Wainscotting (A.K.A. Panelling) in Historic Buildings

Lee H. Nelson, FAIA Chief, Prcservalion Assistance Division National Park Service, Washington. D.C.

Introduction being a brief texl which is illustrated with 17 Architectural woodwork from 18th and 19th century drawings and photos. The second pJrl consim of America, especially that \vhich v.·c CJll ~panelling" selected documents, actu;.il\y extracts fro1n an CJrly (but historically called "wainscolling"), hJs long architectural diction;.iry, several c.xtr:icts frlHH been of interest to architects and architectural carpenter's rule books, ~1nlcr­ The terrn "\Vainscotting.~ a:. used in this coun'try bui!Jcrs. throughout the lSth Jnwood panelling on the nf \\Tiod\\'Ork n1ust be prcfJbric;ltcd i11 C'-::r:.- JcL1il lo\\·cr part of J \~·:i.11; but in this country the terrn 1n ;1dvancc of its erection. i1 in\·ol·.-'..:s ,1 •.:ni1ri"-in.:_: "v.·:i.inscotting" usu31\y mC3nl noor to ceiling J':.:grcc of pl;inning Jnd ;1ccur:-ic~· in ihc \\·ooJ,vork. \Vhen ..,,.·ainscolling \V:JS used to cr:1ftsn1Jnship to assure th;1t ;ill th:.: s1il•-.1·.,:n1hl1c:'i embellish an entire wall (or walls) with Ooor lo \\'ill fit the \"-'Ji!s. the noor Jnd the c:..·il111~: ceiling \\'OOd\\·ork, it usuJ\!y included olhcr rt:l;1tLJ It is for the Jbove rc:1<;011<; 1h.1t 1i~i·. T~.1:::11~'.: .·\i,.J (but applied) fc:i.turcs such as pil;1stcrs, cornices, h:1.s hccn v•rilten, to heighten the unJ:.:r ... 1.1nd111g J1hl anJ lrirn for cloor\\'JYS and \\·indo,vs {Illus. I). At ~1 ;q1prcciJtion of the cr:i.fl J<;pcct.<>, but \\itL,1ut t:·..:1tins 1ninin1un1, \v:i.inscotting coulrJ be lin1itehcd he st.:i.ted ::it the out.set that this is not ;1 <....:ho\:irly \\·ith plain p\Jster. 1\ll such \vainscolling :.t:r\c

