Introduction and Pronunciation

• Josh, Chuck, and Jerry (standing in for Dave) hosting Short Stuff podcast
• Topic: Wayne's coating (also pronounced Wayne's coating or "wainscoting")
• Some regions pronounce it "Wookie cat" (Chumley and Haybrook mentioned)

What is Wainscoting

• Design feature existing for several hundred years
• Covers lower portion of wall (called "dado") up to waist height
• General rule: 2/3 down the wall or waist height
• Height depends on ceiling (different for 10ft vs 8ft ceilings)
• Made of wood paneling, wood stripes, or board materials
• If paneling goes to ceiling, it's just called "paneling"

Construction Methods

• Traditional: Individual wood strips
• Modern: Large 4x8 sheets pre-grooved to look like individual strips
• DIY faux version: Raised quarter round or half round molding cut at 45-degree angles
  • Fashioned into hollow squares in repetition
  • Molding at top and bottom
  • Painted different color from wall above
• Tools needed: Caulk gun, Liquid Nails, nail gun, table saw for large sheets

Etymology and History

• Word dates to late 1500s as verb meaning "to line boards with paneling"
• Origin: Middle Dutch or Low German "wagin shot"
• This Old House traces Dutch origin to 1300s
• Design essentially unchanged for 700+ years

Design Styles and Compatibility

• Adaptable to various styles: traditional, Art Deco, Arts and Crafts movement
• Not typically used in modern/contemporary houses (very daring if done sleekly)
• Fun way to break up wall space

Original Purpose and Function

• Originally protected lower wall from damage
• Chair rail (molding at top): protects wall from chairs sliding out from tables
• Also called "dado rail"
• Protects against pool cues in rooms with undersized pool tables

Types of Wainscoting

• Beadboard: Distinctive grooves, narrow vertical planks, most common
• Flat panel: Smooth version for modern applications
• Overlay and raised panel: Panel placed over wall (modern method)
• Recessed: Built into wall itself (traditional method, flush with wall above)
• Raised panel: Resembles cabinet doors without handles
  • Square panel with routed square 4 inches from edges
  • Creates raised square in middle with "square moat" around it

Materials

• Traditional: Oak
• Modern options: MDF (medium density fiberboard), plywood
• Big box store materials acceptable if stain-grade for staining
• Always paintable regardless of material grade

Installation Challenges

• Relatively easy DIY project for straight walls
• Major difficulty: Older homes with uneven walls/floors
• Example: 1935 house with no straight walls or floors
• Strips can vary from 2 inches wide at top to 1/3 inch at bottom
• Solutions: Level chair rail, shim and caulk baseboards
• Caulk gun crucial for covering gaps and imperfections
• Prime and paint creates uniform appearance

Construction Wisdom

• "Measure twice, cut once"
• "Paint will make it what it ain't"