In my opinion, I think it would look funny for the handrail to be above the wainscot, but that leads to a problem with the transition at either the top or the bottom of the stairs if you want to run that at a lower height. What height did we choose to install our vertical shiplap in the nursery? Wainscoting comes in a variety of materials, such as wood, vinyl, and plastic, and styles, and there are several contemporary designs in addition to the traditional styles. For cryin out loud, in most homes these days, wainscoting is almost always higher than the window sills, which presents a variety of design and molding installation complications for finish carpenters, like resolving the chair rail directly into the casing! Youll probably wind up pretty close to the rule of thirds, but at least youll be on the side of centuries of mathematicians, artists and architects whove also used this magic in their work. If you are going to brush paint the panels then we recommend a Satin Finish. A good general rule for the height of a wainscot is that it be a third of the way up the wall. Scale down to about 32 inches for rooms with 8-foot walls. Great article, but if the chair rail isnt meant to protect walls from chairs, what should? This height is the most comfortable for people of all sizes. Wainscoting height is not set in stone. I have a craftsman home. Your books, DVDs and seminars have only fueled my interest. By Katelin Hill and Bob Vila Updated Oct 18, 2020 3:49 PM. I liked this height because it gave us more color and visual interest. fish emulsion Flooring Flat Panels: Smooth panels that have a modern look. So if the ceiling is 9 feet, go for 3-foot wainscoting. Where we ended up is somewhere between 1/3 (36in) and 1/2 (54in) of our 9 foot ceiling at around 45 inches. Generally speaking, wainscoting panels can range in height from about 32 inches up to 54 inches. How tall should wainscot be on a 9 foot wall? When installing wainscoting on walls with an 8-foot ceiling, the height of the wainscoting should generally be about 1/4 of the way up the wall, or about 30 to 36 inches tall. Chair railboth the name of it and the elevation off the floor, is one of those somewhat fluid details. For taller wainscoting, such as one with a plate rail, cap it two-thirds the way up the wall. The traditional rule of thumb is that wainscoting height should be a third of the wall's height, including the cap or any moldings. Next, paint the indented panels and the molding around them. Ceiling Fan Downrod Size Guide . For example, if your room is 9 feet tall, then your wainscoting should come up to 3 feet. Measure from the floor, to the top of the desired wainscot. These rules have been interpreted in many different ways, but the result is still pretty close, and most often MUCH lower than the back of a chair! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The height of traditional wainscoting is usually 36 to 42 inches. I see your dilemma about the transition on the opposite wall and there doesnt seem to be a choice, although that should would have been an excellent opportunity for a curved transition. It may be made of a variety of materials such as wood, plastic, laminate, composite, or vinyl. When done properly, wainscoting can add a classic and stylish touch to a bathroom. Wainscoting is also sometimes used to add decorative accents to walls or as a part of a backsplash behind a kitchen or bathroom sink. So if you have 9-foot walls, then 3-foot (or 36-inch) wainscoting will look great. It is also important to take note of any light fixtures that may be in the room, so the wainscoting doesnt overlap them. How high should wainscoting be with 9 foot ceilings? Adjust wainscoting height to be taller, 36 to 48 inches, in a room with a lofted ceiling. Georgian homes were classically inspired; they attempted to follow rules of classical design, without interrupting the lines or divisions of the classical orders. This is also known as the underground portion. Scale down to about 32 inches for rooms with 8-foot walls. Installing wainscot too high diminishes the appearance of a room, making it feel squat and out of proportion. Of course, this isnt always possible: Some rooms have windows with sills at different heights, or windows who sills are far too close to the floor. Wainscoting should be high, 36 inches, with 9-foot ceilings. So with your 9 ft ceilings and 5 wainscoting you are left with 4 of wall space (I'm kind of talking out loud to myself here). Yes! They usually come in the form of a partial wall that does not reach the ceiling, and can be made of wood, plaster, or drywall. Many use a rule of thumb that said the chair rail should be at about 1/3 of the ceiling height and rooms with ceilings over 9-foot tall can nearly always accept wainscoting or beadboard taller than 36" for good aesthetic proportion. Don't interrupt vertical lines of door casings. The first thing you need to know is: There is no one height that wainscoting should be hung, because the appropriate height depends on the height of the room. And he knows which fork to use. Make sure to follow along with us on Instagram! I am not a pro, but I am very passionate about my home and adding custom details like coffered ceilings and wainscoting. Garden Improvement This wall treatment first appeared in houses centuries agoas a means of preventing moisture damage and even bolstering insulation. I have one way, but not sure its going to look right. A classic offset or straight set pattern in a standard field size tile works best for this wall height. