Carry the look of tile onto the walls as a baseboard.
Traditional materials used in unconventional ways can yield a bathroom space with a lot of character. The charm of beadboard walls adds simple, subtle detail to the room with regular lines that appear to be engraved on the wall. Pine beadboard planks used as wainscoting or as a full-wall covering in a bathroom warms up the feel an otherwise often cold room, just as it does in classic kitchens and living rooms in a country home.
Easy to Cut
Much easier to install than tile, beadboard planks go up as one, large piece over the majority of the wall. The planks cut down easily with a saw and require an adhesive or nails to attach. The adhesive application forms a strong bond to the underlying walls that prevents or lessens air and moisture collection between the beadboard and the wall. Its nail-less installation gives the wall a uniform and nearly seamless finish.
Vapor Barrier
Install a vapor barrier over the walls in the bathroom before installing the beadboard panels. The vapor barrier is a rubber or plastic membrane. When installed beneath the beadboard, the vapor barrier prevents warping and rot in the wood as it blocks any hidden moisture from reaching the beadboard panel.
Orientation
The deep lines that separate wide, raised bars that run the length of the board give the beadboard product its namesake. To increase or accent the visual height of the room, orient the pine beadboard vertically around the bathroom. This orientation creates visual interest as the eye follows the vertical lines from the floor to the ceiling, guiding it to the lighting fixtures and wall accessories above.
Widen the feel of the bathroom by orienting the pine beadboard horizontally on the wall. Match the lines of one beadboard panel to the previous one, creating continuous, level lines around the room. Instead of traveling up and down the walls, this horizontal orientation takes the eye around the room and highlights the features of the toilet, sink, towel racks and accessories.
Protective Paint
Make the the exposed side of the plywood beadboard panels impermeable to moisture with several coats of protective paint. A good waterproofing primer applied first preps the wood panels to receive the paint in a uniform coverage way and forms a durable base that soaks into the wood.
Paint formulated to resist mold, mildew and moisture in a bathroom or kitchen is the ideal paint to cover the plywood beadbord panels. Otherwise, apply two to three coats of a semi-gloss or satin enamel that becomes a durable surface to stand up to bathroom moisture.
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