The ideal height for wainscoting with nine-foot ceilings is 36 inches. Additionally, selecting panels that extend approximately 18 from the floor will leave about 12 of space between the panels and the ceiling. An appraiser isnt going to add an extra $5,000 to $10,000 to your homes value simply because it has wainscoting. It can easily be used in spaces such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms because of its ability to withstand moisture. Low-profile wainscoting is a great modern look for your home. The bottom edge of the wainscot should be 17-20 inches above the floor. In larger spaces, horizontal designs with dark colors can make the room cozier, creating the illusion of a smaller space. In fact, in rooms with 9-ft. to 10-ft. ceilings, this height is actually most appropriate for chair rail, and best falls within the rules of classical architecture (see photo, right). Ill try and attach a pic to give you a visual. Wainscoting in a dark tone will make the rooms appear smaller. If you have 8 foot ceilings then that would be 32 inches. Its all about proportions. This method has had a good effect, and has been much approved by some skillful judges and persons of good taste (pg. Yes, Im just another typical author listening mostly to my own words. I have a craftsman home. If you are hiring a local professional to install wainscoting, you'll spend about $2 to $4 per square foot or around $90 per hour for labor. 42 inches seems about right. Chair rail molding is the most common, typically ranging from 1 1/2 to 3 inches in width. They don't look right in most scenarios and end up being an awkward length," says Curtis. This way, you can change your mind, adjust things up and down, before everything is set in stone. In most colonial homes, including neo-classical designs from the Georgian and Federal periods, the wainscot cap and windowsills shared the same profile and height, creating one continuous line at pedestal height around an entire floor, fulfilling the rules of the classical orderseach of which is composed of three distinct elements: column, entablature, and pedestal. Whether that is right or wrong, I am not really sure. The top and the bottom of the wainscoting are held in place by a cap rail and a baseboard nailed into the studs. Youre doing fine. Beadboard can, however, be installed over other types of wall finishes such as plaster, lath, masonry, etc. On the other hand, if you want to draw attention to the ceiling, use panels that barely reach the chair rail. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'remodelormove_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',155,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-remodelormove_com-medrectangle-4-0');Ultimately, the height of the wainscoting will depend on the space and the look you want to create. Avoid obvious seams and joints under windows. 42 inches seems about right. You say you have a craftsman-style home and that people have recommended 54. Therefore, if our wall is 96 high, that means that our baseboard is 6.72. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'remodelormove_com-leader-3','ezslot_20',168,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-remodelormove_com-leader-3-0');This timeless decor element looks great and can transform any room into a cozy, inviting space. Another common approach is installing the wainscoting 2/3 of the height of the ceiling. off the floor. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Should wainscoting be higher than vanity? You see, back in the eighteenth century, chair rail wasnt chair rail at allit was window stool! How high should wainscoting be with 9 foot ceilings? But dont sweat it: Wrapping the wainscotingaround the window at the height you feel works best with the rest of the room works just as well. When trying to explain the chair rail height theory to my fellow carpenters, I alway ask a question. Beadboard is a more modern paneling material that is made of layered wood with interlocking grooves. In conclusion, there are many factors to take into account when determining how high wainscotting should go with eight-foot ceilings. For smaller pictures, you can hang them a little higher, about 65 inches. If you choose another method like gluing, be sure to take time with measurements so boards fit together tightly without any gaps and sealing is applied to all sides. "Lower is always better than higher. Wainscoting: Panels on the lower 1/2 or 1/3rd of a room, often in beadboard style. I made my tile wainscot just a bit higher than where the towel bars would be, and at the right height for the medicine cabinet mirror door to be. im in the middle of putting up Chair rail up my stairs. 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. Is there a good rule of thumb? Many people will also chose 1/2 of the ceiling height to install wainscoting because it feels like a natural dividing line of the room. Your email address will not be published. In a room with a lofted ceiling and 15-foot walls, the rule of thirds would have wainscoting height at 5 feet. 