How Do You Install Beadboard Panels?
Beadboard is that classic paneling design of tight vertical lines, installed on the bottom parts of walls to frame and accent the room. It can be painted, stained or varnished, and generally is topped with a chair rail. You can buy it in sheets like regular wood paneling and install it yourself in a weekend. Getting it started on a straight, level plane is especially crucial with beadboard, because the vertical lines will telegraph any slanting of the pieces. Paint, stain or varnish your beadboard before installation. With your level and pencil, mark a line around the room where you want the top border of your beadboard to stop. Around 48 inches is standard, but you can put it anywhere you want. Also mark a straight vertical line in the center of each wall. Set your first piece of beadboard on sawhorses. With the lines in the beadboard running vertically, measure from the top of the board and mark the bottom to the correct height, minus 1 inch. (If you’ve decided on a 48-inch height fo
