Wainscotting

Wainscotting is the style of indoor wall covering that's made of wooden boards. It's not uncommon for rooms to have wainscotting on the lower half of their walls.

Wainscotting is a decorative and functional system of wood panels, chair railing (framing), and moulding. Today’s wainscot paneling that we are familiar with originated in the 18th century when wainscot paneling was no longer installed as floor-to-ceiling paneling and began covering just the lower half of walls. Wainscot paneling was initially functional rather than decorative—adding interior protection and insulation from damp and cold stone walls. Now, homeowners may choose to install it for visual appeal alone. The original wainscoting was made of oak, but softer wood is more common today.