🧱Wainscoting Calculator
Plan wainscoting panels, beadboard or board and batten, plus cap rail.
Your walls
You'll need about
5 panels
123.0 sq ft of wainscot · 46 ft of cap rail (incl. 10% waste)
sq ft
123.0
wall run ft
41.0
cap rail ft
46
panels
5
🛒 Shopping list
- Wainscot panels (4×8)5 panels
- Cap rail46 linear ft
- Baseboard46 linear ft
The classic height is about one third of the wall — 32 to 36 inches on an 8-foot wall.
How it works
Wall run = total wall length − openings. Area = run × wainscot height. Panels = area ÷ 32 sq ft. Beadboard planks = run × 12 ÷ plank width. Board and batten uses backer panels plus a batten every 16 in. Cap rail and baseboard = run. Waste is added to everything.
Worked example
Four walls of 12, 10, 12 and 10 ft minus one 3 ft doorway = 41 ft of run. At 36 in high that's 123 sq ft: 123 ÷ 32 × 1.1 = 5 panels, plus 46 ft of cap rail.
Questions people ask
About a third of the wall — 32–36 in on an 8 ft wall, taller in dining rooms.
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Last updated October 8, 2026. These results are friendly estimates to help you plan — always double-check before buying or making big decisions.