How Much Does It Cost to Install Wainscoting? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $1,575 - $1,600
Wainscoting costs $1,325 on average, but can increase depending on the style and size of your room.
Wainscoting is paneling, usually wooden, that lines an interior wall, and is usually about waist high. Installing this decorative trim is an excellent DIY project, but be aware that the cost may be higher than you think, especially if you choose a higher-end wood or plan on wainscoting more than one room.
- Average
- $1,325
- Low end
- $1,050
- high end
- $2,400
Common Costs When Installing Wainscoting
Wainscoting is one of those unique jobs where if you plan on upgrading a normal-sized space, the price of materials and labor can often be the same. Obviously the size of your space will affect both of those factors, but as long as you aren’t using a specialized material like mahogany or reclaimed wood, there are plenty of ways you can save money by adding this unique design element to your home.
Types
Wainscoting involves placing slats of wood or other material against a flat surface (almost always either drywall or plaster) and painting over the wall paneling—if it isn’t wood. The most common wainscoting appearance is white squares or rectangles that make up the wainscoting, with the original wall color above it. This is usually about waist height, or around three feet from the ground.
| Type of Paneling | Price per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Flat panel | $7–$10 |
| Board and batten | $7–$20 |
| Beadboard | $7–$20 |
| Shiplap | $2–$7.50 |
| Raised panel | $10–$30 |
| Overlay | $10–$40 |
The style of wainscoting you choose will depend on your taste and goal for the project. Someone might choose a flat panel design in order to keep the look clean and sleek. The opposite of that—while still looking modern—is an overlay design, where moldings are placed over an existing wall panel.
Size
Material choice and labor are two of the three chunks of the budget, with the third being the total size of the area you plan on paneling. The good thing about wainscoting is that once you get started, the work is fairly repetitive. The method you employ will be the same, whether it’s 20 square feet or 400 square feet.
| Size of Project | Total Material Cost - MDF/Plywood | Total Material Cost - Cedar |
|---|---|---|
| 50 square feet | $300–$600 | $400–$800 |
| 100 square feet | $600–$1,200 | $800–$1,600 |
| 150 square feet | $900–$1,800 | $1,200–$2,400 |
| 225 square feet | $1,350–$2,700 | $1,800–$3,600 |
Materials
The material you choose is an important factor when installing wainscoting. If you want to save some money, and you like the classic New England white wainscoting, opt for MDF, vinyl, or PVC when picking materials. These materials look great once painted over and result in a timeless, Eastern seaboard aesthetic.
| Type of Material | Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| MDF and plywood | $6–$12 |
| Vinyl | $5–$10 |
| PVC | $5–$9 |
| Cedar | $8–$16 |
| Redwood | $11–$19 |
| Oak | $12–$22 |
| Maple | $12–$21 |
| Mahogany | $26–$40 |
However, we all know that image of the paneled library or smoking lounge. These spaces—often found in hunting lodges, old Victorian homes, libraries, or finished basements—are usually designed and styled in a dark and warm way.
For those who want this style, your only option is unpainted wood. You could install a less expensive wainscoting and paint it black, but it will absorb light and won’t produce the inviting sheen of finished wood.
Labor
As you’ll see below, we think wainscoting can be an excellent DIY project, even if you’re new to larger undertakings. If you’re able to see the project through, great! On the flip side, you can hire a contractor to do everything, but expect to pay between $50 to $125 per hour. Most of the labor cost when installing wood paneling comes down to measuring, cutting, and applying the materials. Prep and finish jobs are fast bookends for this project.
Prep
Prepping a wall for wainscoting isn’t terribly involved. Generally, you want to follow a number of steps that simply ensures that the surface you’re working on is ready for your paneling, and to save you time if you’re DIYing the project:
Measure and mark the wall with a pencil. Alternatively, use painters tape to outline the panel placement.
Remove any baseboards.
If you’re hanging heavy wooden panels, locate and mark studs.
Fill any holes or cracks in the wall.
Apply a coat of primer to the wall.
If you’re hiring a carpenter, make sure to discuss prep with them before they start the job. Not all professionals will want every one of the above steps done.
Installing Full Panels or Painting Over Rails
Wainscoting is interesting because you can go about it one of two ways: laying full panels over the wall and placing raised rails on top of that panel, or installing the rails only, painting over the rails and the underlying wall.
| Full Panel | Rails Only |
|---|---|
| More expensive | Costs less |
| Classic design | Easier to DIY |
| Darker and warmer | Brighter and cleaner |
Many DIYers choose to forgo the more dark academia, Old World style of full-paneled wood for the crisper, more modern white wainscoting. It’s easier to install, significantly less expensive, and can usually be done in a weekend.
Whether you choose to go with the full panel or painted rails, if you’re considering selling the full wood panels may not be the aesthetic a potential buyer is looking for. Removal is more expensive when compared to painted rails, which only need to be pried from the wall and painted over.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Unlike many other DIY projects where it makes sense to “hire out” the work, installing and painting wainscoting is an excellent DIY project. Because you are working with a prepped wall that will eventually be covered with either paint or a full panel, you don’t need to worry about some scratching of the wall or a few extra nail holes.
That being said, installation can be a bear. There is a level of precision required when installing wainscoting that is a requirement, as uneven wainscoting usually looks worse than the bare wall it’s installed over. You can do the prep and finish work yourself, but it’s a good idea to hire a local woodworking expert to plan, cut, and install the panel work.
Ways You Can Save Money on Wainscoting
Some of the best ways to save money when wainscoting include:
Perform as much of the prep and finish work as possible.
If you hire a contractor, negotiate a lower labor cost if you can assist.
Unless you want visible wood grain, use MDF, PVC, or plywood.
White paint is often the least expensive if you’re painting the panels.
Watch for sales on wainscoting materials and paint.
Since wainscoting is not structural, consider recycled or repurposed materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Removing wall panels yourself is cost-efficient and can be fun, but if you hire a pro, expect to pay around $1.50 per square foot for the demo work. Once the panels are removed, there’s a possibility you might need to replace the underlying drywall, which will cost an additional $1.60 to $2.35 per square foot.
Wainscoting isn’t a design element that can be directly tied to an increased house price. Despite that, it is a highly marketable element that can generate significant interest from potential buyers who enjoy the style, and is relatively inexpensive to remove for those who don’t. If you are on the fence about paneling, just know that it certainly wouldn’t result in depreciation of your home’s value—usually the opposite.
Wainscoting goes through periods of being slightly more or slightly less popular, but it’s never really gone out of style. It’s a classic design element seen in libraries, smoking lounges, bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, and more. The raised panels blend an architectural appeal with a historic flair, and can be an excellent and relatively inexpensive way to boost the aesthetic of a room.
Wainscoting works best either in bedrooms or more formal, social rooms like dining rooms and foyers. The timelessness of wainscoting can invoke a feeling of elegance, so it works best in rooms where that specific atmosphere makes sense. In older homes, especially Victorians, powder rooms and libraries were rooms that usually had wainscoting.
Wainscoting is lighter than the walls a majority of the time. This is because lighter wainscoting—usually white—brightens a room and makes it feel more open and spacious. Darker wainscoting is often used when the wall and wainscoting are painted the same color, and can look dramatic and modern when done this way, especially if both are painted a very dark green, gray, or black.