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Attaching Beadboard Paneling

DonCanDo | Posted in Construction Techniques on May 28, 2007 05:22am

I don’t have a compressor (yet).  Somehow I’ve managed without so far.  I’ve got a job coming up where I need to attach beadboard paneling to a ceiling (about 12 X 20) and I’m thinking I should get a compressor and a narrow crown stapler.  Is this the best way to go?

If the ceiling was flat, I would probably consider hand-nailing, but the panels will be attached to the rafters, about 8′ at the perimeter and vaulted to a height of about 15′.  Hand-nailing up there just seems too awkward.

BTW, if any remembers my question about using drywall on a 3-season porch, this is the same job, but the HO changed her mind and now wants beadboard.

-Don 

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Replies

  1. User avater
    Sphere | May 28, 2007 05:54pm | #1

    Don, Don, Don...my friend...geeze ya hadda ask? Get a Paslode trim-pulse...nail at the tongue crease ( blind) and get on with it.

    No comp.hoses, no running noise to disturb your Zen moments of deep thoughts..the only downside is the smell of the exhaust..which if you are working fast enough, you either overide with your own "smell-sauna" or get outta the way.

    400. bucks will make ya a real happy man...Do IT!

    Parolee # 40835

    1. DonCanDo | May 28, 2007 06:59pm | #4

      Actually, I have the Paslode trim nailers.  Both the 18 gauge and the 16 gauge.  I felt that the trim nails, with their small heads might not hold well enough in paneling.  I assume you were thinking about t&g wainscot and I agree that the trim nailer would work fine for that.

      I'm putting up 3/8" plybead.  Sorry, I should have been more specific.  Does this change your answer?

      -Don

      1. User avater
        Sphere | May 28, 2007 07:47pm | #5

        Yes. I'd opt for a narrow crown, stapler. Mine is a Bostitch w/ a 7/32 crown, same install practice tho', shoot in the crease of the tongue, where it joins the board.

        But if you mean 4x8 sheets of beaded plywood paneling, I'd try to disueade you from that material.

        If you insist, on 4x8 sheets, GLUE and brad it up. PL premiun glue is more versitile to keep on hand than say, Gorrilla glue..no runs for one thing and it sticks to everything under the sun.

         Parolee # 40835

      2. Shep | May 28, 2007 09:56pm | #6

        Hey, Don

        I'll second the narrow crown with construction adhesive.

        But I've been meaning to ask you- have you used Zano's tool yet?

        I've got a sheetrock job coming up soon, and I'm thinking that thing could make life a lot simpler.

        1. DonCanDo | May 29, 2007 02:07am | #9

          Narrow crown stapler and PL premium it is.  Thanks, folks.

          Shep, I had jobs lined up where I was planning on using it, but things changed and I haven't used it yet.  Oh well, it's one more tool in my inventory.  As long as I remember that I have it when the opportunity comes up.

          You're welcome to borrow it.  Just pick it up and return it.  I don't need to be here.  I could leave it on the side of the house for you and then you do the same when you bring it back.  Email me offline if you're interested.

          -Don

          1. Billy | May 29, 2007 03:32am | #10

            Definitely use the PL premium with Plybead.  Some of the sheets can be pretty rough -- plan on tossing some sections.  Plybead can take a lot of work to make it look good.  Prime both sides, patch the face, sand the face, prime the face a second time.  Sometimes you have to sand the grooves if they are chewed up.  Georgia Pacific specifies latex paint only on Plybead.

            Billy

  2. rasconc | May 28, 2007 06:00pm | #2

    What exactly are you putting up?  Is it true beadboard or Plybead?  DW and I put up about a mile of 3/4 x 5 1/2 pine t&g beadboard in our house.  I used a 16ga fin nailer, a very old Paslode until the piston broke. Bought a Craftsman because I was in a hurry to finish.  I used to many and too long nails but it is not going to come down. 

