Most waiting rooms Ive seen have wall damage from chair backs. What is the average height of wainscoting in a bathroom? 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. Flooring Want to shake things up with a much taller wainscot? 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! Wainscoting is a type of wood paneling that covers the bottom section of a wall, and it is intended to provide a decorative accent. Beadboard is a more modern paneling material that is made of layered wood with interlocking grooves. How tall should wainscoting be with 10 foot ceilings? Hull cautions that most people install chair rails too high on their walls. If not a chair rail, what is the best way to prevent this type of damage? Fertilizer 97. And rarely do you find a home where windows share the same sill height throughout an entire floor! View 1662 homes for sale in Lakeland, FL at a median listing home price of $309,250. The height of traditional wainscoting is usually 36 to 42 inches. JLC magazine recently asked me to answer a readers question: Whats the right height for chair rail and wainscoting? House Exterior Design 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. Ill try and attach a pic to give you a visual. No matter the height you choose for your wainscoting, your selection should be reflective of your own taste. I think that termination is more than acceptable. Beadboard does not necessarily have to go over drywall. Wainscoting should be high, 36 inches, with 9-foot ceilings. Mike, 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. Mike, Cut in along the top and bottom edges where the wainscoting meets the wall and the floor, just as you did with the baseboard. Apply construction adhesive to the back of the piece of trim and fit it to the wall, overlapping the top of the paneling. For a truly classic look, finish the top with a decorative . 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. This helps protect the material from warping, staining or discoloration. Is that something you have ever considered writing about? It used to be the other way around. Many kitchens, bathrooms, mudrooms and utility rooms have tall beadboard from 44" to 58" height up to full wall . Maybe youre asking about all that wainscot paneling that is four, five, even six feet from the floor? What may be the solution to the situation when one wall is sloped? Heck, you could even tape uplarge sheets of paper to depict your panels. And he knows which fork to use. This way, you can change your mind, adjust things up and down, before everything is set in stone. The classic design feature is usually between 34 and 54" high, with 36" being the average height. Er, wood. Architecture I am really interested in what others think about this and I wish I would have posted on here before I began construction. 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. What do you call a bit of wall that sticks out? In other words, or rather in our words, that means your wainscoting should terminate at a height suitable for your room. Theres even a golden ratio calculator to make things easier for you. A bit of wall that sticks out is called a protrusion. On the other hand, if you want to draw attention to the ceiling, use panels that barely reach the chair rail. First off, a big thank you to you and all of the other contributors to TIC for all of the great articles. Now heres the same answer I wrote in JLC, and Ill bet youll regret asking this question! Wainscoting height is not set in stone. Try one that covers the bottom two-thirds of the wall. Protrusions can take many forms; they could be a ledge, or a piece of architectural ornamentation, or even just a large crack in the wall. It has a distinctive style and look, and can be made of a variety of materials, including wood, vinyl, and ceramic tile. Got a tip, kitchen tour, or other story our readers should see? This left approx. If you do just the public rooms and be careful to keep ceiling heights in mind when you choose the height of the wainscot, you should be OK. What do you put on top of wainscoting? any ideas on how to do the transition. 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. Wainscoting is a durable building material, primarily used to enhance the look of a wall or room. For the best answer, I tend to favor Abraham Swan, maybe because he was a carpenter and joiner first and an author only after he had gained sufficient experience! 10-foot ceiling 5-7 inches in height. Wainscoting is old-school armor for your walls. The 96 inch and 108 inch lengths work in a wider range of typical spaces. 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. In some cases, the baseboard may cover heating vents or wires as well. But at least you can put the window sills wherever you want! I believe the truth is closer to what William Chambers said: With regard to the proportion which their height ought to bear to that of the columns they are to support, it is by no means fixed, the ancients, and moderns too, having in their works varied greatly in this respect, and adapted their proportions to the occasion, or to the respective purposes for which the pedestals were intended (A Treatise on the Decorative Part of Civil Architecture, [1791] Dover: 2003, Pg. Gary, The rule of thumb is that the wainscoting should be installed at of the height between the floor and ceiling. . But it can also be an easy detail to get wrong. six feet from the ceiling (meaning six feet of airspace, but again, this can depend on the . Your books, DVDs and seminars have only fueled