De Ferranti Glossary: "Wainscoting"

Glossary: W

Wainscoting
Wainscot or wainscoting is a panelling style applied to the lower 1.2 to 1.5 m of an interior wall, below the dado rail or chair rail and above the skirting board or baseboard. It is traditionally constructed from tongue-and-groove boards, though beadboard or decorative panels (such as a wooden door might have) are also common.

Wainscoting may also refer to other materials used in a similar fashion. Its original purpose was to cover the lower part of walls which, in houses constructed with poor or nonexistent damp-proof courses, are often affected by rising dampness. Though some countries may impose building regulations for adequate damp-proofing, its purpose is now generally decorative.