2-J 7 vertical beaded boards, simply nailed to wall cleats, backside of thl! panels \~·ith f:.ibric strips. But, :.is and finished off "ith baseboards and chairrail mentioned before, the panels were 1101 glued to the moldings. 2 And today, of course, the term stiles or rails, but "lloated"" in grool'eS to allow for "wainscotting" has been supplanted by the term the inevitable cxp:.insion anplywood. Because all the components of wainscotting systems had to be prefabricated, they were probably assembled on sJwhorses in the very roon1, and then Construction or \Vainscotting raised into place, followed by final adjustments such as leveling or trimming of the S[iles to fit For the purposes of this Training Aid, wainscouing irregularities in the floor, and finally the is described as a prefabricated systc111 of v.·oodv.rork, woinscotting was secured to the wall(s) (Illus. 6-7). consisting of vcnic:il boards called stiles v.:hich Securing the \\'OOd\\·ork lo rough 1,1,·alls seems to USUJlly extended from noor {O ceiling, JnJ \~·hich have posed several problems, depending upon ""·ere cross-connected with horizontal boards c.Jl!cd whether the wall was framed of wood or whether it r.:iils. The stiles and rails \~·ere secured to c:ich \VJS constructed of brick or stone masonry. In- Jny other \~·ith mortise and tenon joints v.·ith \~·ooJt.:n event, the surface of n1ost v•alls "'JS somev.:hat pcgs or pins. Usually 1hc spaces bct\l.·ccn the sti!:.:s uneven, that is, not nccess;.irily plun1b or on an C\'Cn Jnd fJiJs \~'CfC fi!JcJ v.ith r:liscJ Of nJt pJnCJS Y•>hich plane. Thus, it \\'JS usually necessary to pro.,.·idt.: "noJtcJ" in grooves o.long the edges of th~ ::i.JjJccnt some blocking to spJcc the \1.-'0oc.h~·ork ::l\vay from stili.:."> .1nJ r::iils, but thc panels \l.·crc not pinned or the surface of the v.·all lo con1pcnsJtc for the glucd in p!Jcc. Thus they could c:xp.::inJ or contr .1c1 irrcgul;.iritics of the \"all. This \l,'JS cspeci:dly trut.: of in thi..: groo\·i.;s, Onry v.·Jll and the \~·ainscolling. cnrnplic:itcJ in its JrrJngcn1cnt of pJri;.:I;, ti~-.:r:.: \\';_iinscotting could be secured to n1Jsonry "·:.ills rni~ht bi.: JJdition.1! sccond;iry stil:.:s ;1nJ r.1•:·, 1,-. 1ri sc.:ver.11 \v;1ys: l) thi..: 111Json rnay h.Jvc \;1iJ son1c :1ccnn1n1odJ!c the cxtrJ p:1ncls Th:: p:in·.:!, t:·,~.1:i:. occ.Jsion;1! \l,'OOJcn blocks in the v.·all (in lieu of con_~1<;tcJ of bo.:ird') edge glued 1nto n:1: r.in~·l .. \~r bricks), ond such blocks could be useJ for noiling r:ii.;:.:J pJn::ls (or cornbin:1!1ons), or p.::in·:.:L, v.ith the \~·ainscotting to the \1,·all; :!) the n1ortJr joints ~1pp!t·.:J rnoldinf'.S Sornctirncs th:: pJncls '.,·.:r'-cJ ,\\ cnulJ be r:ikcJ out anJ J nJrrO\'-', v.·cJgc shaped :1 h.:ic~Jr,)p for mounting .:in cl.::iborJtC f::.i~urc such n:1iling block driven into the joint. Either of 1hcsc :is J LihcrnJc\e fr;irne or J pcJirncnt Th·.:',:: Jpproachcs lent thcn1sclvcs to the attachn1cnt of sy~tcrn<; \\Crc usu;illy built tn utilize 1hc !:::1','. furring strips anJ/or blocking as needed to :-1r111-n1nt of rnJtcri:1l to CO\'cr the v.·,iil, Jr~,! 1:~~·r~· cnn1pcn_)J(C for irrcgulJritics in the v.·all; or, J) \\Cr:.: nftcn n.1rrn._,. \'Old<; or t:JP', i:1 th:: ''<"':~·:'.1 Jnothcr Jppro:ich \\'JS to Jri\'C hJnd-forgcJ iron

Th:.:·,:: ·.,--iiJ; \verc covered hy :q1pl1cd fc:itur:_-. 1.· :i11chors into the n1ort:1r joints, JS needed (11\us. S) lrl!li\\(Hk. such :is nr11:1n1i..:111:1I pilJ.'.tcr:. ur ~.,.1~· ..... 1. S:..:ch iron Jnchors h:1J J. t:1pcrc

pr:.:r,diric;it::::J suh·JS'.en1hlic:;, :::::1ch nf \~hi.::h h.i J 1 :is,:nnst {\\'O adj;1ccnt bricks. 1·1ic other end haJ ::i he !1n1..;,hcJ in C\cry JetJil, \~·ith n1or1i.:;c .1nJ t-.:n·,:. ·hc;1d" for h:in1n1cring it into the n1ortJr joint, JllJ,

j1)tnt.r., ~:rOO\CS JnJ n1oldings, before they c(n:i,! I"..: JJj:1ccnt to the hcaJ \\'J.) ;i n:lltencn111:.:ti:11..:' q1::1·..: Jri\·cn into the 111Drt;1r jDints so th;1t thi..:y \voulJ he l:1rgL (s:1y 3 rcet hy -l feet), :ind thu<; h:iJ lll f, ...: i111r11cJi;itcly 3Jj,1cl'.11L to the 5tilcs or r::iih, \\'ith ;i glued up frorn n1ultipl:.: n:lff()n·cr bn:irJ.;, n:1il Jri\·en through the hole into the c