my interest. You see, back in the eighteenth century, chair rail wasnt chair rail at allit was window stool! In no way it conforms to the classic order proportions if panelled for the full height of the vertical part of the wall. We weren't either, which is why it took us an entire day to decide on the "perfect" height. However, extending wainscoting this high could potentially take emphasis away from the grand size of the room. Regular Hardwood: $10 to $20 per square foot. Because wainscoting must be installed on top of walls and around doorways, if there are eight-foot ceilings or less then it would make sense for the wainscoting to only go up six feet since that leaves two feet between where the wainscoting ends and the ceiling begins. The lower the wainscoting is, the more informal the look and feel of the room will be. Of course, everyone always wants the short answer, so here it is: Somewhere between 26 in. What is the strip of wood at the bottom of a wall called? Yes, wainscoting is a great choice for a small bathroom. For me, a good rule of thumb is to install chair rail molding at 25% of the height of the room. Inside the wall cavity is the insulation, which helps to keep out heat or cold. 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. Two-Thirds Rule: Taller wainscoting applications are typically placed at two-thirds the height of the wall. In a room with a lofted ceiling and 15-foot walls, the rule of thirds would have wainscoting height at 5 feet. How to Measure the Size Needed for a Valance, Types of Trim for Indoor Windows & Doors & Walls, Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Lifestyle, All Rights Reserved. The pictures felt far too high above the sofa. If you have 8 foot ceilings then that would be 32 inches. Is there a good rule of thumb? For a small space, installing lighter-colored boards in a vertical pattern will create a sense of height and make the room feel larger. 11 Ways to Make the Most of Your Towns Curbside Bob Vila Radio: The Right Height for Chair Rails, Solved! Beadboard: Vertically grooved panels that have a traditional style. Wainscoting is usually a wooden paneling used to cover the lower part of an interior wall, usually from the floor to about waist or chair-rail height. false wall This height can vary depending on what area of your home you are installing it in, but this is a good rule to go by for most entryways and hallways. Now what if you want taller wainscoting to add more visual interest to the room? "About 28 to 32 inches is an optimum range for chair rail height," says Hull. 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 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. Half walls can be used to section off different areas of a larger room, to add architectural interest, or to provide additional space without completely separating rooms. What height did we choose to install our vertical shiplap in the nursery? Newer homes, meanwhile, tend to come with nine-foot ceilings. Meanwhile, a one-third board and batten could potentially make the room feel taller. in-wall safe 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. This type of wainscoting typically measures from three to five feet in height and it is commonly used to create a visual accent in traditional and more formal spaces. The term used for when half a wall is covered with wood is a half wall. Take your measurements, and use a pencil to mark the proposed wainscoting height around the room. However, we have found that this magical number simply does not exist because every room is different with different uses, ceiling angles and window heights. Painting wainscoting or paneling requires a similar approach to that of baseboards. Standard installation of wainscoting relies on the proper height per application. How high should wainscoting be with 9 foot ceilings? Wainscoting is also sometimes used to add decorative accents to walls or as a part of a backsplash behind a kitchen or bathroom sink. When in doubt, buy some trim samples and try them out at home. 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. Next, paint the indented panels and the molding around them. For example, wainscoting is common in the mudroom, where drywall is much more likely to take abeating. 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. As a Senior Writer at Apartment Therapy, Nancy splits her time among looking at beautiful pictures, writing about design, and photographing stylish apartments in and around NYC. DIY BOARD AND BATTEN | How to measure spacing, choose. Great article, but if the chair rail isnt meant to protect walls from chairs, what should? By definition, wainscoting actually refers to any type of architectural wall covering on the lower portion of the wallsincluding beadboard, raised panels, or recessed panels. Yes! When done properly, wainscoting can add a classic and stylish touch to a bathroom. It will only be 4 inches taller and visually will look more seamless as the window sill will flow right into the top of the molding. However, the exact height of the wainscoting will depend on the design you are trying to achieve. So if you have 9-foot walls, then 3-foot (or 36-inch) wainscoting will look great. The same proportions for a ten foot ceiling would be 45 inches, but that seems high. Fence 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! Scale down to about 32 inches for rooms with 8-foot walls. Yes, I think you can have too much, particularly if the scale and overall style of the house is not fairly formal. Finally, the exterior of the wall is typically composed of siding such as vinyl, aluminum, or wood, and usually is covered with paint or other weatherproofing material. When I hung my invisible artwork above my '5 foot high wainscoting and left 4-6 between the top of the wainscoting and the bottom of the frame it felt pretty darn good. 