DIY Wainscot: A Quick and Easy Way to Add Value

Whether you want to sell your home or just give it a facelift, you don’t need expensive renovations. A few inexpensive changes can go a long way. For example, consider a DIY wainscoting kit, or look into accent wall kits.

Traditional wainscot is the trim that runs along the bottom third of walls. However, some homes may just have an accent wall made of wainscoting. This architecturally appealing design accomplishes a lot of goals at once. It covers visible gaps between the floorboards and the walls or it can conceal and distract from unsightly drywall repairs. And of course, wainscot wall panels add a decorative touch.

Even though wainscot wall panels accomplish so much, they don’t have to cost a lot of money. In fact, by using an Ekena Millwork wall panel kit, you can add a sense of character and style to any room, and you can do it at a fraction of the cost of hiring a designer.

What is a DIY Wainscoting Kit?

In the past, Traditional wainscoting required expensive materials, designers, and installation contractors. These days, you can get the same results with a DIY wainscot kit. Panel kits provide a simple and inexpensive way to add character to your home. Wainscot trim kits come with pre-measured wainscot panels, baseboard moulding, and chair rail. You can install the panels with construction glue and finishing nails.

Wainscot Wall Panels Can Upgrade Your Home’s Appearance

When you want to increase your home’s value, a simple change of appearance can make a big difference. Think about your home from a buyer’s perspective. Just like people, homes give first impressions, and those first impressions matter.

Wainscot wall paneling provides a strong first impression because it adds contrast. Being a different material from your walls, it adds interesting texture that draws the eye. You can add even more contrast by painting your wainscot and your walls two different colors.

Adding flat panel wainscoting all around the perimeter of a room can instantly make it feel more sophisticated. This simple addition will turn an ordinary living room into something elegant and luxurious with just a few hours of work.

Wainscot wall paneling provides an easy way to make contemporary homes feel more historic. You can also achieve a more rustic look by using natural colors, which can look beautiful against walls with white paint. Traditional style wainscot panels often times have contrasting colors. To modernize the wainscot style, you can paint the wall texture and the panels the same color.

Whatever look you want, wainscoting kits provide a simple way to achieve it. You can customize wainscot trim kits in whatever way works for you. Want a bold and eye-catching look? Then create a full accent wall and use intense colors. Want something more simple? A wainscot border with subtle colors will provide what you want.

An Expensive Look from a Budget-Friendly Wall Panel Kit

Because wainscot walls look so elegant, people assume that wainscoting must be expensive. In all fairness, it can be, especially if you hire a contractor. With this route, you pay for time, labor, and materials. Those prices can add up quickly.

If you use a wall panel kit, though, you can save a lot of money. Pre-cut panel kits come at a much lower cost than other wall paneling options. For example, most of the wainscot kits on this page cost less than $200. On the other hand, if you hire a contractor and use wooden wainscoting panels, you could spend over $2,500.

That said, even though your wainscot wall paneling kit will cost much less than the traditional route, the final result will still look expensive. Panel kits provide just as much elegance as other wainscot walls.

Flat Panel Wainscoting Kits Make Home Improvement Simple

Now, say that you’ve decided to install your wainscot wall panels yourself. You’ll definitely save a lot of money on contractor fees. Still, you should make sure that you choose the right materials. Some wainscot panels cost more time and money than others.

The fastest, simplest way to get started is with a DIY wainscoting kit. Since these kits come with pre-formed pieces, you can skip the cutting and mitering. You can also skip the priming, since the right kits have factory-primed panels. This way, you can paint your panels right away.

These days, you can find wainscot kits made from high-density urethane. This material works for wainscot trim and accent walls alike. It looks like traditional wooden wainscoting, but it’s more lightweight. Don’t worry about durability, though. Urethane offers plenty of that, too. In fact, urethane is about as dense as real pine wood. Because urethane is so lightweight, though, there’s no heavy lifting needed. Wainscot kits come with easy-to-follow instructions, too. Just follow each step in order, and you’ll transform your room fast.

Protect Your Walls with Wainscoting Panels

And of course, wainscot trim can help protect your walls. Wear and tear adds up over time, but wainscot can provide some protection for your drywall. It helps protect walls from dents and gouges, especially if you have children or pets because it provides a barrier between the drywall and any objects or people.

A Variety of Options for Wainscot Walls

A wainscot wall paneling kit can give you a lot of variety.  Whether you want to create a dramatic feature wall, hide an ugly beam, or just add some character to your walls, DIY wainscot provides a great solution. Again, you can customize your wainscot with whatever look you want. Wainscoting adds character to a room. It’s up to you to decide what that character will say.

On a practical level, you’ll find many shapes and sizes when you look for a DIY wainscoting kit. Need enough panels for a whole wall? Then look for accent wall kits. Want to add a simple trim to a hallway? A wainscot trim kit will work. Either way, you can find a pre-cut panel moulding kit that suits your needs.

Wainscot wall paneling is a very popular home improvement trend, and for good reason. With straightforward DIY kits, you can finish your wainscoting panels project in a weekend, and that project can add serious value to your home.Take a look at these wainscot panel kits to get started.