Woodworking costs depend on your project and location. Check with a local pro for your specific job.
Professional wainscoting installation costs $1,325 on average, and your total ranges from $1,050 to $2,400.
Your wainscoting style and total wall square footage drive labor time for measuring, cutting panels, and installation.
Budget for your wall prep, baseboard removal, hole filling, and primer, so your new panels sit flat.
Hiring a local carpentry professional ensures clean seams, level trim, and a fast install without layout headaches.
The cost to install wainscoting averages $1,325, though it can range from $1,050 for a small area to $2,400 for a large room and expensive wood, like mahogany.
Wainscoting is paneling that lines an interior wall and is usually about waist-high. Installing this decorative trim is an excellent DIY project, although the cost can vary quite a bit. Wainscoting costs $5 to $40 per square foot, depending on the material you choose, the type of paneling, and the style.
Wainscoting is one of those unique jobs where, if you plan on upgrading a normal-sized space, the price of materials and labor can often be the same. The size of your space will affect both of those factors, but as long as you aren’t using a specialized material like mahogany or reclaimed wood, there are plenty of ways you can save money by adding this unique design element to your home.
Material choice and labor are two of the three chunks of the budget, with the third being the total size of the area you plan on paneling. The good thing about wainscoting is that once you get started, the work is fairly repetitive. The method you employ will be the same, whether it’s 20 square feet or 400 square feet.
| Size of Project | Total Material Cost - MDF/Plywood | Total Material Cost - Cedar |
|---|---|---|
| 50 square feet | $300–$600 | $400–$800 |
| 100 square feet | $600–$1,200 | $800–$1,600 |
| 150 square feet | $900–$1,800 | $1,200–$2,400 |
| 225 square feet | $1,350–$2,700 | $1,800–$3,600 |
Wainscoting involves placing slats of wood or other material against a flat surface (almost always either drywall or plaster) and painting over the wall paneling–if itisn’t wood. The most common wainscoting appearance is white squares or rectangles that make up the wainscoting, with the original wall color above it. This is usually about waist height, or around three feet from the ground.
| Type of Paneling | Price per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Flat panel | $7–$10 |
| Board and batten | $7–$20 |
| Beadboard | $7–$20 |
| Shiplap | $2–$7.50 |
| Raised panel | $10–$30 |
| Overlay | $10–$40 |
The style of wainscoting you choose will depend on your taste and goal for the project. Someone might choose a flat panel design in order to keep the look clean and sleek. The opposite of that—while still looking modern—is an overlay design, where moldings are placed over an existing wall panel.
The material you choose is an important factor when installing wainscoting. If you want to save some money, and you like the classic New England white wainscoting, opt for MDF, vinyl, or PVC when picking materials. These materials look great once painted over and result in a timeless, Eastern seaboard aesthetic.
| Type of Material | Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| MDF and plywood | $6–$12 |
| Vinyl | $5–$10 |
| PVC | $5–$9 |
| Cedar | $8–$16 |
| Redwood | $11–$19 |
| Oak | $12–$22 |
| Maple | $12–$21 |
| Mahogany | $26–$40 |
However, we all know that image of the paneled library or smoking lounge. These spaces—often found in hunting lodges, old Victorian homes, libraries, or finished basements—are usually designed and styled in a dark and warm way.
For those who want this style, your only option is unpainted wood. You could install a less expensive wainscoting and paint it black, but it will absorb light and won’t produce the inviting sheen of finished wood.
As you’ll see below, we think wainscoting can be an excellent DIY project, even if you’re new to larger undertakings. If you’re able to see the project through, great! On the flip side, you can hire a contractor to do everything, but expect to pay between $50 to $125 per hour. Most of the labor cost when installing wood paneling comes down to measuring, cutting, and applying the materials. Prep and finish jobs are fast bookends for this project.
Prepping a wall for wainscoting isn’t terribly involved. Generally, you want to follow a number of steps that simply ensures that the surface you’re working on is ready for your paneling, and to save you time if you’re DIYing the project:
Measure and mark the wall with a pencil. Alternatively, use painters tape to outline the panel placement.
Remove any baseboards.
If you’re hanging heavy wooden panels, locate and mark studs.
Fill any holes or cracks in the wall.
Apply a coat of primer to the wall.
If you’re hiring a carpenter, make sure to discuss prep with them before they start the job. Not all professionals will want every one of the above steps done.
Wainscoting is interesting because you can go about it one of two ways: laying full panels over the wall and placing raised rails on top of that panel, or installing the rails only, painting over the rails and the underlying wall.
| Full Panel | Rails Only |
|---|---|
| More expensive | Costs less |
| Classic design | Easier to DIY |
| Darker and warmer | Brighter and cleaner |
Many DIYers choose to forgo the more dark academia, Old World style of full-paneled wood for the crisper, more modern white wainscoting. It’s easier to install, significantly less expensive, and can usually be done in a weekend.
Whether you choose to go with the full panel or painted rails, if you’re considering selling the full wood panels may not be the aesthetic a potential buyer is looking for. Removal is more expensive when compared to painted rails, which only need to be pried from the wall and painted over.
Hiring a local wainscoting carpenter adds $50 to $125 per hour to your project. Even though you’ll spend more on labor, if you’re after the most sophisticated look for your home, we recommend working with a professional.
Wainscoting installations can be DIY-friendly, but it’s still ideal to work with a pro, and here’s why:
Poorly installed wainscoting can be a major eyesore, so if you don’t have experience with this kind of project, it’s best to work with a pro who can give your home a timeless appearance.
High-end materials cost a pretty penny, so the last thing you want is to damage the materials by trying to measure and cut them to size yourself.
A pro can prevent needless repairs and additional expenses by using expert skills and equipment to correctly install your wainscoting the first time around.
Installing wainscoting requires the use of power tools like drills and saws, which can be dangerous for novice DIYers.
Working with an installer can save you time and energy trying to figure out the layout and method of installing wainscoting.
While wainscoting isn’t particularly difficult to install, getting it to look good is a whole different matter. For this reason, you might want to stick with these DIY-friendly parts of the installation process:
Prepping the area
Removing baseboards
Marking stud locations
Priming the wall
Painting the panels
Some of the best ways to save money when wainscoting include:
Perform as much of the prep and finish work as possible.
If you hire a contractor, negotiate a lower labor cost if you can assist.
Unless you want visible wood grain, use MDF, PVC, or plywood.
White paint is often the least expensive if you’re painting the panels.
Watch for sales on wainscoting materials and paint.
Since wainscoting is not structural, consider recycled or repurposed materials.
Discuss your budget with your pro to determine the best materials and panel type for the budget you set. Avoid raised and overlay panels made of mahogany, maple, or oak if you’re on a tight budget because these options cost the most.
Consider the size of the project. You can save on costs by limiting your project to select rooms or shorter panels.
If you have room in your budget, tackle additional similar projects, like installing new crown molding or door and window trim.
Chat with your installer about full panels versus rails. Rails are more modern, cost-friendly, and easier to install, whereas full panels offer a classic look at a premium cost.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on 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.
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