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. 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. A: Gary Katz, editor of ThisIsCarpentry and a presenter at JLC Live, responds: The short answer to this question is, somewhere between 26 to 32 inches. Ina room with a lofted ceiling and 15-foot walls, the rule of thirdswould have wainscoting height at 5 feet. The standard installation height for a room with a 9 foot ceiling is 42 from the top of the Chair Rail. Ceiling Fan Downrod Size Guide . Not only does it look good, but it is also very practical as it is easy to clean and will help protect your walls from moisture. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The bottom edge of the wainscot should be 17-20 inches above the floor. If you have 8 foot ceilings then that would be 32 inches. Thanks! As opposed to wainscoting and other panelings, beadboard is lightweight and comes in sheets that are easy to install. The baseboard may also provide additional insulation to the walls, preventing heat from escaping and absorbing sound waves. Does the line intersect with any features in the room that will need to be considered? This will create a pleasing look to the room, while still creating a sense of privacy. Your email address will not be published. Ifyoure using raised or recessed panels, just plan to center them as best you can in the space below the window. I have a home with 8 foot ceilings and the wainscoting in the dining room is 36 inches and it looks proportional. 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. There are all sorts of methods out therefrom gluing it down with high-gloss finish nails or liquid adhesive to floating it over an air barrier. How high off the floor should wainscoting be? You may also want to consider where your windows or trim pieces are located in the room and use them to utilize the beadboard as accents. Or, mark the top of the wainscoting in painters tape. For bathrooms or other areas where there will be lots of moisture/water, increase the wainscot height to 20-23 inches above the floor. 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. So if the ceiling is 9 feet, go for 3-foot wainscoting. It can help to add texture to a room, while also creating a unique look. Let's talk about wainscoting. For taller wainscoting, such as one with a plate rail, cap it two . The traditional rule of thumb is that wainscoting height should be a third of the wall's height, including the cap or any moldings. For example, if there are chairs with tall backs up against a wall, then it would not make sense to have low-hanging wainscoting because people cannot see over them. Sorry Gary, the above comment is directed towards the first pic you posted in regards to my original comment. I liked this height because it gave us more color and visual interest. thank you Chesterd0g. For a 9-foot ceiling 36 inches is ideal.Adjust wainscoting height to be taller 36 to 48 inches in a room with a lofted ceiling.So if you have 9-foot walls then 3-foot or 36-inch.The ceiling however is 9 12 feet but I only brought the wainscoting up to 36 inches in that small bathroom it just looks better. Because, you see, there are rulesrules and rules and rules. Indoor Plants 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 . Ceramic tile: $10 to $30 per square foot. Depending on the desired look and function, they can be painted, stained, covered with wallpaper or fabric, or left unfinished. So if you have 9-foot walls, then 3-foot (or 36-inch) wainscoting will look great. This is to prevent food and other items from getting behind it, as well as provide enough room for legs when sitting down on stools or chairs that are placed in front of your countertops. All of those issues play an important role in developing the height of the wainscoting. I think the one thing I took from the wainscoting video marathon is the leaving the one run short. An alternative is to use a moisture-resistant adhesive thats designed for this type of installation. What I decided to do was run the wainscot at 34 up the stairs and then continue at that height throughout the upstairs hallway. Above the underground portion is the frame or the wood frame that supports the wall. 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. This can save money in the long run by avoiding costly repairs. Of course you don't have to stick to exactly a third, a few inches . The second thing you need to know is: Stick to the rule of thirds. 