# Adding bolection molding to wainscoting



## Danny870 (Oct 7, 2015)

Hey guys, i have some questions about adding some bolection molding to the wainscoting in my house. In my living room I have a wall of floor to ceiling wainscoting and a half wall of wainscoting. The wainscoting is made of hard maple that is 13/16" thick x 4" wide stiles and rails (the bottom rail is 6" wide) with no panel in the middle, just drywall in the squares with everything painted white. I want to add some 1/4" flat panels in the squares and would like to trim it out with bolection molding. My real preference would be to add some MDF raised panels but that isn't practical at the moment. 

I have been looking at bolection molding locally but most of it seems to be only 3/4" thick. It is my understanding that the bolection molding would have to have a rabbit or dado cut into the back of it so that it would set down on the edge of the 13/16" stiles and rails, but, with the stiles and rails being 13/16" thick, how would I have enough thickness in the molding to rabbit out if the molding is only 3/4" thick? The flat panels that I am going to add to the inside of the squares is 1/4" thick, so would that be 13/16" - 1/4" = 9/16"? Would that, (9/16"), be the necessary depth of the rabbit/dado on the back of th bolection molding? 

I would be forever grateful for any advice/suggestions and opinions that you guys could offer me!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

If I knew what "bolection" molding was I might comment.

How can wainscoting go all the way to the ceiling? It is usually defined as no more than half way up the wall.

George


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## Danny870 (Oct 7, 2015)

GeorgeC said:


> If I knew what "bolection" molding was I might comment.
> 
> How can wainscoting go all the way to the ceiling? It is usually defined as no more than half way up the wall.
> 
> George


Well, I am not sure what the exact term is for floor to ceiling wainscoting, but it is basically recessed panels that go from floor to ceiling with a rail that splits around half way up making a lower part and an upper part. The upper part is the biggest.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Danny870 said:


> Well, I am not sure what the exact term is for floor to ceiling wainscoting, but it is basically recessed panels that go from floor to ceiling with a rail that splits around half way up making a lower part and an upper part. The upper part is the biggest.


Floor to ceiling is paneling. 
Does not matter if it's 1/8" or 1" with raised panels. Paneling. 
Wainscot rarely is above chair rail height.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

Why not increase the thickness of panels to 3/8 or 1/2. Then you would need less of a dado.


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## Danny870 (Oct 7, 2015)

guglipm63 said:


> Why not increase the thickness of panels to 3/8 or 1/2. Then you would need less of a dado.


That is a great idea guglipm63! Question, when it comes to adding bolection molding to something like a cabinet door or wainscoting....I understand that you would have to make a rabbit on the back for it to sit down on the stiles/rails, but, does anything else have to be done to get it to sit down properly? Does it need to have a slight bevel cut on the outside edge, or just leave it as is?


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

*Bolection molding*

Danny
I want to thank you for introducing Bolection Molding to my woodworking vocabulary. I've installed this type molding on projects but had never heard the term Bolection until your post. I had to look it up. Then thought "oh, that's what it is", I've done that. 
This is why I like this forum so much. Always something new to learn. 
Jim


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

Danny870 said:


> That is a great idea guglipm63! Question, when it comes to adding bolection molding to something like a cabinet door or wainscoting....I understand that you would have to make a rabbit on the back for it to sit down on the stiles/rails, but, does anything else have to be done to get it to sit down properly? Does it need to have a slight bevel cut on the outside edge, or just leave it as is?


 I guess I'm having a hard time seeing exactly what you wish to accomplish. Maybe an illustration would help us help you


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## Justin Huisenga (Apr 2, 2011)

The attached link is for a moulding that will work with your situation. Technically all rabbeted panel moulding is called bolection but around here when you say bolection this is what is meant. The moulding hinges on its rabbet to accommodate multiple frame thicknesses. All you have to do is place a sacrificial block under the the rabbet with a thickness matching that of the frame it is being installed in and cut the miter. https://metrie.com/products/chicago/6PMPOP/

I've run miles if the stuff with both raised and flat panels attached to it. I miter the frame using stops on my miter saw wings. I undersize both the vertical and horizontal length 1/8" under the interior width of the panel to allow for an easy fit and to make up for variations in the sizing of the frames. I preassemble the moulding using pinch clamps, glue, and 23g pins. I then flip the frame over and cross stitch the back with 1/4" 22g upholstery staples. It's a tough joint to break assembled like this. I use the stapler to attach the panel to the back of the moulding frame with 1/2" upholstery staples and glue. To install I put dots of construction adhesive on the back of the panel and shoot the moulding frame/panel assembly through the moulding into the wainscot frame with either 18g brads or 21g brads depending on the species of the moulding and how much I need to suck it in in order to get the rabbet to rest tight on the stiles and rails.

