Bead board paneling is a type of wall paneling that is versatile enough to be used nearly anywhere in your home. It is made up of a series of thin, raised strips that are joined and interlocked to make a panel. It comes in solid oak, pine, fir, cedar, and wood composites.

Create the cottage look with beaded board in pine, fir or cedar. Or use a wood composite and paint it white for a fresh cottage look.

Bead board paneling is a solid sheet of wood or wood composite which has been tooled with the grooves associated with bead board. It is cheaper and easier to install than traditional tongue and groove panels. The older, more traditional style is made up of tongue and groove boards which fit together. Tongue and groove is very solid, with gaps which will expand and contract slightly due to the weather.

In the early 1900's, bead board became very popular when used in the more informal areas of the home, kitchen, bath, etc. It was a way to use up leftover wood from other projects; a thrifty way to add interest to a room.

It is so versatile that you can literally use it anywhere from a Victorian farmhouse, to your little cottage, the bungalows of the 20's, or in an elegant, formal dining room or sitting room, just by choosing whether to use stained or painted bead board!

There are so many ways to use this paneling. It is most often placed below a chair rail in the manner of wainscoting. Originally, this form of paneling was used to protect your walls from chairs being backing into them, and was used mainly in kitchens and dining rooms. No such limitation exists any more, so let your imagination soar!

If you have children that can't walk down the hallway without trailing their sticky little hands on the wall, try installing bead board paneling. The fingerprints wipe off easily and when they race their trucks and cars, they will bounce off the wood without chipping anything.

How about that ceiling fixture you moved, leaving a nice extra hole where it used to be? Bead board on the ceiling would be very practical, chic, and cover up the booboos. The paneled ceiling is also a great look for your sun room or three season porch. With an unusual ceiling fan to complete that picture, you will have a lovely ceiling to look at while you're lounging comfortably out there!

You can visually change the size of a room with bead board paneling. If you have a high ceilinged room that is very small, it can feel like a silo when you enter it. Run your paneling horizontally to give it a widened and elongated appearance. Conversely, in bedrooms and bathrooms, where there are so many horizontal lines (beds, tables dressers, bathtubs, counters), setting the panels vertically will direct the eye upward, making the room appear larger and higher.

Have you thought about what kind of cottage design you?d like to have? Your bead board paneling will go with any of them! Try whitewashing the paneling for a Swedish cottage look.

For a beach cottage use a less smooth wood, painted white, cream, beige or grey, very light and neutral. For a true country feel, the bead board could be painted in shades of reds and blues, or stained in a natural wood tone. Beadboard works great for any cottage style, whether it be Shabby Chic , Rustic, or English Style.

In addition to using it as wainscoting, ceiling, or a full wall in the kitchen, how about putting in bead board cabinet doors or a backsplash behind the stove or sink?

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