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Installing chair rail molding is a great way to accent a kitchen, dining room, or even a hallway. Besides chair rail molding providing texture and character to a room it also provides functionality by protecting walls from chair damage. To install chair rail molding a few basic tools are required as well as a little upfront knowledge.

Chair rail molding is available in a variety of styles and materials. For large rooms, fancier and more elaborate chair rail moldings are commonly used.

For smaller rooms, simpler chair rail molding styles are normally used. In the end, however, it really comes down to personal preference and budget.  Common woods used to fabricate chair rail molding include Poplar, Oak, and Maple.

Tools Required for Installing Chair Rail Molding

• Hammer (or Pneumatic Finish Nail Gun with compressor)

• Nail Punch

• Miter saw

• Sand Paper

• Try Square

• Putty Knife

• Caulking Gun

Materials Required Installing Chair Rail Molding

• Chair Rail Molding

• Finish Nails (8d) or 2-1/2” finished nails for nail gun

• Wood Filler

• Stain/Paint

• Interior Grade Caulk

 

Typically when installing chair rail molding, it is located 1/3 up the length of the wall for standard 8 foot high walls. This effectively translates into a height of around 32 inches. You can also decide to locate its position on the wall, by positioning a chair up against the wall to see where it touches the wall.   After locating the desired height for the chair rail, use your measuring tape, pencil and level to extend the line around the room where the chair rail molding is to be installed.

Photo by Mark Donovan

Cutting and Installing Chair Rail Molding

Whenever possible use one length of chair rail molding per section of wall length. When unable to do this, use a scarf joint to join two sections of chair rail molding together. A scarf joint consists of 45^o angled cuts on two lengths of chair rail molding that butt up against one another. A scarf joint creates a much cleaner look than simply butting to flat ends of chair rail molding up against one another. Make sure, however, that you make the seam over a wall stud so both ends can be fastened to the wall stud with nails.

Ideally the first piece of chair rail molding that is to be installed should be a section that butts up against an inside corner or door/window frame, where a square (90^o) angled cut is required.

To install chair rail molding onto the wall use 8d finish nails, or a pneumatic finish nail gun with 2-1/2” finish nails. Make sure to nail the chair rail molding to the wall over wall studs. The nails must penetrate into the wall studs if the chair rail is to be properly fastened. Over each wall stud location place two nails, one over the other, into the chair rail molding. Be careful, however, to not position the nails too near the edges of the chair rail molding to prevent splitting.

Finishing Touches to Installing Chair Rail Molding

After installing the chair rail molding, countersink the nail heads with your hammer and nail punch, if you did not use a pneumatic finish nail gun.

Next, use your finger or a putty knife to fill in the nail holes with wood filler.

After the wood filler has dried, use sandpaper and lightly sand over the wood filler areas, as well as the entire length of the chair rail molding.

Next, apply caulk to the chair rail molding top and bottom seams and the joints, if you plan on painting the chair rail molding.

Finally, to complete the process of installing chair rail molding, apply a final coat of touch up paint, or stain, over the chair rail molding.