Tile Wainscot – It’s Not Your 70’s Wood Paneling

When it comes to wainscot, using tile (porcelain, stone and glass) is not usually the first idea that comes to mind. Wainscot may bring visions of 70’s wood paneling, bell bottoms and disco – and for good reason. One of the entries of the Merriam Webster dictionary defines wainscot as “a usually paneled wooden lining of an interior wall.” But we prefer the dictionary’s second entry with a broader definition of wainscot:

“the lower three or four feet (about one meter) of an interior wall when finished differently from the remainder of the wall”

This definition opens up a world of possibilities – a world filled with natural stone, colored glass, and porcelain tile.

Changing a Room with Wainscot

For commercial or residential projects, installing wainscot can be a great way to change the look of a room. The variety of products that can be used for wainscot is as varied as for any other surface, possibly even more varied.  Trim and molding pieces (crown, Milan, ogee, etc.) are almost always used at the top of a wainscot to provide a custom touch and a visual break.

Unlike wood paneling, wainscot made from stone, glass or tile can create any kind of look that fits your décor – from traditional to contemporary to modern. Looking for design ideas? The photos on this page are projects made with Arizona Tile products and we have many more wainscot photos in our online gallery. Need more inspiration? Take a look at over 60,000+ photos of tile wainscot projects on Houzz.com and then contact one of our design centers to talk to our knowledgeable staff who can recommend the stone, tile, or glass products that are a perfect choice for your favorite design.

Caring for Wainscot

Though today’s wood wainscot is often painted and must be repainted periodically, with stone, tile and glass wainscot, maintenance is easy! Cleaning is as simple as wiping down the wall with a damp cloth. No paint, no mess. It’s a perfect solution for high traffic areas and commercial applications.

When you create wainscot with glass, porcelain or stone tile, you will create a timeless look that, unlike wood paneling, avocado appliances, and leisure suits will never go out of style.