How to Add Wainscoting to a Cabinet
- 1). Remove cabinet doors and hardware. Measure the cabinet face (front) and pre-cut one beadboard wainscoting board for the face of the cabinet. Measure the cabinet side at the corner and precut one beadboard wainscot board for the side of the cabinet.
- 2). Miter the groove side of each board at 45-degrees. You will install the wainscoting from the outside corner.
- 3). Apply construction glue liberally to the back of the wainscoting and press the mitered corner into place. If the cabinet opening begins within the first beadboard, use the combination square and pencil to mark the area of board to be removed. Cut the excess board away using the jig saw prior to gluing the face board to the cabinet.
- 4). Measure, mark and cut each board and move along the face of the cabinets. Depending on the material of the existing cabinet, you may be able to shoot small brad nails into the tongues of the beadboard as you assemble the wainscoting (after gluing a board into place). If you use a hammer and brads, pre-drill pilot holes in the tongues before nailing. Some cabinets are too thin, and you will need to rely on the adhesive alone. Commercially manufactured cabinets should be reasonably straight, but if your cabinet is out of level or true, you may need to ease some of the beadboards by allowing the last three to four boards to fan out slightly where they join. Use your level frequently to check for alignment.
- 5). Pre-cut the last three boards when working toward an inside corner and pre-assemble the tongue and grooves. Apply the adhesive to the cabinet face and arch the connected boards before pressing them firmly into the glue. This will create a tight fit in the corner. Restart at the next outside corner and work back toward the inside corners. Do the same with each exposed cabinet side.
- 6). Trim the top and bottom of the wainscoting with ogee or other trim boards, adhesive and small brads. Use the coping saw to pre-fit any inside corners of the molding.
- 7). Remove cabinet door inserts or use the jigsaw to remove the inner panel. Replace the inner panel with a pre-assembled beadboard panel of the same size.
- 8). Reassemble and mount the cabinet doors and hardware on the new wainscoting face of the cabinets. Fill nail holes, sand, prime and paint.
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