Has anyone used beadboard like paintable wallpaper?

Tara S
by Tara S
We want to add a wainscotting under the chair rail in our dining room. In order to use real beadboard, we'd have to hire someone, but I've recently found paintable beadboard-look wallpaper. Have you used it? How does it come out? Any suggestions?
  8 answers
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Feb 16, 2012
    why hire?...bead board is not that tough to install you can get it as sections, just cut to length and apply with panel adhesive.
  • Tara S Tara S on Feb 16, 2012
    Basically we would hire because we'd have to remove and replace the chair rail that currently exists (I can't find any panels that are the right thickness for what's currently installed), we don't have a saw and are COMPLETE novices at building, cutting, etc (I've refinished some furniture and painted rooms... there's my DIY experience). From what I've read at various sources, ours would be a slightly more complicated job because we have an incredibly large window that would have to be cut around as well as baseboard heaters, etc. AND we have 15 month old twins, so just having a day or a weekend to do it on our own seems rather impossible with two toddlers wandering around an area that isn't easily enclosed (yay open concept!).
  • The wallpaper that comes textured to look like bead board and even all the other patterns all look really good. The only draw back to these items is that the surface can be crushed if bumped against by someone walking by or a chair that hits it. Remember its not built up paper it is embossed surface giving the impression of the pattern your choosing. So as long as you feel that the walls are not going to be bumped into the look will be fine. But if you have a small room that tends to fill when its being used. You may want to think a bit more on this type of finish. Do not forget that you will need to place a chair rail around the top edge of the paper to give it a complete look. And with that amount of effort, you may want to follow KMS suggestion and go for the real thing.
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Feb 16, 2012
    Tara...I see your point....life can get complex
  • Designs by BSB Designs by BSB on Feb 16, 2012
    If you decide to take on the real thing? You don't necessarily need to remove the existing chair rail. A possibility might be to add a small molding at the top of the bead board..just under the rail. Once chaulked and painted, it could look meant to be!
  • Charlotte Charlotte on Aug 24, 2015
    I have used the bead board wallpaper on furniture and walls and love it. There are several posts on Hometalk regarding bead board wallpaper.
  • Maria Maria on Sep 26, 2015
    Charlotte is right. I saw one where the exterior of a refrigerator was done in bead board wall paper. Unbelievable! Good luck, maybe let us know how it turns/turned out?
  • Tonyahometalk Tonyahometalk on Mar 02, 2016
    I did a bedroom with the bead board wallpaper and it worked great. Just be sure to add trim work to the top of the wallpaper. Painting it was a breeze and looked great in the new baby girl's room.