What Height Should Chair Rail Be?

Chair rail molding is a beautiful touch that brings a sense of elegance to rooms, particularly if you want to add crown molding. But many homeowners make the mistake of installing the chair rail incorrectly. This error makes space feel uneven. 

The purpose of chair rail molding is to form the proportion of a room. No other molding does it better than chair rail. Chair rail splits the room and quickly lets you examine the size of the space.

The Untruth About Chair Rails

The well-known myth is that chair rails shield walls from damage made by chair backs.
The reality is that builders have always used chair rails to separate walls into aesthetically pleasing parts, typically with various colors.

The name "chair rail" came from the Shakers, who mounted boards with pegs on walls to hang chairs to sweep. 

Right Height for Chair Rail Molding

Most painting and home remodeling professionals put chair rails at one-third the distance of the ceiling height. For a regular eight-foot ceiling, a chair rail should be put in around 32 inches from the floor. The problem is most folks set chair rails too high up on the wall.

Between 28 to 32 inches is a good range for chair rail height. Lower is always better than higher. An excellent baseline width for a wood chair rail is two or three inches. Chair rail molding is available in several materials, like vinyl, metal, and polymers. 

Based on the design, width, and material type, you can expect to spend from a couple of dollars up to $120. 

Going through the hassle of putting in chair rails, crown molding could mess up the look. Of course, you could pick something completely different.

"If you're a modern type of woman or man, you don't even need to have a chair rail molding. You could use paint color to separate the wall. However, you must show where one color ends and the other one starts. 

If you need help installing your chair rail molding, get in touch with us at Rochester Painting.

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