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, Dark Canyon, in 2008. im in the middle of putting up Chair rail up my stairs. Minimum Size Dont install a box that is less than twelve inches wide. I dont really care for vertical cap molding anymore than I care for vertical baseboardit goes against the logic grain because those details are always horizontal, or rake as on a stair. In any event, protrusion is the common term for a bit of wall that sticks out. Do 10 foot ceilings add value? if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'remodelormove_com-leader-4','ezslot_21',166,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-remodelormove_com-leader-4-0');Tall wainscoting is usually referred to as picture-rail wainscoting. Today we have plans to install the chair rail, fill the nail holes with spackle and maybe get to caulkingmaybe. Once you select a file, it will be uploaded and attached to the end of your comment. masuzi October 21, 2018 Uncategorized Leave a comment 10 Views. It's also a contemporary fashion statement dividing the wall. So if you have 9-foot walls, then 3-foot (or 36-inch) wainscoting will look great. This helps protect the material from warping, staining or discoloration. Required fields are marked *. Ina room with a lofted ceiling and 15-foot walls, the rule of thirdswould have wainscoting height at 5 feet. For people that would like to invest in something that looks great but are not planning on staying in their home for very long, low-hanging wainscoting might be the best bet. You say you have a craftsman-style home and that people have recommended 54. above the floor. But lets be quick about it. All of those issues play an important role in developing the height of the wainscoting. Architecture Something similar happened to office buildings. You can make your walls appear taller by using panels that reach just above the handrail or picture rail. However, it is important to note that you should use a sealant or varnish on the surface if you will be frequently exposed to high levels of moisture. If you are looking for a more traditional feel, you may opt to put it all the way up to the ceiling. Likewise,are 10 foot ceilings too high? Newer homes, meanwhile, tend to come with nine-foot ceilings. Indoor vegetables In that case, homeownersmight choose to extend wainscoting 40inches from the floorthats4 inches (approximately the height ofa standard bathroom vanitys backsplash) above a, In kitchens, beadboard is often carried up to. But keep in mind the one-third rule is just a rule-of-thumb! Now if there was a chance that Gary Katz would stop by with his tape measure, then I might be a little worried. How high should my wainscoting be in my back entrance. Ive been using that trick in other applications. The height of wainscoting and chair rail depends on many things: the style of the home, the size of the room, the height of the ceiling . Or, mark the top of the wainscoting in painters tape. My situation is unique. The same can be said if the window sill were at 32 inches on a 9 foot ceiling. Choose molding ahead of time. Lets talk about wainscoting. Wainscoting: Panels on the lower 1/2 or 1/3rd of a room, often in beadboard style. Some people think that, since its called chair rail, the height should match the height of a chair back, but nothing could be further from the truth, because, like I said, there are rules! The gallery wall can go up as high as you want but make sure . In some cases, the baseboard may cover heating vents or wires as well. Conversion I havent seen very much written on how to handle tricky terminations and transitions like this. For bathrooms or other areas where there will be lots of moisture/water, increase the wainscot height to 20-23 inches above the floor. Follow the wainscoting on the stair up to the top landing. Usually, for best design proportion, the 8-foot ceiling wainscoting height should be one-third of the wall's height or 32 inches. . Bookcase Standard curtains come in three lengths84 inches, 96 inches, or 108 inches. Hi My ceilings are 10 feet high. Additionally, selecting panels that extend approximately 18 from the floor will leave about 12 of space between the panels and the ceiling. Does the line intersect with any features in the room that will need to be considered? Great photos. If the bathroom is particularly small, homeowners may consider stopping the wainscoting before it reaches the floor, which is a more contemporary design that still offers the same decorative look. Fireplace Designs Wainscoting in a dark tone will make the rooms appear smaller. 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