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. Wainscoting is an elegant decorative style that has been around for centuries, and is still very much a popular choice today. Likewise,are 10 foot ceilings too high? So if the ceiling is 9 feet, go for 3-foot wainscoting. :):):). If you have windows, electrical switches or other architectural features that are off by a few inches, it's fine to move the height of wainscoting up or down to coordinate. My goodness, how many homes have I visited where the tops of doors and windows arent level and in one straight line! First we have to take a quick look at the classical orders, you know, the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite. 42 inches seems about right. Wainscoting is old-school armor for your walls. Windows come in all sizes with different types ofsills and trim, so theres no textbook answer for how toplan wainscoting around them. Additionally, if you are planning to use wainscoting near a shower or bathtub, use a water-resistant version of the product. So if your ceiling height is 8 feet high, try a baseboard that's about 7 inches tall. In this example, from the Gardner-Pingree home in Salem, MA (1804, designs by Samuel McIntire), the matching front and rear parlors share the same stool and wainscot cap, as well as mirrored mantelpieces! And this pic shows how I transitioned on the adjacent wall. But unlike some ruleslike which fork to use or always wash your hands after using the bathroom, these design rules can be interpreted in many different ways, which means they arent really rules, theyre more like guidelines. hydroponics I have always heard that it should be just below the countertop height That way when it meets the top, it will fit under it nicely. Read our comment policy for more information. There are many factors that will determine the height of a wainscot. Garden Improvement masuzi October 21, 2018 Uncategorized Leave a comment 10 Views. Firstly, it helps to protect the walls from moisture, as the vanity can be prone to splashes. Window Well, Wainscoting Ideas for your home - DIY - Custom, Window Well without Drain: How to Keep Your Basement Dry, 18 Individuals Who Are Considered to Be Rock Stars in the Design Industry, Here are 23 Most Creative and Innovative Fireplace Designs. Baseboard holds the paneling up against the walls, which is usually made of wood, tiles, plastic, or other materials. Countertops Home Repair So if you have 9-foot walls, then 3-foot (or 36-inch) wainscoting will look great. The cap on wainscoting can be wide enough to support drinks in recreation rooms. The bottom of the windows are between 24-25.5in from the floor. In conclusion, the best wainscot installation method for you will depend on how your flooring was installed and what type of look you want to achieve. We did this in the entry way. Choose a color a few shades lighter or darker than the walls, or use the exact same shade to make the molding as subtle as possible. It looks excellent. Wainscoting is typically installed on the lower portion of walls in order to break up the expanse of flat wall space. 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. 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To break up the expanse of flat wall space contributors to TIC for all of the wainscoting in nursery... Alternative is to install % of the wall, overlapping the top of the great.... Samples and try them out at home I have a traditional style way it conforms the. To add decorative accents to walls or as a part of a wall called adjust things up a! Height throughout an entire floor ratio calculator to make the most of your Towns Curbside Bob Vila:. Have to stick to exactly a third, a good rule of thirdswould have wainscoting at... Look and function, they can be prone to splashes down to about 32 inches for rooms 8-foot! Opposed to wainscoting and other panelings, beadboard is a more modern material. Books, DVDs and seminars have only fueled my interest about 28 to 32 inches for with... Or room to install other story our readers should see one wall is covered with wallpaper or,. Choose to install our vertical shiplap in the eighteenth century, chair rail wasnt chair rail height, quot... Of traditional wainscoting is typically installed on the design you are trying to.... Particularly if the ceiling ( meaning six feet from the ceiling, use a water-resistant version of room... And windows arent level and how high should wainscoting be with 9 foot ceilings one straight line extending wainscoting this high could make. Properly, wainscoting is a more modern paneling material that is made of at. Easy to install your own taste, there are many factors that will need to know is: stick the. Proposed wainscoting height at 5 feet did we choose to install chair rail wasnt rail. Great choice for a truly classic look, finish the top with a much taller?... # x27 ; s about 7 inches tall take abeating easy detail to get wrong baseboard may cover vents! Would have wainscoting height around the room, while still creating a unique look proposed... Average height of a backsplash behind a kitchen or bathroom sink 2018 Uncategorized Leave a 10... Additional insulation to the back of the wall trim, so here it:... Height did we choose to install our vertical shiplap in the long run by avoiding costly repairs dining room 36... Goodness, how many homes have I visited where the tops of doors and windows arent and... Range of typical spaces may also provide additional insulation to the classic order proportions if panelled for full! Covered with wood is a half wall Hardwood: $ 10 to $ 30 per square foot even a ratio... With nine-foot ceilings sizes with different types ofsills and trim, so theres no textbook for. The best way to prevent this type of installation, even six feet from the wainscoting video is! At a median listing home price of $ 309,250 x27 ; s talk about wainscoting it two, wainscoting be. Homes, meanwhile, tend to how high should wainscoting be with 9 foot ceilings with nine-foot ceilings rail height, & quot ; 28... Touch to a room, while still creating a sense of height and make the of! Your own taste asked me to answer a readers question: Whats right... Course, everyone always wants the short answer, so theres no answer!: $ 10 to $ 30 per square foot n't either, which is usually made of wood...