2-33 anchorage for the wainscotting. mention of \\'ainscotting in connection \\'ith dJmp Although the shape and design of the iron walls. Also see mention of dealing with dampness anchors varied (Illus. 10), this describes the basic in the 1726 publication by Richard Neve, 77ie City system used in Independence Hall for securing such and Country Purchaser, and Builder's Dictio11ary ... wainscotting; but it is known to have been a London, 1726, p.273, as follows: ··some Joyners, (as commonly used system in other masonry buildings I am inform'd) put Charcoal behind the Panncls of of the period. Thus an entire v.·Jinscotting system their \Vainscot, to prevent the Sv.·eating of Stone could be secured to a brick wall with a half dozen and Brickwalls from unglueing the· Joynts of the iron anchors. In the eighteenth century, Pannels, \\'hich otherwise, (cspcciJlly in some wainscotting w:is gcncrJlly installed and prime places) 'tis very apt to do so; and others make use painted before any plastering of the adjacent walls of Wool in the same manner, and for the same or ceiling. Obviously, it would have been diflicult to purpose; yet neither of these ways will prevent their apply wet plaster against the edges of linish unglucing in some Houses: Dul the most cffcctuJ\ woodwork, especially against projecting moldings. way to prevent it, is by priming over the Bac\.:-sic\'ohcd s.ystcn1 ,,·hich rcq111rc,~ :1:: ,\'0r:h Carofm<'1 51,11« l/111011c /'rt•Sl·n·,111011 O/[ict' for 1111 llrlt'r(l/ C\\rJnrd1n:ir:- d...:grcc of pL1nc1n~'· :i:L'. ,:.1:· .:::.1:;,\i1p <111d fJr tin· /Q,11! of prf1J<'CI M.Q1J.:1ng drn><111g1 7)111 1fa111ing Aid .... ·ai cfnTlopcd tH part of 111,· ,\',wonof f'.111.. Sc" rcr SJ.;1f/J 1Jn·dn11mo1t !'rt)~Tnn1 ftJr /(111orr~·.i/ .-l1cii11l'C11 <111,/

For nwrc mformiJtrnn nbo111 //rt' SJ..dls f)l"1·dori111l'l1f f',,1-..; .. 1n1. pkCJt' CfJ1Uac1 [mogort' A /frv111, SJ.:1ff1 f)l'\ t•fup111,·111 l'/011 Coord111otor, i\',111onal /'nrk St'r\'fl'l' (l:!.J), /'.0. /io_1 jif ~7. \Viuhuigton, /)_ C. :!001 J · 7 J:! i'. or td«pli•Jth' l•«r