    I have scissor trusses 24" OC.  We had r-41 celulose  on top so I wanted to be sure it would not give.

    Unless you are going to do a lot with the compressor/gun I would consider one of the kits that has the combo brad/stapler and compressor. 

    If you are doing the plybead then I would use the stapler and lattice over the seams.  Then you can staple the heck out of it where it will be covered.  Brads hide better in the field but do not have near the holding power IMHO.  Plybead can look pretty nice but most I have seen lately has a lot of "Dutchman" patches. 

    We whitewashed all our ceiling beadboard before install.  The knots are beautiful.  I would suggest you paint or stain both sines and edges before install.  My front porch has started to get some mildew and I wish I had treated the topside. 

    Bob

    Bob

  3. paulbny | May 28, 2007 06:09pm | #3

    Don,

    I can't speak about paneling, but if you mean real Pine or Fir beadboard, we've had better luck with narrow crown staples.  They hold much better when you have torque a twisted piece in and are WAAAAAY lighter than a Paslode when working overhead.

    Just my .02 

  4. User avater
    Matt | May 28, 2007 10:04pm | #7

    If you want to use the plybead - as you call it - you gotta come up with a strategy to hide the seams.  I've done some that looked pretty good - see pics, although I'm not sure how that would lend itself to a vaulted ceiling - which sounds like more of a modern look to me...

    Oh- yea - I used a narrow crown air stapler.  I've seen cordless narrow crown staplers - just not lately...

    1. BilljustBill | May 28, 2007 11:56pm | #8

        Matt,

         Such nice work!!

      Bill

    2. Ragnar17 | May 31, 2007 09:16am | #11

      Matt,

      Those photos look great!  Did you do all the work yourself (the work besides the beaded soffits, that is)?

      I have to ask you a question: with the time you spend making the faux box beams, etc., and then putting in extra time when cutting in with paint, wouldn't it be just about the same amount of time and money to just use traditional T&G beadboard and thus avoid the limitations of 8-foot panels?

      Just wondering what your experience and thought process is with this.

      Regards,

      Ragnar

       

      PS: Do you have any more photos of the house in the first photo?  I'm curious to see the rest of it.  I especially like the oversized dentil blocks at the eaves -- are those called modillions or something like that?

      Edited 5/31/2007 2:20 am ET by Ragnar17

      1. User avater
        Matt | May 31, 2007 02:15pm | #12

        I'm a superintendent.  I'm just the guy with the plans, takeoffs, budgets and the big Fat Max tape measure that I use as much for a pointing device as for actually measuring stuff.  I don't actually do labor any more,  other than fixing other people's mistakes and filling in a little detail here and there.  When building houses, house plans don't have the kind of detail shown in those pictures.  So, I tell the carpenters what I want, and they do it.  For something like those ceilings, I draw a diagram - I won't call them plans - just a drawing.  Then the painters just get a verbal from me.   

        Using real bead board would be much more labor intensive, and I'm thinking the bead-ply (as someone called it) is about 1/3 the price of real bead board, but I'd have to check that.  The "faux box beams" as you called them, which is what they are, are just boards.  I call them faux coffered ceilings.  On the narrower porch it was not necessary to put the boards in there.  I just had it done for effect.  One of those ceilings goes up in a few hours.  The painting is sometimes more expensive than the carpentry, which BTW - I have them prime both sides of the bead-ply before it is installed.  On both of those I had the carpenters use my narrow crown stapler since siding guys typically don't carry those.

        I had a friend of mine ask me - "why you putting those million dollar details on a three or four hundred $K house?"  I'm sure my customers don't feel that way.... and they only get charged a little extra for one of those.   It's a great value - and that is what I get paid for - to deliver value.

        1. Ragnar17 | Jun 01, 2007 01:46am | #13

          Thanks for the additional info, Matt.  I definitely believe that putting in some extra detail makes your product stand out from the pack and will command a higher price.  Plus (and probably more importantly for me personally), it gives me real satisfaction in my work.

