Making and installing frame-and-panel wainscot is a tough and challenging job, but it's worth the effort. The results are striking — and are guaranteed to enhance the reputation of any builder who can do it well. A knowledge of historical precedent and a bit of common sense will help you achieve a pleasing layout, while some skill with story sticks and a scribing compass will make the installation go smoothly and precisely. Layout If the layout of the wainscot isn't included in the interior elevations, the first step is to make a scaled sketch. Pay attention to proportion here. The ancient Greeks thought that the most pleasing proportions for any rectangle were a width-to-length ratio of five to eight — the "golden rectangle" seen in