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. Over the past 60 years we have forgotten a lot about those classical rules, and we've forgotten how chair rail functions in a room. I now have much more knowledge to debate the right solution per job with designers and architects. You can choose from a variety of materials, styles, and colors that will fit your bathrooms aesthetic. Take some measurements, and divide the panels into equal widths before installing them for the best balance. Their particular fixtures will force homeowners to take a different approach than the one-third rule. In fact, with the soaring 13.5-foot ceilings, my Boston living room has a wainscoting height of 40. Yes! For example, if your walls are 8 feet tall, your wainscoting should be about 2 feet tall. Does it include an architrave molding (picture molding below the crown); what are the heights of the doors and the windows? in-wall safe I think you did a GREAT job on your wainscoting and stair project! As Todd and I discovered while researching both recent articles on classical proportions, so many of these rules have been and continue to be interpreted, particularly to meet contemporary needs or standards. Of course, we don't want to see dinky proportions in a room with a 12 ceiling, but we need to be careful with 8 feet and lower. The height you choose for your wainscoting is ultimately up to your personal preference. Its not a bad gig. Wainscoting can instantly make any space seem more finished and sophisticated. Wood on the wall is generally called wainscoting, which is a type of wall paneling that was originally used to cover and protect the lower part of walls. It can help to add texture to a room, while also creating a unique look. 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. So, if your ceiling is 96 above the finished floor then of that would be 32. Installed in a dining room, wainscoting prevents chairs from marring or denting walls. Casing should run full-length from floor to the top of the door. 10-foot ceiling 5-7 inches in height. Because, you see, there are rulesrules and rules and rules. Gary, Great article Gary. Also, great rooms, foyers and dining rooms could require them for lighting, windows, and decorative ceiling moldings. Print Reading for Architecture and Construction Technology; David Madsen et al. In some homes, particularly those with triple-hung windows (like double-hungs but with three sash, making them extremely tall), the dado was barely two feet off the floorIve visited historic homes in the southeast where the dado was 21 in. But the truly wonderful thing about the pragmatic Mr. Swan is his recognition that dado height also determines the height of window sillsor vice versa! When the entablature is too large, and the dado too high, the room appears lower than it really is, whereas a light entablature, and the dado of a moderate size, gives height to the upper panel.. . As such, it would be ideal for the board and batten to sit slightly lower, 32 inches or slightly over 2.5 feet. So if the ceiling is 9 feet, go for 3-foot wainscoting. Now heres the same answer I wrote in JLC, and Ill bet youll regret asking this question! Many kitchens, bathrooms, mudrooms and utility rooms have tall beadboard from 44" to 58" height up to full wall . My situation is unique. So if the ceiling is 9 feet, go for 3-foot wainscoting. to 32 in. In no way it conforms to the classic order proportions if panelled for the full height of the vertical part of the wall. I really prefer to see the chair rail at the sill height, but 24 in an 8 room is too low. This is the approach we took and we could not be happier with our choice. Step-by-step instructions for installing this beautiful tongue and groove wainscoting right over your existing drywall or plaster. Kevin Bazazzadeh, owner of Houston-based Brilliant Day Homes, agrees and says that high ceilings add value because they literally make a home larger: Keeping all other variables the same (location, finish level, and square footage), when comparing selling prices of houses with different ceiling heights, a house with a May 30, 2021. I think that termination is more than acceptable. Wainscoting should butt up against casings. 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 ceilingand your personal opinion on beauty. My goodness, how many homes have I visited where the tops of doors and windows arent level and in one straight line! Isnt all baseboard vertical? Cut in along the top and bottom edges where the wainscoting meets the wall and the floor, just as you did with the baseboard. Beadboard, a wallcovering material with grooves built in, is used for both decorative and practical purposes, as it protects the lower portions of walls from dents and dings or . Now, on to the question you all have asked. So, the moral of the story is there is not just ONE perfect height to install wainscoting, but there are several starting points from which you can adjust the height based on the specific circumstances of the room, furniture and design. The height of wainscoting on a wall depends on several factors, including the size and shape of the room, the specific purpose of the wall and the overall design of the space. The traditional rule of thumb is that wainscoting height should be a third of the wall's height, including the cap or any moldings. Use the measurement to cut the remainder of the panels on both sides of the window, if possible. Wainscoting is a durable building material, primarily used to enhance the look of a wall or room. You can have it installed above the vanity wall, just below the upper row of cabinetry, or above a tile or other design element on the bathroom walls. 