How to Install Wainscoting Over Tile

Installing wainscoting to any room will update its decor while giving it a luxurious appearance. Done the right way, this inexpensive project can also add value to your home. Installing wainscoting over existing tile, likely in a bathroom, can be done effectively without having to tear out the tile and replace drywall. The average do-it-yourselfer can tackle this project in the course of an afternoon with the right tools and proper instructions.

Things You'll Need

• Wainscoting panels
• Compressor nail gun
• Measuring tape
• Adhesive
• Low-grit sandpaper
• Circular saw
• Reciprocating saw
• Pry bar

Instructions

1. Remove all electrical outlet covers and switch plate covers, and move any furniture out of your way before you begin working. Then remove baseboards or moldings at the base of the walls with a pry bar.

2. Prepare the existing tiles for adhesive. Use a low-grit sandpaper to remove the ceramic tile glaze. Roughing the surface ensures a stronger adhesive bond when installing the wainscoting.

3. Measure and cut your wainscoting panels. Most panels come in 4-foot by 8-foot sheets. Draw a straight horizontal line on your wall where you would like the wainscoting to extend, with a maximum height of 48 inches.

4. Apply heavy-duty adhesive to the back of the wainscoting and to the ceramic tiles. Use a caulking gun to apply the adhesive in a S-shaped pattern on each surface.

5. Install the first panel 1/16 inch from the corner of a wall, making sure the top is level with the line you've drawn. You can use a compressor nail gun as another method to keep the panels adhered to the tiles.

6. Make your way around the bathroom, installing each panel 1/16 inch apart from the next while making sure the tops are level with your line. Openings for outlets and light switches will need to be measured and cut out with a reciprocating saw.

7. Place waterproof caulking between the gaps of every panel. This allows the paneling to shift with the changes in temperature in the room.

8. Paint the wainscoting your desired color, which may need a couple coats, then install new baseboards and a chair rail to the top of your panels.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the wainscoting panels are aligned perfectly at the top of the wall, not at the bottom. Many floors are not perfectly level, so the new baseboards will cover up any discrepancies at the bottom of the panels.