2-39

------BIBLIOGRAPHY

There is liule literature on the subject of Richard Neve, The City and Co11nty Purchaser, and wainscouing, but the following selected items will Builder's Dictionary: or, the Comp/eat Builders pro,ide the reader with some of the earliest v.Titings Guide.... Second edition, London, 1726, pp. 273-274, as well as several more recent articles. Qb,iously, for the entry "Wainscolling." This publication is much remains lo be done. available in a 1969 facsimile edition, David & Charles (Publishers) Limited, Newtown Abbot 771e 811ild1.:r's Dictionary: or, Ge11tlen1a11 and Devon. .--lrchitect's Con1pa11io11, London, 173--i, in two volume<. Republished for the Association for Nicholas B. Wainv.Tight, Coloniol Grandeur i11 Preservation Technology, 1981. Philadelphia: The Houses and Fumit11re of Genera/ John Cadwa/ader, Philadelphia, 1964. Especially sec "Joincry,M in i\faso11ry, Carpe11try, Joinery, the comparative photos of wainscotting in the International Library of Technology, Scranton, Powel House (1765), and the Stamper-Blackwell Pcnn.sylv:inia, 1899, section 10, pp. 16-27. Reprinted House (1764), and the bills of carpenter work by ChicJgo Rc\ic .....· Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1980. (including wainscouing for several rooms) for the Thi:; is Jn cspcci:illy interesting text book for John Dickinson House (1772), all in Philadelphia. tr:1Jcsn1cn; and v.:hilc it \\'JS "-Tillcn near the end of the cl::i.ssic period of y.:ainscot joinery, it probJbly The UIJ1ite Pinc Ser.cs of Architcct11ral /\!011ograplis, cn1b0Jics aspccts of n1uch earlier crJft prac1iccs. edited by Russell F. Whitehead, AIA. For SJmplings of photographs and measured drawings Stephen ~L1cDonJlJ :.ind Sunnic Singer, -f-lov.: to thll show wainscouing, sec: Vol. X, no. 6 ( 1924), p. '.\Like " Wainscot," Die Old-House Joumal, Morch. 14; Vol XI, no. 2 (1925), "Interior Woodwork in 1'!73. pp. 29-31. ~cw Engllnd during the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries," by Edv.in J. Hipkiss; Vol. ,\l.1lcoln1 /\lacGrcgor, "/\1aking Period Doors:· Finl° XII, no. 1 (1926), "New Castle, DelawJrc, an It 'ood1\·vrJ.:i11,;;. published by lhc Taunton Pres~., Eighteenth-Century Tov.11," by Wm. D. Fosler; Vol. 0.'cv.1ov;n, Connecticut, July/August, 19SS. no_ "i'l, XIII, no. 3 (1927), "An Eastern North Carolina PP- 60-IH. l\otc the photo and text on p:.ig:: (,) 1h.1: To"11 House, the Smallwood-Jones Residence," by slH1\\' :.inJ describe the coping of the qu:irtcr·hH;nJ Kenneth C\Jrk; Vol. XIII, no. 5 ( 1927), "The f11\)IJint:s on 3 typicJ! rail (or stil:.:). ,\·co\''.:· ·,1,,1°. Colone! Robert i\1cJns House, Amherst, Ne1,1.· thr..: trJd1tiLlllJI v.-Jy lo fit n1old1ng5 Jl :i ri~:\1< ,1n(1·.: Hampshire," by Lois Lilley Howe; Vol. XV, no. 5 cnrn·..:r \~·ithout usin~: n1itcr joints (u.·h1,:h \~tlU!l'. t''l;,~·n ( t9c'J), "The MJtthiJs Hammond House, Part Two;" up after shrink:ig:: of th:.: v.·ooJ), bu! J COf''.: ;,1ci~ .... \'ol XX\. No. 5, pp. 74- 76; Vol. X.XI, no. 6, pp. l'1k·:.. a n1itcr jo'1nt. o•J.S7: Vol. XXlll, no. 4, pp. 57-58, Vol. XXIV, no. ~-PP 121-126. Jo.;,cph r.loxon, 1\fccharrick £rcrciscs, o.~ thi· fl,,cr~·!" of Handy-ll'orks. the Third Edition, L0ndo:~. :~,._--, S..:c th:: <;Cctinn on the "Art of Joinery: rr /."', : > . . . inlluding Pl:11c 7, and .. Tcnns used Jnll•n!'. Jl "·-·,

2-!,Q ) ) ) cp 2 3 4 -,_ _f \== F==1

tr: tr: "I: ~ f== n fi'.'!,, II 1:1 ,,,.' 'I Tl[ '.I ! I J I I I H 'i i .I' I ii I= ~1: ~ II I Fl i IJ_I IWJ!! f:: 'I I " I _L_1 I .., .1 ' ~ ~ i1 jl I, ~ I! I -· .. ..,., :;' 11 ; I :. !== ,,;: f------1 r== t: : I! I I' 1 > I __c.i_~ f.--1'I ---, . '--­ Iii , I f.---, I~ 1I ~ ~:1 : ' 11 ; f::=::1 I~ l "'---- w ~I --~§_!'----"

ILLUSTRATION NO. 2 FINAL ASSEMBLY AND ERECTION Of l'llE·FABRICATED WAINSCOTl'INC;, \VITI IOLIT ,\l'l'l.IEU EMBELLISllMENTS

Dra\\'ing sho\VS the final asscn1hly of lhc prcfahrica1cd suh-asscrnhlics of \\·:1inscutli11g fur lhc \\'C~l \\';ill, Supri.:1111.: (·oun Roorn, before the surface ~1pplicatinn uf pilasters, pcJin1cnls, etc. 1"hc sh;1dcJ areas rcprcscnl Yoid<. in the ;1s~cn1hk·d \\'ooJ,.,·ork. The larger voids arc for \Vint.Jo\\'~ and doors (sec llluqr;1lio11 Nu. 1); ;ind lhc other void_.., ,~·Ill hi.: (11\crcd liv pil;islcrs, lhc ccnlcr l11hcrn;1ck: fr;11Hc, thi.: fric:rc, lilior trirn, and .\CLtion\ uf ch;1irr;11l. Key: I) Slilc; 2) R:iil; 1) R.,iscd l\111cl; 4) Fl;it !';ind I)r;a\\·ing hy Nc;il A. \ 1ligcl, 1'JS.."). ! ) ! '

