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A note on chair rails: Chair rails serve a couple of purposes. One – they stop the wall from getting dinged and scratched if you have high backed chairs. Two – they will visually break up a large expanse of wall space. Three…oh, sorry, does a couple mean two? Well, anyway…Three: if you opt for a thicker chair rail, and you have kids – use the section of rail by the door to hang hooks there for the kids. Save your back and the broken ‘hang up your stuff’ record and go have a pbj sandwich with them.
Adding the Chair Rail
The most important thing to have when hanging something on the wall is an anchor. Here are some options:
- Take careful measurements for where you want your chair rail. Take the corners into account since these will have to be cut at 45 degree angles.
- A mitre box attached to your work bench will help you cut at the correct angle since it has marks to guide you. Measure and mark the length you need and place the wood in the mitre box. Line up the top of the wood to the top of the 45 degree angle mark on the box.
- Place your hand saw into the groove at the correct angle on the box. When you saw, you will be cutting at the correct angle. Follow the same procedure for the other side of the rail. The two sawed-off ends should form a corner when you join them.
- Before attaching it to the wall, make a level line where you want to place the rail.
- You will want to glue the rail to the wall and secure it with finish nails. Since you want to secure the rail firmly, you should locate the studs in the wall. Here’s a tip: If there is an electrical outlet on your wall, put a finger on either side of the outlet and follow it up the wall to where you will be hammering. Because electrical outlets are installed on one side or the other of a stud, you are sure to find wood on one side or the other of the outlet!
- Because studs are usually 16” apart, if you measure 16”from the point you have found a stud – you’ll find another stud (if only life were like that).
- Apply a small amount of wood glue to the back of the rail. Line it up with your level line and stick it to the wall. Remember to glue the joints in the corners. If there is a slight gap, you always get the painter to fill it with caulking… and since you are probably the painter - you get to do it!
- Hammer in the finish nails, which you so carefully measured and marked to go into the studs in the wall. Watch out for your fingers and other appendages which might be near your hammer.
- Use this same procedure to create a faux raised panel with the MDF door stop material.
- Step back and oooh and ahhh!
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