Board and Batten Walls and Wainscoting in Princeton, MN
Princeton walls that need some trim on them, with a style that fits whether the house is a century old or twenty years old.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
A board and batten wall in Princeton MN should suit the house. In the newer homes along the highway, flat battens on a feature wall or a two-thirds wall with a cap rail are the common choice. In the older homes near the town center, wainscoting with a chair rail that follows the existing millwork usually fits better. JMB Builders lays it out, installs it and primes it. Priced per wall.
- Priced per wall
- Styled to the age of the house
- Layout marked before cutting
Princeton's 1990s-and-newer homes along the highway corridor mostly have flat drywall, a short base and windows wrapped in drywall. That is where board and batten goes: a full-height feature wall behind a bed, battens and a cap rail up a hallway, or an entry wall with a hook rail by the garage door. We plan the spacing so it lands evenly between corners and does not split an outlet.
The early-1900s and mid-century homes near the center of town already have trim with a character of its own: wide casing, tall base, and often stained wood. Farmhouse battens can look out of place there. Wainscoting with a cap and chair rail that picks up the existing casing profile, or picture-frame panels in a dining room, usually suits those houses better, and it can be done stain-grade to match the woodwork. Older plaster walls are rarely flat, so the cap gets scribed to keep it level.
Paneling a wall is finish carpentry and usually needs no permit. If an outlet or light on the wall is moving, a licensed electrician does it, and we check with the City of Princeton building department whether that part needs a permit.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- A photo of each wall straight on, the wall length and ceiling height
- A close-up of the existing casing and base if the paneling should match it
- The style: board and batten, wainscoting with chair rail, or picture-frame panels
- Paint color if we are painting, or stain if it is stain-grade
What JMB supplies
- Battens, rails, cap and panel molding in primed MDF, pine, or stain-grade wood
- Layout taped on the wall before cutting
- Cap and chair rail scribed level on walls that are not flat
- Box extenders at outlets and switches
- Filler, caulk and primer at every seam and nail hole
- Painting or staining quoted as its own line
- Photos of the finished wall in your job folder
How it is priced: per wall
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Size of the wall and full height vs. two-thirds height
- Board and batten vs. raised or picture-frame wainscoting
- Paint-grade vs. stain-grade to match older woodwork
- Uneven plaster walls that need scribing or shimming
- Textured drywall that needs backing panels between battens
- Outlets, windows and doors on the wall
Send each wall straight on, a close-up of the wall surface, and a photo of the nearby casing so we can match the style.
How long it takes
A board and batten feature wall: a day. A dining room in wainscoting with chair rail: two days. Stain-grade wainscoting in an older home: two to three days plus finishing.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Board and Batten Walls and Wainscoting in Princeton, MN: questions, answered
Will board and batten look right in an older Princeton home?
Sometimes, but wainscoting usually suits an early-1900s house better. A cap and chair rail that pick up the existing casing profile, or picture-frame panels below a rail, look like they belong with the original millwork. We can show both laid out on your wall before you choose.
Can wainscoting be stained to match my old woodwork?
Yes. We build it in oak or another species close to your trim and blend the stain to the existing finish. Stain matching takes test boards, so staining is quoted as its own line. Painted wainscoting in primed MDF or pine is the lower-cost option.
How much does board and batten cost in Princeton?
Each wall is priced on its own, set by its size, the style, paint or stain grade, and the outlets and windows on it. There are no prices on this site. Send a photo of each wall with its length and we reply within one business day, or book a free in-home estimate.
Can you put board and batten on a textured wall?
Yes. Light texture can stay between the battens. For a flat look on heavy texture, we put thin backing panels up first or skim the wall between battens. We price both ways from a close-up photo.
Do you paint the board and batten after installing it?
If you want. Every seam is caulked, every nail hole filled and the wall primed, and painting is quoted as a separate line. Or leave it primed and paint it yourself.
Do you install board and batten in Cambridge and Big Lake?
Yes. We are based in Zimmerman and install board and batten and wainscoting in Cambridge, Big Lake, Elk River and across the north metro. Send photos for a reply within one business day, or book a free in-home estimate.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Related jobs we do
Board-and-Batten Wall Installation
Even batten spacing, level cap rails, and layouts that land clean around outlets and windows — board-and-batten walls built to fit your room, not a template.
Read moreWainscoting & Picture-Frame Molding Installation
Board-and-batten entries, picture-frame dining rooms, statement accent walls — architectural wall trim designed for your space and installed with millwork-quality precision.
Read moreChair Rail Molding Installation — Height, Profiles and Corners
Chair rail is the cheapest trim that makes a room look designed: one line at the right height, dead level, with corners that meet. We set the height on your wall before we cut a piece.
Read morePicture Rail Installation — Moulding and Hooks for Hanging Art
The rail near the ceiling in a 1900s house that lets you hang and move pictures on hooks and cord — put back where a remodel pulled it out, or added to a room that never had it.
Read moreBoard and Batten & Paneled Wainscoting in St. Paul, MN
A Victorian dining room missing its paneling, a bungalow hall that wants a plate rail, or a postwar bedroom that needs one wall with some depth.
Read moreBoard and Batten & Wainscoting in East Bethel, MN
An East Bethel basement or entry finished by the owner often has straight walls and nothing on them. Board and batten finishes it, painted crisp or in rough pine to suit an acreage house.
Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All carpentry by city pages
Where we work
Finish Carpentry by City near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: