wainscot - historic vs modern

[Stephen Tashiro]

The videos I've seen about installing wainscot show panels being attached to the wall. Then a framework of stiles and rails is put over the panels to hide joints. Is this the way wainscot was installed, say in the 1700's ? Or was it installed so the panels were captured in the framework of stiles and rails the same way that a panel is captured in the framework of a panel door?

[Tom M King]

In the old houses, it was made in one piece, and then installed. One wall, even if 20 feet long, will typically be held on with only 4 - 6 nails. Look on the woodwork page of my website, and you will see one example where I replaced some parts in one section in an 1828 house. That was a 20 foot long panel held on with four nails.

[Mel Fulks]

Today the one piece per wall is still done by "architectural millwork" shops, but carpenters sometimes make them on
site piece by piece. Plus caulk !