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Re: Installing wainscot

From: info@builderswebsource.com
Category: Carpentry and Framing
Remote Name: 63.198.181.43
Date: 17 Jan 2002
Time: 10:40 PM

Comments

A formal wainscot should strive for panels of equal size (on a given wall) in order to maintain a consistent appearance. There is no hard and fast rule as to the size of the panels or the spacing between them. The key is to select a width and spacing that allows an integral number of equal sized panels to fit on a wall while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Since the chair rail is usually set at about 36" off the floor surface, a typical dimension of the frame panels might be something like 16" wide by 28" high, depending on the size of the baseboard moulding. Allow typically 2-4 inches of space between panels. You may want to experiment first with some butcher's paper taped onto the wall. Draw out the frames and stand back to see if you have the desired look.

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