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Bead board material choices

johnnyd | Posted in Construction Techniques on March 29, 2004 04:59am

DW wants “beadboard” in wainscot fashion on bathroom walls.  This will be painted.

I’ve seen the stuff that comes in panels (Georgia Pacific adv.) meant to be stained/clear finished and trimmed with moulding at the top.  Anyone used a similar paint-grade panel?

Or would I be better off with narrow beaded and T&G pine applied a piece at a time (labor $ not a factor as this will be DIY) and then primed/painted? Actually primed both sides and topcoated post-install.

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  1. gdavis62 | Mar 29, 2004 05:43pm | #1

    Depot and the other bigboxes sell an OK-looking t&g board that is molded with edge and centerbead, and is fairly thin, maybe 3/8".  I saw some used on a high end rustic weekend house here, and it went on over the drywall, using construction adhesive and a few finish nails through the tongues.  Might even be available prefinished.

  2. Lateapex911 | Mar 29, 2004 05:54pm | #2

    I have seen the Depot type and it looks fake to my eye.

    I did the individual strips in my own bathroom and the result even though it was preprimed and prepainted, was seasonal growth. No shock there!

    I have used, in my clients work, the MDF preprimed panels that ae available in a variety of patterns. (vert or horiz, etc.)  While there were concerns about water absorption and swelling, so far there has been zero. Careful prep and apinting is important of course. The look is authentice, although it might be considered "too perfect".

    Here's a shot of a cabinet in a bath I did, and the bead is visibe to the left.

    Jake Gulick

    [email protected]

    CarriageHouse Design

    Black Rock, CT



    Edited 3/29/2004 10:54 am ET by LATEAPEX911

  3. PenobscotMan | Mar 29, 2004 06:13pm | #3

    I've used the individual pieces -- they come in a bundle and are about 5/16 thick.  Primed all 6 surfaces.  There were culls.  A brad nailer would have sped things up.  This was in our kitchen which still has some of the original (1905) old growth yellow pine T&G 1/2 thick.  As long as the old and new are on separate walls, it's hard to see the difference.

  4. Jamie_Buxton | Mar 29, 2004 08:05pm | #4

    The plywood beadboard panels, in my experience, are rustic -- extremely rustic.   Look out for bad knife checks on the surface.   They won't take paint well at all.

    1. User avater
      johnnyd | Mar 29, 2004 08:48pm | #5

      I looked at some of that GP paneling...actually sold as exterior rated (I think for porch ceilings etc) but looks really clear and defect free.  @ $19 a 4X8 sheet at HD. SYP finished surface.  I think it'll look fine painted.

  5. JimGreen | Mar 29, 2004 09:31pm | #6

    I have used the HD beadboard strips in a bath and a kitchen and it worked out very well.  If you are using it near a shower, tub, or sink you might want to backprime it once more ( I believe it comes primed on all sides.) and make sure that the cut edges are primed also. Needless to say, good caulking in those seems edges is important.

    The grooves in it are deeper and smoother than in the plywood types that I have used (Though, I do think these have improved recently), which makes it look more like the real thing.  Installation is easy, a pin nailer and adhesive.

    Good luck,

    JIm

    1. User avater
      johnnyd | Mar 29, 2004 09:44pm | #8

      This particular type comes bare...clear enough for stain, but I think clear finishing this stuff is stretching the point...if you're trying to make it look like "real" bead board... and the obviously one-sheet rotary cut face veneer, if clear finished, gives away your secret.  But painted, I think it'll carry off the effect real nicely.  Think I'll just roll on the primer on both sides while it's still 4X8, then re-prime the edges when I install, and put a finish coat or two after it's up.  Directions say use only acrylic latex...but my instinct says OIL.  Who's correct?

      1. JimGreen | Mar 29, 2004 11:50pm | #9

        Johnnyd,

        That certainly sounds like it would work.  I have never installed beadboard and used a stain finish on it. It always ends up getting painted. The plank style from Home Depot is a mdf base that is primed with a very smooth surface. I used to use a plywood type made by States, but the grooves were very uneven and we ended up having to sand them quite a bit.  I believe, they have since improved the product.

        I would check with the manufacturer about using an oil paint rather than what they suggest.  I would assume they have some reason for it, but you never know.

        Jim Green

      2. stanleyj2 | Mar 30, 2004 12:03am | #10

        Johnnyd:

        I used the Home Depot Georgia Pacific plybead on a recent commercial project.  I went against the instructions and primed the bare plywood with Benjamin Moore Oil based Fresh Start.  After the primer dried, I did a quick sanding with a 5" orbital sander with 100 grit paper.  I top-coated the plybead with the same Benjamin Moore oil based enamel that I used on the rest of the woodwork.  I am well pleased with the results.

        Stan

        1. User avater
          johnnyd | Mar 30, 2004 02:59pm | #13

          Hey, thanks alot...do you also reccomend the Benjamen Moore Fresh Start as a primer over taped drywall?  As opposed to the "Sheetrock" brand primer?

          1. stanleyj2 | Mar 30, 2004 03:13pm | #14

            Johnnyd:

            I haven't tried the Fresh Start primer over bare drywall but it would probably work well.  It is an excellent primer.

            Stan

          2. rasconc | Mar 30, 2004 04:58pm | #15

            I use the fresh start water base on most jobs but have not used it on bare drywall.  I prefer the pva drywall sealer/primer.  I guess the sheetrock product you mentioned is similar.  My experience is that the pva stuff does a great job covering the texture differences between virgin paper, sanded paper, and joint compounded areas.  I do not think that fresh start will give that.  I like fresh start and think it is one of the best for most applications.  I have not used it in a bad stain situation though.  If trying to cover one up I do not think you can beat the shellac based ones.

          3. gdavis62 | Mar 30, 2004 07:42pm | #16

            I am only talking about new drywall.  My sheetrock sub always quotes a total prime job with his work, including one coat of ceiling finish over the prime, as long as it is white or very light in color.  He swears by and uses the USG First Coat primer, and lays it on thick, backrolling every square inch with a heavy-nap roller.  His intent is to "texturize" the whole job, to "hide his sins," so to speak.

            I don't really like the more heavily-textured look.  Don't get me wrong, it isn't at all like a popcorn ceiling, just the kind of finish you get from a creamy paint and a bignap roller.

            On the last job we did, I opened a Sherwin-Williams account, and the store manager talked me into using the SW Builders Solution primer over the new sheetrock work.  My rocker was not happy using something new, but what should he care, he never buys the stuff . . . I pay for SW or USG, whatever.  He used the same tip size (021) for the SW Builders Solution as he would for the First Coat, but I made him backroll with a 3/8 nap roller.

            I now prefer the SW primer results way way over the USG.

          4. User avater
            johnnyd | Mar 30, 2004 08:05pm | #17

            I now prefer the SW primer results way way over the USG.

            Was there a significant difference in cost?

            Why do you like it better? Better texture? Tougher hide?

            Thanx!

      3. rasconc | Mar 30, 2004 03:04am | #12

        Any water based paint I have ever used on plybead raised the grain pretty bad. 

  6. BillW | Mar 29, 2004 09:40pm | #7

    maybe consider the Azek beadboard ... integral color, waterproof ...

    1. ckeli | Mar 30, 2004 12:10am | #11

      I agree...just put in a bunch of AZEK in a kitchen for wainscoat and backsplash.  looks great, will not swell, and paints well...

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