Getting ready to install wainscoting in a half bath. What’s the feeling about prepainting wainscoting prior to installing? How about back priming? I’m not in the habit of doing this with trim, but I recall that some folks do it this way. Any strong reason to or not to?
Thanks.
Seth
John Cage
Replies
I just installed wainscoting in a full bath for a handicap child. The wainscoting came directly up to the shower which is a roll in for the wheel chair with no shower curb.
I primed all four sides of it to attempt to seal it from moisture and water as best I could. I think it is an added precaution that really doesnt cost much in time and material.
If your installing it in a half bath there will not be as much moisture in the air or chance for water to get onto it providing the customers dont splash around in the sink to frequently so you could probably get by without backpriming
As to it butting directly to tile on the shower I thought it was a bad idea with only a curtian and no curb, but it wasnt my call.
My opinion painting before you install it has its plus's and minus's. Guess it breaks down to how careful you want to hang it. The finish is bound to get mared and scratched, inevitably there will be touch up.
Wait for a more expert opinion though....
Seth, I think it's a good idea to seal all sides of an interior paneling. Individual board wainscot can move (shrink/expand) a bunch if not sealed. The movement will be seen in unpainted tongues becoming visible or buckling. You cant go wrong for cosmetic reasons alone to at least prime. If you prepaint, don't fill up the grooves or pile it on the tongues, it'll go together fine.
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Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
I think the backpriming will help avoid cupping, especially if thin.
WE always pre-paint our wainscotting. It may get a little banged up while you are installing it but its easy to touch up. The main benifit if you are using real T&G material is in the winter when the heat is one the boards shrink up. This causes to bad things to occur - 1. the unpainted tounge is exposed and its impossible to try to paint withour spraying at this point and 2. if the paint is put on heavy after it is installed it cracks and looks very bad. Whatever you do - don't caulk between boards - that won't help anything.
As far as backpriming - it will never hurt anything but is not necessary. Might help reduce the expanding and contracting some. Since its in a bathroom and there will be a lot of moisture, I would probably take the time to do it - bathroom can't be that big. Lay them on saw bucks and priime them with a roller - I bet you can do all of them in 10 minutes.