answer but that's all I've seen.

The trick might be to search around for who carries stock molding in various woods and once you finad an OK deal, then get matching sheet goods. Of course you could find Oak for sure, Pine probably, Poplar and Cherry maybe with some looking.

[Duane Bozarth]

....

There's not sufficient time in the universe to sort through that many to get the six you need.... :)

[mike hide]

Go to Lowes or HD get half a dozen flawless studs, rip to 2 1/2" wide and

1": thick.

Dowel them into a frame looking like a ladder on its side make it the length of the area you want the wainscote for with a stile at each end, set the top at about 36" making the top rail the depth of the chairail molding depth plus 2 1/2', make the bottom rail say 4" wide so that when the base is attached it shows 2 1/2" of wood .

Cut a rebait at the back of each "frame" and fill the "frames with beadboard panels,also pine, also from HD or lowes.....

[mike hide]

Go to Lowes or HD get half a dozen flawless studs, rip to 2 1/2" wide and

1": thick.

Dowel them into a frame looking like a ladder on its side make it the length of the area you want the wainscote for with a stile at each end, set the top at about 36" making the top rail the depth of the chairail molding depth plus 2 1/2', make the bottom rail say 4" wide so that when the base is attached it shows 2 1/2" of wood .

Cut a rebait at the back of each "frame" and fill the "frames with beadboard panels,also pine, also from HD or lowes.....

[Scott Lurndal]

Check around - I just bought 1/4" cherry ply[**] (good both sides!) for $31.00 per 4x8 sheet in the SF bay area. Apply it like panelling and use cherry moulding to surface trim the joints. 12x12 room would be about $380 for the sheet goods, with a 48" wainscoat. For a 32" waiscoat, you can get three widths per sheet which would reduce your sheetgoods cost. You'll need somewhere around 90[*] lineal feet of cherry trim (perhaps a nominal 1x3 with ogee edges); call it

22 board feet or so (assuming $5.00 bf quantity price, call it another $120 or so). Add another 48 lineal feet of 6" baseboard moulding (24 board feet).

scott

[*] if you use qtr round for the corners. Trimming out the corners with 3" moulding would add another 30 lf or so (7 bf). [**] Glued up overseas from North American logs (leastwise the surface veneers).

[mike hide]

simple fred just follow my instructions...mjh