- •.- l,-~ --- -:·----_· - - ~-~------' .. --~~,--~---_------~~---~-~:~-~-~~~~---~=~-----=---~----~--~~~~-=--=--=~~~~~---::1~ -==---~=~ - --- -~-y-~.:.~~\ -· 1f1i(~;_,T~ ,'f ;~_~1~·,o·c1T_:;{~· ·1:; :.("'.·y_=1:;._:;ii / ; ·: :r(~;-_--1_ '?' ;.;l~i{~-:1 tr~/'='-- ·.:x~:'"°:");;i[ ·-:_J~_~"-_-_1_;:"~''i_r·':1T?-~-}_y_-:,_:_i_;·; to~=_i·~_] {''°' r_0_i_~.-~_·;-\T" :\:rJ~:r1·: nn:j _... :c·:;; " ;;;,·,,~: ,;.;; ~·: :. r: '!Jj :-_~,;_:;._"· _.:.~::-~-~ -- __ :_"_ -~--1 ±'·;, ···.::-};: ·'·;-r;::;~~i;? --- ' ::; _-~·'::-.• --_ -;_'.~; ->_; tJ 1'._''\.(1 2 1111f1[f 1 ! r-~ j'J-~~l~T- ,_;1Tfrffiif If(~' ! JI ~~,' L·• ~. s.l:? (lfi_\\l'f 11\iif it~]·-. I- ii cl-firf1.·~ 1 11 1 1 1 m'._: ··· _.·· "j·-,-'.~._--- '..:'.!~-~-._---~ ··- --,- !Fil 1 -_ ;_\-~'~-- ~_.:_ ··1 ~;r -.. _; __ ::~ :. i-- · _,c:.111 JJi_·~Jr! j ·, (]',' ·· j-)"_------~_-;_~-~c;_-_f -~-· \11Ii_11 I ' I I ~ 11· 111 _1L_tl J';J . :I .. U_J~_,1 '. I • I -----;:::;.:::::>: . :i 1, I I - ~~~~.,J I I ; ; '°I i ,-.-- ~--·"I' I \~" ! " 1·i - 1· 1------·1 I I -.I)' ---1'1·' . . 11,,1 '" I I '- :::::-::--,,-- 'I ·!l1i1 '1 , F -,~STI · ; :. ·1 /r "! -~-·r:t<' .. 1. ·"·· . ··~---~~_: .. 1 .. I' ~-.~ -::1 ·1 11 ·11, 1 1

Ii ---, ' I . 1--- I I - • ' T " ·-1 . --· I I Ii\ I -I " '

', l / ~~ < riiiitlr '[J:iil~\~~-~-~] 1-~~-=ri-- 11··· ~c-_7 H11 ~1 ii' 1.J_1rn1:' -i 1,~1m1 1---J,--'-_-V'- _ -- --•--· I [ i---- _ I t;----= , _ , I _, 1 ~c 1- II , ,1 L.:': -- I =·--=r_J___:;__LJ~]

ILLUSTRATION NO. l COMPLETED WAINScon-1Nc; WITH APPLIED ARC! IITECTURAL FEATURES

\Vest \Vall, Suprcn1c Courl Room, lnJcpcnJcncc i I all, Philadelphia. Drav.ing shov.·s the rcconslructc.:J wainscotting complete \"''ith those architectural features that v.·crc applied lo the surface of the v.·ainscotting, including the pilasters, t;;il>crnaclc fran1c, pc

Drawin[; No. NIIP-IND J.125, Sheet 31, 1%5. Dr;iwn h)' John Milner. I ) \

r- _.----, ~ J = " -- --- = ------

fr;:=::::E::::: fl\'. 11· . "' ~ ' I r 11 r i' = = I .I 1' L_ _J1I ii It'"==-::------~-· ~ ~ !I I ' ~ I, i' : I L __ I ,,I I-'' ! i . - - : ,I = 1: 1 : hF=C---=ni I- , I 1 !i " 1 ' 11 I 1 d I' I. l : Ll I',,, i I -. c~ I = Ii ii L~-:C Y&~- 01- ! ' ~ ------~' I, !11 - ~ ------~I ii ----- .__ - ---=---:-:-==- U1I /L-o-11 = = 'Jl=J r---,_

