Faux wainscot and textured walls question

14 years ago

I want to DIY faux wainscoting in a couple of rooms in my house by doing the chair rail + picture frame molding + glossy white paint method. I have researched quite a bit about this, but not found much around what to do if I have textured walls.

My walls are either knockdown or orange peel types:

{{!gwi}}

Have any of you dealt with this? I would really like to keep the scope of this project small, but I fear that the glossy white paint will show all the texture of the walls.

Featured Answer

dainaadele

14 years ago

Skim coating is your only option. You would have to actually smooth out the portion that you want to look like the waiscot.

When it comes time to paint: One trick I did with mine was when I painted the "wood" portion, I did not roll with a roller, but actually used a brush. It created a bit of a verticle texture that helped create the illusion of age/multiple coats/grain. Most people freak when they find out it is 3 years old instead of being from the 1920's like the rest of the house.

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Comments (13)

User
14 years ago
I don't think that you can get the affect you want with textured walls.
That look is supposed to look like wood where you paint the high gloss white.
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sonaliagrawal
Original Author
14 years ago
Dainaadele: Is skim coating a DIY option?
sonaliagrawal
Original Author
14 years ago
Could I use a drywall sander instead of skim coating? These are finished walls with paint from previous owners on them.
dilly_dally
14 years ago
I would not DIY sand the walls. The coating is thin and you could get uneven results. There is also the possibility of there being asbestos or fiberglass in the coating.
Skincoat. Or cover in drywall and continue with the fake wainscoting project.
sonaliagrawal
Original Author
14 years ago
I am thinking through all my options here... another thing that came to my mind: how about nail-gun-ing in a thin luan sort of a sheet for the wainscot part on top of the existing drywall?
megsy
14 years ago
Do you think the wallpaper beadboard would stick?
sonaliagrawal
Original Author
14 years ago
Wallpaper beadboard would stick, I would think. But I dont like the look of beadboard as much. I prefer the picture frame molding look.
justgotabme
14 years ago
Yep, as far as I can tell you're going to need to add panels of thin plywood or other low cost, but smooth surface. Masonite might be an option too since one side is very smooth. Ask at Home Depot both in the paint and lumber departments.
kitchenkelly
14 years ago
I have wainscotting in my powder room. The person who did it used the sheet of thin veneer first. He was not your typical DIYer (paid handyman) but I think it is doable.
eclecticme
14 years ago
I would think that you could get a non-textured paintable wallpaper and apply to the lower portion of the wall, where the wainscoting would be. The add a chair rail at the top edge of the wallpaper. Add pitcure frame panels below the chair rail. Paint the whole thing. I dont think you would be able to tell the difference. I would look like pitcure framed wainscoting panels on the lower portion and a textured wall above.
sadie709
14 years ago
I think they make a wallpaper liner that is used to smooth out rough surfaces before wallpaper is applied. It might be paintable.
dcorbin25_gmail_com
13 years ago
It seems to me that if you used wallpaper, when you nail up the faux wainscoting frames, it would crinkle and probably not look very good.