How Much Does It Cost to Install Wainscoting in 2025?
The average cost to install wainscoting is $1,325
Wainscoting projects range from $1,050 to $2,400, with a national average of $1,325.
Installing wainscoting or beadboard costs between $5 and $40 per square foot.
Where you live, the room’s size, and the material you choose all influence the price.
Hiring a vetted wainscoting professional delivers precise cuts and helps keep the budget on track.
Wainscoting instantly elevates a room’s style—and may even boost resale value.
This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
The cost to install wainscoting ranges from $1,050 to $2,400, with an average price of $1,325. Your final bill depends on factors such as the type of panel you install, the necessary materials, and labor rates. Homeowners often undertake this project during a remodel or new construction. Set aside room in the budget—and consider a wainscoting pro—if you want that timeless, high-quality finish.
What Is Wainscoting?
Wainscoting is decorative wood paneling that wraps the lower portion of a wall. Beyond its classic look, it also provides insulation and scuff protection. Installed at roughly waist height, it delivers quick elegance and character.
A popular type of wainscoting is beadboard, characterized by wood paneling with vertical grooves, also known as “beads.” Beadboard adds depth and charm to walls and ceilings, and it's available in various styles to suit your taste. The cost of wainscoting or beadboard can vary depending on the materials and finishes you choose, your location, the size of the area, your desired timeframe, design features, and the complexity of the installation.
Wainscoting Installation Costs per Square Foot
The price of wainscoting ranges from $5 to $40 per square foot, depending on the type of panel. Installation costs average between $50 and $125 per hour, or $5.50 per square foot, including materials and labor. The most significant impact on your budget is the size of the space. For example, a 12-foot-by-12-foot room can easily require more than 15 hours of work.
| Size of Project (Sq. Ft.) | Cost of MDF/Plywood | Cost of Cedar |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | $300–$600 | $400–$800 |
| 100 | $600–$1,200 | $800–$1,600 |
| 150 | $900–$1,800 | $1,200–$2,400 |
| 225 | $1,350–$2,700 | $1,800–$3,600 |
Wainscoting Cost Factors
Wainscoting and beadboard costs can vary based on several factors, including your choice of materials and finishes, your location, the size of the area, your desired timeframe, design features, and the complexity of the installation. Considering these factors will help you plan your budget effectively.
Panel Type
Raised panel is the most traditional wainscoting design. It can also cost twice as much as flat or beadboard panels. This high price is due to the time-consuming nature of beveling the panel edges, custom-fitting it into the room to ensure symmetrical geometry, and the laborious finish work required to achieve a distinctly elevated look.
| Type of Panel | Description | Cost per Sq. Ft. |
|---|---|---|
| Flat panel | Minimalist design with limited decorative molding | $7–$10 |
| Beadboard | Boards are slotted together to form a decorative panel with vertical beads | $7–$20 |
| Board and batten | Smooth middle board outlined by thinner boards on all sides | $7–$20 |
| Raised panel | Features a beveled middle panel that adds a picture frame-like look | $10–$30 |
| Overlay | Combination of raised and flat panels to create a multi-layered effect | $10–$40 |
Labor
Local wainscotting installation professionals charge $50 to $125 per hour, with rates increasing with room size and panel style. Hiring a professional to install wainscoting flatters dining rooms, living rooms, and long hallways alike.
Chair Rail
The cost to install trim, such as a chair rail, ranges from $1 to $45 per linear foot, including materials and paint.
Chair rails once shielded dining-room walls from sliding chairs; today, they’re mostly decorative. Aim to run the rail about one-third of the way up the wall so the room’s proportions stay balanced.
Paint
Paint costs between $25 and $50 per gallon or $0.80 to $1.80 per square foot, plus an additional $2 to $6 per square foot of paintable area or between $20 and $50 per hour. The cost to paint a room depends on the number of colors and coats used, your location, and the size of the surface area. More ornate trims and frames will require more preparation work than minimalist designs. Be sure to calculate the amount of paint beforehand to save money.
Material
If you’re considering applying a natural wood finish or stain to the wainscoting, you’ll want to opt for finer hardwoods like maple, oak, or cherry, as they feature beautiful grains that shine in this setting. If you’re painting the wainscoting, you’ll only need to use paint-grade wood, which is dramatically more affordable than stain-grade because you’ll be covering up all the knots and grain with a couple of layers of paint.
Does Wainscoting Increase Home Value?
Wainscoting increases home value by adding architectural interest and perceived quality to interior spaces. Real estate professionals often note that such character-rich details help properties stand out in competitive markets. While exact ROI varies by neighborhood and installation quality, well-executed wainscoting creates an upscale impression that can justify higher listing prices. The timeless appeal particularly resonates with buyers seeking move-in-ready homes with distinctive charm, potentially accelerating sales and improving offers.
DIY Wainscoting Installation vs. Hiring a Pro
Precision matters with wainscoting. If you’re short on time—or carpentry skills—call a local installer. Seasoned DIYers can tackle the cuts and nail-ups themselves, but a vetted pro brings expert joins, quality assurance, and a faster turnaround. Professionals also have the tools to handle tricky angles, uneven walls, and finishing details, such as caulking and painting, that elevate the final look.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wainscoting is decorative paneling that covers the lower part of a wall for style and protection. Beadboard is a type of wainscoting made of long vertical planks with small raised beads between each board. You’ll see it on walls and ceilings when homeowners want added depth and charm. Both options work indoors or outdoors; beadboard pieces lock together with tongue-and-groove joints, while similar styles, such as shiplap, rely on a square rabbet joint.
The best rule of thumb for wainscoting is to stop the panels at about one-third of the wall height. In a room with a nine-foot ceiling, that’s roughly three feet up. Sticking to this ratio keeps the room balanced, lets plenty of wall color show above the trim, and delivers a polished, timeless look.
Wainscoting can make a room look smaller if the room has low ceilings. The same rule applies to wainscoting as it does to painting any space: to make the room look larger and more open, paint it a light color, such as white or cream. Since beadboard incorporates vertical lines in the paneling, this style of wainscoting is ideal for those wanting to make a room appear larger than it is.
Technically, you can panel any room, but wainscoting shines in open areas, such as a foyer or a tall-ceilinged bathroom. Skip it in small rooms with low ceilings—panels can make tight spaces feel boxed in. Open-concept layouts without clear stopping points along the walls are also tricky, as the trim requires a distinct beginning and end.
Removing existing wall panels before installing wainscoting involves distinct demolition efforts. The cost to hire a professional for demo work is $1.50 per square foot. If the underlying drywall requires replacement after panel removal, an additional fee of $1.60 to $2.35 per square foot is incurred. Completing these tasks properly ensures a sturdy foundation and a flawless finish.
- Carpentry Framing - Install
- Carpentry Framing - Repair
- Closet - Build
- Wood Paneling - Install or Repair
- Fireplace Mantel - Install
- Wood Stairs and Railings - Install or Replace
- Interior Trim and Decorative Moldings - Repair
- Interior Trim and Decorative Moldings - Install
- Wood Stairs and Railings - Repair
- Exterior Shutters - Install or Replace
- Arbor, Pergola or Trellis - Build Custom
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