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. Swans fix should be etched in stone, for it solves one part of the problem: If the room be 10 feet high, I should think about 2 feet 5 inches would be a moderate height for the dado; and for every foot that the room is higher than ten, let 3/4 in. If youre looking for maintenance tips, the first thing to look at is how your flooring was installed. The first thing to consider is the style of furniture that is being used for the room. Most waiting rooms Ive seen have wall damage from chair backs. // Leaf Group, This Is Carpentry: The Misused & Confused Chair Rail, Old House Web: 5 Secrets for Way-Good Wainscoting. Garden Hacks For bathrooms or other areas where there will be lots of moisture/water, increase the wainscot height to 20-23 inches above . Wainscoting is old-school armor for your walls. Wainscoting is old-school armor for your walls. You should be very happy. vertical blinds Carole, Scale down to about 32 inches for rooms with 8-foot walls. Home Want to shake things up with a much taller wainscot? How tall should wainscot be on a 9 foot wall? Now if there was a chance that Gary Katz would stop by with his tape measure, then I might be a little worried. In a way, its ironic that stair railing must be higher now, sometimes requiring a transition to the wainscot paneling. The Tuscan order is the strongest or stoutest of the orders, and the simplest or least adorned, yet every major architectural author advocates their own rules of proportion and design for this and each of the other five classical orders. But it can also be an easy detail to get wrong. The height of traditional wainscoting is usually 36 to 42 inches. Im going to take a guess and say that this isnt your work, so would you have handled it differently? For a small space, white is a great way to open up the space and allow you to paint the wall a darker color. If you want to get a little fancier, use the golden ratio, a proportion long believed to be especially aesthetically pleasing, to calculate how high a wainscot should be. What is the average height of wainscoting in a bathroom? If you're putting in a gallery wall that will be viewed from a standing position, the bottom edge of it should be at least 60 inches from the floor. Required fields are marked *. The standard installation height for a room with a 9 foot ceiling is 42 from the top of the Chair Rail. Width is also important. Chair railboth the name of it and the elevation off the floor, is one of those somewhat fluid details. When selecting the height of your wainscoting, it is important to consider the size and shape of your room since taller walls tend to give the illusion of a larger room. The standard height to install wainscoting is about 1/3 of the wall height, so if you have 9 foot ceilings that would be 36 inches. It is also fashionable and affordable, making it a popular paneling choice. However, for people that will be in the same home for a long time and want to make it look as nice as possible, high wainscoting might be best. There are many factors that will determine the height of a wainscot. Home Design Ceiling Fan Downrod Size Guide . Scale down to about 32 inches for rooms with 8-foot walls. What is the proper height for wainscoting? Gary. Wainscoting is one of our favorite ways to dress up a boring or unremarkable room, to give it an instant dose of old-world style. However, the baseboard is a whopping 11 high, and the chair rail is 3.5 high. The truth is that you can make a case for any number of wainscoting height possibilities! Wainscoting is one of our favorite ways to dress up a boring or unremarkable room, to give it an instant dose of old-world style. We have plans to paint the wainscoting a muted pink and leave the rest of the wall and ceiling white (check out our mood board here), so I wanted there to be more color than just 1/3 of the wall. The moral of the story is that there are so many different heights to choose from and it does not have to be exact. Today we have plans to install the chair rail, fill the nail holes with spackle and maybe get to caulkingmaybe. Running your wainscotingtwo-thirds of the way up the wall can create alightly textured yet still neutral backdrop in a room thats busy with color and pattern. Other measurments deal with width and proportion. pc. For a small space, installing lighter-colored boards in a vertical pattern will create a sense of height and make the room feel larger. (Note: Click any image to enlarge). If it is a high-traffic area, youll want to use an eggshell or semi-gloss finish on the wainscoting since it is easy to clean. It starts at $1 per square foot for beadboard wainscoting that you assemble yourself and goes up to $31 per square foot for custom-crafted hardwood panels. Depending on the desired look and function, they can be painted, stained, covered with wallpaper or fabric, or left unfinished. "Generally, you want to stay away from the 84 inch standard curtains unless you have very low ceilings. Of course you don't have to stick to exactly a third, a few inches . Clearly, chair rail should protect those walls or some other applicationbut Id resist installing it higher than 34 off the floor! How would you apply these principles to wainscot on a stairway? If you're dying to install trim near the . In any event, protrusion is the common term for a bit of wall that sticks out. The middle part is made with either raised panels, flat panels, vertical v-joint tongue and groove (T&G) or beadboard tongue and groove. However, I plan on hanging a few pictures right at the level of the wainscoting and 1/2 of the way up felt too high especially once we placed the sofa against the wall. While there is no single standard height for installing beadboard in a bathroom, the typical height ranges from 38-to-42 inches off the ground, or taller than the vanity or sink. Wainscoting should be high, 36 inches, with 9-foot ceilings. Design Industry We have not physically installed wainscoting at this level before, but our home did come with board and batten in our entry hallway which isyou guessed it, 2/3 of the ceiling height. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'remodelormove_com-leader-2','ezslot_19',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-remodelormove_com-leader-2-0');Installing wainscoting can be quite a time-consuming project, and a professional carpenter is often needed to ensure that the project is done correctly. The same proportions for a ten foot ceiling would be 45 inches, but that seems high. at most, be added to the dado. JLC magazine recently asked me to answer a readers question: Whats the right height for chair rail and wainscoting? If this wainscoting height feels awkward and out of place, you may opt to bring it down to a height that feels more balancedsomewhere in the ballpark of 36 up to 48 inches generally works for these loftier spaces. Dear Gary, Mike, Sorry for the late response, butthe height of wainscoting depends on a lot of details. In these fresh takes, you might see plate rails as the top trim and even a bold contrasting color for the very top of the wall. How tall should wainscoting be with 10 foot ceilings? Ina room with a lofted ceiling and 15-foot walls, the rule of thirdswould have wainscoting height at 5 feet. above the floor. It used to be the other way around. The lower the wainscoting is, the more informal the look and feel of the room will be. Countertops A good rule of thumb is to make your wainscoting about one-third of the walls total height. I will attempt to up load a photo. Another good example of changes wrought by contemporary needs is the height of a mantelshelf, which is affected more by current code requirements for clearance from combustibles than by rules of classical proportion. The final factor to consider is how much money a person wants to spend on wainscoting because the higher it goes, generally speaking, then the more expensive it will be. In his 1757 work, Georgian Architectural Designs and Details, Swan wrote: There is hardly a greater error in architecture, than in disposing the dados and the entablature to the height of the rooms. In some cases, the baseboard may cover heating vents or wires as well. six feet from the ceiling (meaning six feet of airspace, but again, this can depend on the . Did we follow any of these hard rules on appropriate height? For example, if the room in question has an eight-foot ceiling and most people are going to be shorter than six feet then it might make more sense for wainscoting to only go up four or five feet instead of all the way to eight feet. Theres even a golden ratio calculator to make things easier for you. Paint Colors Well, thats not a dado at allits wall paneling often capped by a plate rail, sometimes, in Arts-and-Crafts homes, supported by corbels or modillion blocks. Make sense? I have a craftsman home. Now THIS is where rules are important. :)Would have looked very nice, but then again, woudlnt have matched the other side of the stair. I think the one thing I took from the wainscoting video marathon is the leaving the one run short. The bottom of the windows are between 24-25.5in from the floor. Wainscoting is a great way to add architectural detail and style to a home. How high off the floor should wainscoting be? 42 inches seems about right. Finally, it adds visual interest and elevates the look of the bathroom. We did this in the entry way. The strip of wood located at the bottom of a wall is typically referred to as a baseboard. Not sure what height you should install your wainscoting?? You can make your walls appear taller by using panels that reach just above the handrail or picture rail. Adjust Panels in Room Every panel in the room doesnt need to be the same size. Wainscoting should be high, 32 inches, with 8-foot ceilings. 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! The chair rail goes at the top and baseboard is at the bottom. Install the paneling right over your existing wall, eliminating the hassle of demolition. If you follow these height guidelines, it will look great in your home and function very well too. Scale down to about 32 inches for rooms with 8-foot walls. Garden Improvement In my original comment when I said it would look funny if the handrail was above the wainscot I meant if they both were on the same wall. Wainscoting (also called dado wall paneling) is meant to replicate the pedestal on a classical columnalso called a dado. Make sure to. Likewise,are 10 foot ceilings too high? Or, you might find a home with a single room with a much higher ceiling than that. I saw some pics of a curved transition and thought that would be a good solution here, but like I said before, Im not tooled up for it so it is beyond my ability. Youre right, code requirements today sometimes have a huge impact on design. So if you have 9-foot walls, then 3-foot (or 36-inch) wainscoting will look great. In other words, or rather in our words, that means your wainscoting should terminate at a height suitable for your room. If you are going to spray paint the panels Semi-Gloss is a good choice. Likewise,are 10 foot ceilings too high? But you say you have 10 ceilings, which is a bit rare for a craftsman-style home. Find trusted local pros for any home project, 10 Wall Paneling Ideas that Dont Look Dated. But it can also be an easy detail to get wrong. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer; the height you decide to put your beadboard on the wall is completely up to you and your desired aesthetic. 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! As youve pointed out, chair rail was never meant to protect walls from over zealous diners. How far as the window sills from the floor? Ifyoure using raised or recessed panels, just plan to center them as best you can in the space below the window. Hi My ceilings are 10 feet high. How many Mexican lottery cards are there. I appreciate you all sharing your knowledge. Two-Thirds Rule: Taller wainscoting applications are typically placed at two-thirds the height of the wall. So if you have 9-foot walls, then 3-foot (or 36-inch) wainscoting will look great. The traditional rule of thumb is that wainscoting height should be a third of the wall's height, including the cap or any moldings. Apartment The term used for when half a wall is covered with wood is a half wall. Today we have plans to install the chair rail, fill the nail holes with spackle and maybe get to caulkingmaybe. Architecture This helps protect the material from warping, staining or discoloration. At first, taller ceilings were offered as extras, but soon 9 feet became standard, so much so that drywall manufacturers started producing 4foot-wide sheets. I appreciate you taking the time to respond and thank you for the kind words. For example, if your walls are 9 feet tall, cap the wainscoting at 6 feet, with the thickness of a plate rail figured in, if needed. Kitchn is a source of inspiration for a happier, healthier life in your kitchen. However, the exact height of the wainscoting will depend on the design you are trying to achieve. All of those issues play an important role in developing the height of the wainscoting. Home Remodeling So if your ceiling height is 8 feet high, try a baseboard that's about 7 inches tall. Whats the difference between wainscoting and beadboard? Ed, Wainscoting can be a solid row of planks, beadboard, plywood, tile, plaster or simply molding above wallpaper or paint. First we placed a line of tape at 1/3 of the ceiling height and I quickly realized that this would not make enough of an impact for my vision of the design. But what does that mean? A more formal room, including a living room, might look better with the panels running from floor to ceiling, 48 to 54 inches in height. Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. 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 . How high should wainscoting be in a bedroom? For taller wainscoting, such as one with a plate rail, cap it two-thirds the way up the wall. With his tape measure, then I might be a little worried such as one with a single with... Spaces such as one with a much higher ceiling than that if the ceiling allit was how high should wainscoting be with 9 foot ceilings!. All of those issues play an important role in developing the height you should install your wainscoting be... ; t have to stick to exactly a third, a few.! Of putting up chair rail should protect those walls or some other applicationbut Id resist installing higher... Also chose 1/2 of the room cozier, creating the illusion of a wall or room very nice, then! Types of wall finishes such as plaster, lath, masonry, etc wainscoting of! ; t have to stick to exactly a third, a few inches,... Factors that will fit your bathrooms aesthetic fill the nail holes with spackle and maybe get caulkingmaybe! Listening mostly to my own words, installing lighter-colored boards in a room while! Molding ( picture molding below the window sills from the floor ask a question have damage. That will fit your bathrooms aesthetic want to draw attention to the wainscot height to install wainscoting because has... A whopping 11 high, 32 inches, but 24 in an 8 is. And Construction Technology ; David Madsen et al to be the same size space between the panels is. The floor factors to take a guess and say that this isnt your work, so you! Skillful judges and persons of good taste ( pg of that would be.... Warping, staining or discoloration should wainscoting be with 10 foot ceilings that. Will fit your bathrooms aesthetic adjust things up and down, before everything is set in.. If possible marathon is the leaving the one thing I took from the 84 standard! Typical author listening mostly to my fellow carpenters, I alway ask a question Leaf! Rooms with 8-foot walls clearly, chair rail, cap it two-thirds the way up the wall the installation... Depending on the lower 1/2 or 1/3rd of a room, while also creating a unique look,! Stick to exactly a third, a few inches 2 feet tall how high should wainscoting be with 9 foot ceilings your wainscoting about one-third the! Choose from and it does not have to be exact chair railboth the name of it and bottom. Have much more knowledge to debate the right solution per job with designers and architects existing drywall or plaster,... 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