Installing PVC Wainscot Backsplash

Who doesn't love the look of wainscoting?  I would put different styles of it throughout every room in my house if I could afford it, and get the Laird on board with installing all of it.  Maybe over the years, little by little we can experiment.  Have you ever looked into all the different styles of wainscoting out there?  If you're not familiar, search it on google images or Pinterest.  You will be amazed!  For our kitchen, and very first wainscot project, we decided to keep it simple and do a traditional bead board.

We chose to do a PVC wainscot back splash in our kitchen.   After reading people's reviews, we decided that PVC wainscot would be easier to care for and clean than wood or particle board wainscot, while preserving a traditional appearance.  We used 8 ft. panels of  EverTru PCV wainscot from Lowes.  They offer packages of shorter panels as well.  After measuring the height we wanted our wainscot to rise, we cut the panels to fit.  Cutting holes for electrical outlets, windows, and cabinets proved to be the most challenging portion of the project. Purchase a little more material than you need to install, to account for mistakes and waste. To install the panels, we applied Liquid Nails to the backside of panel and attached panel to the wall.  Then we used an air compressor nail gun to further hold panels in place.  All directions suggest starting in the corner of the room and then proceeding outward- this is important so that you have whole panels meet in the corner.  After installing the wainscot panels, we then installed the PVC chair rail trim to the top edge of the wainscot.  Then we installed a PVC rounded shoe mould to the base, where the wainscot and Corian counters meet.  Liquid Nails and the nail gun secured both the chair rail and shoe moulding in place.  This project can be accomplished by one person, though it works very efficiently with 2 people.  The Laird and I made a good team and got the job done!

Shoe Moulding along base of bead board

The installation was successful, and fairly easy.  The EverTru panels are reversible- wide bead and narrow bead.  We used the narrow bead side.  Though the PVC bead board is paintable, we opted not to paint it at this time.  We do still need to fill the tiny nail holes along the chair rail and should mould.  

Wainscoting changes and improves the look of a room dramatically!  

Chair Rail along top of bead board

Along this wall we will be putting 2 open shelves.
Brackets have been ordered.  Now we just need to find the wood for the shelves.

Need to decide on and purchase/ build a range hood

The kitchen is on it's way to completion.  We have to trim and sill the window, add crown and base moulding, and then install some open shelving along the free wall.  Oh yah, we need to figure out a hood as well.  All in good time!  We're getting there, inch by inch!