Bead Board Paneling in the Bathroom

-I have used bead board paneling in my bathrooms whenever possible. The panels add some nice variation and charm to the room. I find the bead board paneling works best in the houses that I am building or remodeling to look older than they really are.

-Should you use solid wood or mdf bead board paneling? The material that I have used has been mdf and has come in sheets from Home Depot. I've been very happy with it. I understand that now there is pre-primed bead board paneling, but I have always primed it myself in the past.

-I have had my trim carpenter install the bead board paneling in the bathroom, by showing him a picture of another installation and just having him copy it.

-Of course, you will want to install the bead board paneling after you already have the drywall up on the wall, but before you have done your painting.

-Be sure to consider whether the bead board paneling will be in the way of the countertop installation. I have mistakenly installed the bead board paneling in a position so that it was in the way of the countertop installers when they went to slide the countertop onto the cabinet. I had to remove the trim from the bead board so that the countertop would fit into place, then reinstalled the trim.

-The height of the bead board paneling is at your discretion. Some remodelers and renovators go up to 2/3 of the wall height, while I prefer to have it lower. Look at a few other houses to get a feel for how high you would like it.

-I have typically topped my bead board with chair molding and decorative trim, but there are many alternatives. Ask your trim carpenter what he suggests.