ILLUSTRATION NO. 3 INTERMEDIATE STAGE SHOWING THE THREE SUIJ-ASSEMIJLIES Of WAINSCOTTING

This dra\\.'ing shows the three sub«1sscmblics or \1,'Jinscotting aflcr being raised into a vertical position against the \Vest w:.ill, Suprr;rnc Court R.oorn, hul before linal asscn1bly (\vith the short connecting rails) into one unili1.:d , ..·all of w;.iinscotting.

DrJ\~·ing by Nc:1l :\. \'Dgcl, 11)8..~. \ ) \

ll ~ n o r------l o a u .11 [l .I ------·- 0 0 r Cc• I 1· I ,- = II -::-:: ~=-i l___ _J 0 ::=:::_:-J 0 n 0 D 1 " • 1 I[ - [i I 11--=i I 'I I' - . -==11 ·= ,, 1 t _. ll [ ~ n I ' -I=-~ :-1-~-! I '' 0 cc 11 • , I . I rr ~D a===:JJ , ' I . a __ ~ , I I I I '11' ~ :• 1 , n, c--= I,:',, I i: n = l_l [ _ J· 1 .. 1· I' I I: ' 11-:= -:::.~::::.~ - TI I I ! :! : I I .. I\ l --'-'· -' l ' :! I I . l ''Ii , I 'I . D "J ' : i [ - - ·=·II LJ I , ' I ·I = .. Cl I ' .' I " 11 1· ·1 c-11:~.1 ll~_J} I: . II . i D =~= ,, , , I ,_-c~• 11 D' j • Cl ii I j L .. ~ l111l".- I11 = 5 I _.JI ·=-~ = =

ILLUSTRATION NO. 4 PRE-FAIJRICATED COMPONENTS FOR WAINSCOT SUll-ASSEMllLIES

'I'his dr;.i\1,.·ing .shO\\'S :.ill the \Vest \Vall, Suprcn1c Court Roon1 wainscot con1poncnts prcfabricJ!c

l)r~1\~·inb by Nc;.il 1\. Vo~cl, l'JS...I.\. I )' )

ILLUSTRATION NO.(,

Photograph shO\\;ng carpcnlcrs in the lin;tl stagcs of making \\'Jinscolling for the c;1sl \\•all of the 1\s~crnbly Roon1, Independence I lall. 1·his wainscotting involved five large .suh-asscn1hlics, tht..'. one in the foreground being for a chin1ncy hrca.sl. Beyond the c;:1rpcntcrs, and leaning again.sl 1hc '"'all, arc the \v;iinscotting unil.s for the nanking Joorv.·ays. Nole that lhc wain!"-.COI units ...... ·ere prin1c painted in Ilic sub-a.ssc111hly 5(;1lc, ;11nl that the wooden pins were not cul off until later Y•hcn lhcy arc driven ~hornc,~ and the unit v..·:.is then gi,·i.:n its second coat of pri1ncr.

NPS Photo by James L. Dillon and Company, Inc., April 23, 1%5, INllP Neg. No. 157.IS05 ) ) )

.~ ~·" -1:- .. . · ," .. 1;'~ I t_ -~. .·. ·;·. · c;.;ifkii ••.. ,· .·... ,._.,_,,_±...,....~ .. ;,;,t>L= ··a· C ...... ,a1 ~.• .... : •. "' _..... -~···· u.;.;• .i..~•1. .. 0

ILLUSTRATION NO. 7

Photograph s.ho\\'ing c:1qlcntcrs r<.iising a suh-ass.cn1hly unit of \Yainscolling into place against the. chirnney brc~1st of the t.:JS.t \Vall, 1\s.scn1bly Roon1, InJi.:pcnJcncc liall. T''-'O a

NPS Phntu by J:1n1cs L. Dillon and Con1pany, inc., INI IP Neg. No. 157.1806.