How To Install American Beadboard with Top Cap and Baseboard Moldings

Below are the steps that we would use to install American Beadboard Panels with the Poplar Top Cap and Poplar Baseboard Moldings on a Sheetrock Wall.

Beadboard Kit Installation Steps

  • 1 Install 4 1/2" Baseboard molding to wall section. The baseboard is 1 1/16" thick so you can chamfer the edge of the baseboard slightly if your casings are less than 1 1/16" thick so that the baseboard thickness is reduced at the edge where it meets the casing. Miter the baseboard moldings at the inside and outside corners. Recommend nailing baseboard with a nail gun using 15 or 16 gauge nails that are 2" long.
  • 2 Dry fit beadboard panels for the wall section. At the edge of a casing you can cut the panel so that the radius at the edge of the flat goes against the casing. If you need to cut into the flat you can route a new radius on the panel using a 1/4" radius router bit.
  • 3 For inside and outside corners you can use our corner molding or you can cut the beadboard panels and apply as a butt joint.
  • 4 Once beadboard panels are dry fitted into the wall section mark the location of the studs just above the beadboard panels. Use wood glue on the lap-joint seams and apply either a wood glue or construction adhesive on the back of the beadboard panel. You don't need a lot of glue behind the beadboard panel. Nail each panel through the lap joint up high within the top 1 /2" so that nail will be covered by the top cap molding and down low. Also nail the panels where the studs are located. (every other panel if the studs are on 16" centers).
  • 5 Install 2 1/2" Top Cap molding to wall section. The Top Cap is 1 1/16" thick so you can chamfer the edge of the baseboard slightly if your casings are less than 1 1/16" thick so that the top cap thickness is reduced at the edge where it meets the casing. Miter the top cap moldings at the inside and outside corners. Recommend nailing top cap molding with a nail gun using 15 or 16 gauge nails that are 2" long.