Do-It-Yourself Chair Railing

Chair rail or "dado rail," as builders sometimes call the trim, is a practical way of keeping the backs of your chairs from hitting the wall. However, people also like to decorate rooms other than the dining room with the chair rail as a point of interest on the wall. It breaks up the monotony of your wall and creates an endpoint for two different textures or coverings on a wall, like wallpaper or beadboard. Installing chair rail is not difficult, especially if you prepare all the measurements beforehand.

Measuring tape
Chair molding trim
Pencil
Chalk line
Level
Stud finder
Miter saw
Coping saw
2 1/2-inch trim nails
Hammer
Nail set
120-grit sandpaper
Caulk

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the width of all the walls to determine how much molding to purchase. Add a few extra inches to the measurements of each wall to compensate for the corner cuts.
- 2
  Measure the height you want to place your chair rail from the ceiling and mark the wall with a pencil. If you are working in an older home where the floors dip in areas, using the ceiling as a starting point gives you a more level rail. The traditional height for a chair rail is 32 inches, but your measurements can fall anywhere between 24 and 48 inches.
- 3
  Snap a chalk line from one corner of the wall to the next after making sure that your measurements are even and level. Mark each wall with a chalk line for easy installation.
- 4
  Find the studs in each wall using a stud finder and mark along the previously placed chalk line with a pencil.
- 5
  Place one section of chair rail against a wall, butting the end up against the corner. If the section is not long enough to reach from wall to wall, cut the end of the rail with a miter saw to form a 45-degree angle. Hammer the trim in place using 2 1/2-inch trim nails at the stud markings on the wall.
- 6
  Cut the leading edge of the next piece of trim with a miter saw, making a matching 45-degree angle. Measure the length of the space between the end of the railing to the corner of the wall. Cut the corner end with a perpendicular cut.
- 7
  Start the next wall by using a coping saw to cut the trim to line up with the installed trim. Hold a section of trim perpendicular to the end of a section of chair rail and trace it with a pencil. Cut out the shape with a coping saw, holding the saw perpendicular to the piece of trim. Fit the trim up against the corner trim and nail in place.
- 8
  Continue the same process of using a miter saw to cut 45-degree connecting joints and perpendicular coping cuts around the room until all the walls are trimmed.
- 9
  Sink the nail heads just under the surface of the trim using a nail set. Sand any rough edges with 120-grit sandpaper and then caulk all the seams with paintable caulk.

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