In you case with a 13/16" rail and a 1/4" mdf panel I would put a 1/2" sacrificial block behind the moulding when I cut it. The additional 1/16" would allow space for the thickness of the construction adhesive and will assure that the rabbet hits tight without interference. 

Here's a few pics.


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## Danny870 (Oct 7, 2015)

Justin Huisenga said:


> The attached link is for a moulding that will work with your situation. Technically all rabbeted panel moulding is called bolection but around here when you say bolection this is what is meant. The moulding hinges on its rabbet to accommodate multiple frame thicknesses. All you have to do is place a sacrificial block under the the rabbet with a thickness matching that of the frame it is being installed in and cut the miter. https://metrie.com/products/chicago/6PMPOP/
> 
> I've run miles if the stuff with both raised and flat panels attached to it. I miter the frame using stops on my miter saw wings. I undersize both the vertical and horizontal length 1/8" under the interior width of the panel to allow for an easy fit and to make up for variations in the sizing of the frames. I preassemble the moulding using pinch clamps, glue, and 23g pins. I then flip the frame over and cross stitch the back with 1/4" 22g upholstery staples. It's a tough joint to break assembled like this. I use the stapler to attach the panel to the back of the moulding frame with 1/2" upholstery staples and glue. To install I put dots of construction adhesive on the back of the panel and shoot the moulding frame/panel assembly through the moulding into the wainscot frame with either 18g brads or 21g brads depending on the species of the moulding and how much I need to suck it in in order to get the rabbet to rest tight on the stiles and rails.
> 
> ...


Wow Justin, thank you for the info! The only thing that I am a bit fuzzy on is where and how to do the miter with the sacrafecial block behind it? Where on the molding does a miter need to be cut? On the inside edge of the molding? Should the molding be standing up on the miter saw base, or should it be laid flat? How do you know at what degree to cut the miter? 

I should also note the paneling/recessed frame wainscoting is already perminately attached to the wall, and has been for several years. Right now it doesn't have anything inside the squares, it is just drywall in the squares with some cove molding going around the inside of the frame. The cove molding will be removed in order to fit the bolection molding and either a raised panel or flat panel.


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## Justin Huisenga (Apr 2, 2011)

Danny870 said:


> Wow Justin, thank you for the info! The only thing that I am a bit fuzzy on is where and how to do the miter with the sacrafecial block behind it? Where on the molding does a miter need to be cut? On the inside edge of the molding? Should the molding be standing up on the miter saw base, or should it be laid flat? How do you know at what degree to cut the miter?
> 
> I should also note the paneling/recessed frame wainscoting is already perminately attached to the wall, and has been for several years. Right now it doesn't have anything inside the squares, it is just drywall in the squares with some cove molding going around the inside of the frame. The cove molding will be removed in order to fit the bolection molding and either a raised panel or flat panel.


The sacrificial strip goes at the back edge of the moulding. Its purpose is to hold it up in the position it will be installed in on the wall. The miter cut is a simple 45. The rest of the math is taken care of by raising the back edge up with the block. The thickness of the block is the thickness of the stile or rail of the wainscot frames minus the thickness of the panel. If you decide to forgo the panel the thickness of your block would be 13/16".

The pic is of a quick and dirty jig I knocked together onsite to cut the acute angles on paneling that follows the angle of a set of stairs. I can't find one I've taken for regular straight panels. The blocks that are perpendicular to the saw's fences are an example of how the moulding nests on the block.


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## asevereid (Apr 15, 2012)

Damnit Justin, I don't say it at CT... But you've got some real informative posts.


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## Justin Huisenga (Apr 2, 2011)

asevereid said:


> Damnit Justin, I don't say it at CT... But you've got some real informative posts.


Thanks. I've been fortunate to work around some very talented carpenters over the years and picked up a few things. Just paying it forward.


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