What Is the Correct Height for Wainscoting?
Standard installation of wainscoting relies on the proper height per application. Other measurments deal with width and proportion.
Wainscoting is old-school armor for your walls. It's also a contemporary fashion statement dividing the wall. There is no code for wainscoting, but there are standard heights that carpenters rely on for continuity.
Wainscoting 101
Wainscoting can be a solid row of planks, beadboard, plywood, tile, plaster or simply molding above wallpaper or paint. It can be used as a protective barrier in narrow hallways, staircases or bathrooms or to display fine china or keepsakes. Installed in a dining room, wainscoting prevents chairs from marring or denting walls. The cap on wainscoting can be wide enough to support drinks in recreation rooms.
- One-Third Rule: The general rule of thumb for height is to place the top of wainscoting at one-third the height of the wall. For example, the average wall is 96 inches. So the height of the wainscoting should be at 32 inches,
- Two-Thirds Rule: Taller wainscoting applications are typically placed at two-thirds the height of the wall. 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.
Warning
Don't measure up from the top of baseboard. Measure from the floor, to the top of the desired wainscot.
Tip
Wainscoting height is not set in stone. 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.
Low vs. High
If you decide to change the standard heights from rule of thumb, err on the side of too low rather than too high. Installing wainscot too high diminishes the appearance of a room, making it feel squat and out of proportion.
Tip
Choose molding ahead of time. Moldings can vary in thickness and application. The height measurement for wainscot should always include the thickness of the molding. Chair rail molding is the most common, typically ranging from 1 1/2 to 3 inches in width.
The Question of Width
Width is also important. If you're using panels, they should all be the same width. Avoid cutting the last panel to fit into a corner or doorway. Take some measurements, and divide the panels into equal widths before installing them for the best balance. If you're installing stile and rail trim over the paneling, space them equally for balance.
Under the Window
Avoid obvious seams and joints under windows. The panels should be the same width as the window for the best balance. Measure the width of the window, and cut the panel the same size. Use the measurement to cut the remainder of the panels on both sides of the window, if possible.
Warning
Don't interrupt vertical lines of door casings. Wainscoting should butt up against casings. Casing should run full-length from floor to the top of the door.
The Drip Cap
- Wainscoting is old-school armor for your walls.
- For example, the average wall is 96 inches.
- 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.
. - If you decide to change the standard heights from rule of thumb, err on the side of too low rather than too high.
- ** Width is also important.
- Avoid obvious seams and joints under windows.
- The panels should be the same width as the window for the best balance.
References
Writer Bio
Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.
More Articles