          Did you happen to see my "PS" inquiring about more photos of that house?

           

          Ragnar

          1. User avater
            Matt | Jun 01, 2007 01:28pm | #17

            I'll look for some more pics.  I'm almost postiive I have some.  It's just finding them...

          2. Ragnar17 | Jun 01, 2007 07:55pm | #20

            I'm almost postiive I have some.  It's just finding them...

            Yeah I know how that goes.  I'm hoping you at least have them digitized!  Before I got my digital camera, all I had was a shoebox full of mixed up photos and a snowball's chance in hell of finding anything!

  5. grpphoto | Jun 01, 2007 05:40am | #14

    I've got an electric 18 gauge nailer by Arrow. It works just fine for this application. I just installed beaded paneling as wainscoting in my downstairs half-bath. It puts little dings in the wood, though. It's fine if you're going to caulk 'em and paint, but not so good for stain.

    George Patterson



    Edited 5/31/2007 10:42 pm ET by grpphoto

    1. DonCanDo | Jun 01, 2007 11:39am | #15

      Thanks.  I would trust an 18 gauge trim nailer for wall paneling, but my paneling will be going on the ceiling.  With gravity working against me, I've decided to use narrow crown staples.  I've already bought the air compressor, now I just need to decide on a stapler.

      1. User avater
        Matt | Jun 01, 2007 01:26pm | #16

        When you buy the stapler, be sure and get one that can take 1.5" staples.  The less expensive ones only shoot 1".  The 1.5" is a lot more versatile. 

        1. DonCanDo | Jun 01, 2007 02:14pm | #18

          Thanks.  I'm deciding between the Senco SLS18 and the Ridgid R150FSA.  Both take up to 1-1/2" staples.  I would rather have the Senco because they have a good track record, but the Ridgid is a little cheaper and more readily available.

          1. stevent1 | Jun 01, 2007 03:50pm | #19

            Don,

            I have three Senco SKS. The oldest one has been in service for about 30 years. I have replaced the O- rings in all of them. Make sure you use dry air.

            I put the 1 X 6 Cyprus T&G on the porch ceiling of my shop/future pool house. All edges, ends, and faces were primed before installing. The miters got 2 #20 bisquits and Titebond II.

             

            View Image

             

            View Image

            View Image

             

             

            The 3/4" Cyprus was stapled through the tounge with 1-1/2" gum coat Galvanized, 1/4" crown.

             

            Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood

          2. Ragnar17 | Jun 01, 2007 08:00pm | #21

            Chuck,

            I had a question about the details on the porch columns.  It looks like you're using a bed mold under some sort of drip cap.  Did you have to make the cap yourself, or is it something you can buy where you're at?

          3. stevent1 | Jun 01, 2007 08:25pm | #22

            Ragnar,I cut all of the molding except the 1-3/8 Ogee on the porch headers. The drip cap was 4/4 X 3-1/2" cyprus and cut on a router table using a 1-1/2" round over bit. The bedmolds are 1-1/2 X 3" Cyprus and are two-piece. The columns are 2X6 clear heart redwood and the corners are rabetted.I know what you mean about old pics. I have about 5 shoeboxes full.Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood

          4. mwgaines | Jun 01, 2007 10:52pm | #23

            Chuck,

            That's a beautiful job you did on your porch ceiling. Were you working from a print? I'm planning to build a gazebo and I'd love to do a similar pattern, but I'm not sure I could do it properly without a plan. All those angles really mess with my head.

            MichaelNew knowledge is priceless. 

            Used knowledge is even more valuable.

          5. stevent1 | Jun 02, 2007 01:03pm | #24

            Michael,

            Just a set of plans I drew up. That ceiling is flat so the angles are 45`. for a gazebo the angles would be the same as sheathing but they would be compound.

            Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood

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