South West New Home

What is Wainscoting and Why is it so Popular?


Wainscoting has been a popular form of wall coating for more than a hundred years. Essentially, wainscoting is paneling that is used on the lower half of walls inside your house. It can be made of wood, marble, ceramic tile, heavy fabric, or newer materials like wood combinations or plastic. The dictionary definition suggests that wainscoting is any paneling treatment that rests between the baseboard and the chair rail. The most popular of these, even today, is wood. The most popular of the wood constructions is tongue in groove boards, but any type of decorative panel (even old doors in some cases) could serve this purpose. Originally, wood wainscoting was made of wood wagon siding, which is why it was so popular. The material was around in a plentiful supply, and that is why so many people used it in their homes.

Wainscoting can be of any height, but at its lowest level, wainscots are an extension of the baseboard that runs the length of the room. Most baseboards run up to eight inches up the height of the wall. They are usually one board with a decorative upper edge. For rooms that need a bit more, though, home builders find it both better and easier to finish the top with a separate piece, which is where wainscoting comes into play. This style was commonly seen in homes built before eighteen forty.

Traditional wainscoting, though, is usually a bit higher. It usually runs anywhere from forty-eight inches to fifty-four inches in height. It is used to protect and decorate the area. This taller style of wainscoting began its popularity in the mid-nineteenth century. This traditional style was usually tongue-and-groove boards running vertically up the wall and nailed in place. It was used to hide wall joints in the past, but now it is simply used for its durability.

There are even higher levels of wainscot. These began to appear in fashion in the dining rooms of the nineteen hundreds. They could run as high as sixty to seventy two inches. The panels were sold as eighteen to twenty-four inch pieces, and they were usually separated by three inch molding. The most popular building material for these at the time was cloth. It was usually burlap, grasscloth, or a heavy linen material. Most were rich colors.

While wainscot history has some interesting points, the future for wainscoting still looks good. People love the inexpensive nature of wainscot. It is possible to supply an entire room of quality wood wainscot for as little as one hundred and fifty dollars. People also love the look of wainscoting. It offers elegance, as many expensive homes use it in the original construction now. Not only does it offer an elegant look, but it also brings an element of the past into play. Because so many homes used to have wainscoting, people identify with it as an older building material. It can, therefore, offer a look of rich history to a new construction home. People also love the durability of wainscoting. If you have children or pets, walls in rooms that are highly trafficked take a serious beating. In the dining room, the kids hit the wall with their chairs every time they leave the table. In the hallways, kids leave their hand prints on the wall. In the basement, the dog hits the wall with his paws as he's headed for the door. Wainscoting can offer your wall protection from these kinds of accidents. It usually cleans up with a damp cloth, and in just a few short minutes, it can look as good as it did the day you installed it. Moreover, in older homes, it can protect your walls from getting damp. Because older construction homes are not subject to building codes the way new construction homes are, they sometimes need extra materials to protect them from environmental problems. Wainscoting can help maintain the plaster on the walls in the dampest of situations, and it can even cover uneven wall surfaces offering a smooth look to room.

Wainscoting has spent more than one hundred years in the popular spotlight, and it looks as if it will continue its fame into the next one hundred years.

If the homeowner can prove that the claim for money is spurious then the homeowner has an opportunity to raise his credit score.

Groovin Grouting Tips: Five Key Things to Consider Before Applying that Grout

When selecting a new tile floor, you dont want to forget about grout. It may seem like a trivial decision to make, but grout color and width will make all the difference in the appearance of your new floor. Before you apply grout to your new tile floor, there are five key things to keep in mind.
1. Selecting the Right Color
No matter what the thickness of your grout, it will be visible so you want to choose a shade of grout that will compliment your tile and your dcor. You can get grout in all sorts of colors now, so you can try to match the color of your tile so it blends in more or you can choose a contrasting shade the will emphasize the spacing between each tile. Remember that white and lighter shades of grout will show dirt and stains more than darker colors. Grout color can also change over time so youll want to keep that in mind when selecting a shade for your new floor.
2. Purchase the Correct Tools
Just as with any home improvement project, having the right tools is important if you want to complete the project effectively. You should purchase a good quality grout to ensure that it stands up over time. You will need some kind of tool to apply the grout a palette knife or spatula or trowel will decrease the mess on the floor and on you. Using these tools will also help you keep the grout level. You dont want the grout to be too much lower or higher than the level of the tiles. You will also need a sponge or cloth and a bucket to remove any excess.
3. Spacing
Spacing the tiles and the grout is a tricky business, but you need to be patient and take your time to ensure that your tiles look evenly spaced out. You might want to take the time to layout your tiles and ensure the correct spacing before even gluing them in place. You will need to work somewhat quickly once the glue is down, so planning ahead like this can save a lot of stress and aggravation later.
Once you have your tiles and know the size, youll want to figure out how much grout you want to have showing. When it comes to actually laying down your tile, you can purchase spacers at your local home improvement or hardware store. These will help you keep the tiles a specific distance apart and ensure a consistent width of grout all around the tiles.
You need to make sure that your tiles are in the correct spot before you put the grout down. The grout only fills the spaces between the tiles, so if you find that the grout lines are uneven it is the result of the tiles being crooked, not the grout itself.
4. Sealer
To protect grout, you need to apply a sealer. This sealer will protect the grout from damage and stains. You can purchase these sealers at your local home store or at a specialty tile store. It may take some time to apply this sealant, because you have to go over each grout line without getting any on the tile, but it will really help protect your grout from all sorts of harm. Your grout will probably show age quicker than the tiles themselves, so you want to do everything you can to protect your grout right from the start.
5. Maintenance
You need to clean and maintain your grout, just as you do the tile itself. In fact, you probably need to pay more attention to the grout since over time it will build up dirt faster than the tile surface. If your grout is not perfectly level with your tile, your mop may miss some of the dirt and stains and cracks or holes in the grout can also hide bits of dirt and bacteria. Every once and awhile, you should carefully clear all of the grout lines to ensure you remove any hidden dirt and stains that might be missed during your usual cleanings. Over time you may even want to apply more sealer since it can be worn down by high traffic and scrubbing.