Table of Contents
It’s true that the average chair rail height will be around 32 inches. However, they can be positioned anywhere from 24 to 72 inches from the floor, depending on the height of the walls and the proportions you’re hoping to achieve.
How do you measure chair rail height?
To be the most visually appealing, chair rails need to be installed at the right height. Most experts say that ‘right height’ is about one third the distance from the floor to the ceiling. So for a room with an 8-foot ceiling, you’d want to nail the molding about 32 inches from the floor.
Is chair rail out of style?
Chair rails are still used today to create a more formal and traditional design. If that’s the look your sister wants, chair rails would be a good choice.
How wide should chair rail be?
Chair Rail Designs For ceilings that are eight feet high, a chair rail that is no wider than four inches is best. Rooms with higher or vaulted ceilings can handle chair railing that is up to seven inches wide.
What rooms should have chair rail?
If you imagine the wall height divided vertically into three sections, the chair rail is best placed at the line between the bottom and middle thirds of the wall. For example, in a 10-foot-high room (120 inches), the chair rail can be placed 40 inches above the floor.
Does chair rail add value?
Value! Of all the home improvements you can make, chair rail is one of the least demanding in terms of cost and labor. Studies have shown that installing moldings (like crown or chair rail) can have a positive impact on the selling price of a home.
What is the difference between wainscoting and chair rail?
Chair rail is often confused with wainscoting, but the two are actually distinct styles of trim. Wainscoting is wooden paneling that also wraps horizontally around a room to add more depth to a space. Chair rail moulding is commonly paired with wainscot paneling for a unified look.
What color should chair rail be?
It is best to paint the lighter or warmer color on the upper portion of the wall to create a more open feel to the room. The chair rail and other trim should be painted in a neutral or light complementary color.
Can chair rail be painted same color as walls?
Putting a darker colour below and lighter one above will make the wall appear taller. This is a tried-and-true approach. Alternatively, painting the chair rail (and trim) the same colour as the wall will create a striking monochromatic effect. If you keep the colour neutral and pale, the walls will simply fall away.
Can you put a chair rail in a bedroom?
Simply install a chair rail in the bedroom and you’re on your way. Bedroom chair rail molding is inexpensive and easy to install, and provides an opportunity to introduce a second paint color, wallpaper, or beadboard above or below the molding, as these bedroom chair rail ideas demonstrate beautifully.
Which side of chair rail goes up?
There is no right or wrong orientation for a chair rail unless the shape is very obviously intended to have a shelf along the top. It’s a design feature that you can fit to express your own likes and room design.
Do chair rails date a house?
The chair rail was ONCE a sign of a fancy-schmancy home but nowadays, can just look dated in a home where the goal is to ‘update and modernize’.
What’s another name for chair rail?
A dado rail, also known as a chair rail or surbase, is a type of moulding fixed horizontally to the wall around the perimeter of a room.
Can you put a chair rail in a living room?
Historically, chair rails were used to divide walls into more visually pleasing proportions. And indeed today chair rails can still be deployed to trick the eye, lowering a very tall ceiling or making a smaller room seem taller by placing the molding higher on the wall.
Is Crown Moulding outdated?
Crown molding has been around for centuries and it will continue to be a touch of elegance for centuries to come. It is not going out of style. However some people have a preference for it while others will never notice it until it’s not there.
Can I use crown molding for chair rail?
In a traditional sense – no. Crown molding is not used as a chair rail. Crown molding is designed to cover imperfections where the walls of a room meet the ceiling. A chair rail, which sits much lower on the walls, typically has a much slimmer profile and doesn’t extend as far from the wall as crown molding.
What is the point of chair rail?
Chair rail creates a decorative element in a room, but it also acts as a protective barrier from wear and tear in high traffic areas or spaces where furniture is moved around often. This trim is commonly used in dining rooms, breakfast nooks, living rooms and foyers.
What is the best height for wainscoting?
What is the proper height for wainscoting? Generally, the cap sits about one-third the way up the wall. So if the ceiling is 9 feet, go for 3-foot wainscoting. For taller wainscoting, such as one with a plate rail, cap it two-thirds the way up the wall.
Does chair rail go on top of beadboard?
Beadboard is a popular type of wainscot paneling that originated in 19th century Victorian and cottage-style homes. The casual look of beadboard makes it perfect for kitchens, bathrooms and hallways, as well as country-style dining rooms. Adding chair rail trim to the top will provide a professional, finished look.
What is the wood on the bottom half of the wall called?
In architecture, a baseboard (also called skirting board, skirting, wainscoting, mopboard, floor molding, or base molding) is usually wooden or vinyl board covering the lowest part of an interior wall.