Kathleen in VA Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Dd18 is painting her room and wants the bottom half to have wainscoting as well. She wants it to be about 40 inches high. This sounds about right to me based on displays I've seen at stores as well as pics in home decorating magazines and what I've seen in other people's houses. Dh went to Lowe's to buy the wainscoting. It comes it 4 ft. sections that are 8 ft. high. The associate ast Lowe's said they cannot cut the pieces to our desired height because it would require a finer saw blade than they keep in their saws due to the thinness of the board so dh will have to cut it when he gets home. Of course, he was hoping to have it cut there to avoid the hassle. He mentioned that there is some wainscoting there that is 2 feet high and was wondering if dd would be ok with that since it would mean he wouldn't have to cut it. My question is has anyone here ever heard of installing 2 foot high wainscoting in a room? Sounds ridiculous to me but I had a hard time convincing dh it wouldn't do. He finally relented, but I'm wondering now if I'm being too picky and demanding. What says the hive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhjmom Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I agree with you; 24" wainscoting wouldn't look right at all. I am wondering if what he saw was really wainscoting. That sounds like such an odd height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 If you truly don't want to cut, you could railroad the 8ft sections around the wall and leave it at 48" high. Would be a different look, much more modern with the horizontal lines. Depending on the height of your ceilings the 48" might work. You don't want the visual line to cut the room in half, aim for 1/3; 2/3 ratio. We put wainscoating in our boys's bath at 2/3 height and love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 I agree with you; 24" wainscoting wouldn't look right at all. I am wondering if what he saw was really wainscoting. That sounds like such an odd height. I thought so too. Dd and I thought maybe it was supposed to be for a kitchen backsplash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 If you truly don't want to cut, you could railroad the 8ft sections around the wall and leave it at 48" high. Would be a different look, much more modern with the horizontal lines. Depending on the height of your ceilings the 48" might work. You don't want the visual line to cut the room in half, aim for 1/3; 2/3 ratio. We put wainscoating in our boys's bath at 2/3 height and love it! Not really the look she was going for, but sounds interesting. Also, there is already a chair rail on the wall at the 40" height and part of the whole equation was not having to remove that - just repaint it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhjmom Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Not really the look she was going for, but sounds interesting. Also, there is already a chair rail on the wall at the 40" height and part of the whole equation was not having to remove that - just repaint it. The trim that typically tops wainscoting is different from trim that is used for a plain chair-rail. Typically the chair rail trim is flat so it lays against the wall. Trim that tops wainscoting is L-shaped on the back so it caps the top of the wainscoting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 The trim that typically tops wainscoting is different from trim that is used for a plain chair-rail. Typically the chair rail trim is flat so it lays against the wall. Trim that tops wainscoting is L-shaped on the back so it caps the top of the wainscoting. Shh! Don't tell dd that.:D We're going with least amount of labor and money here, lol. I know it would look better, but she's satisfied with using the chair rail and so I'm just going with it. Now if it were my living room or dining room, I think I'd opt for the real thing. ETA: If it really looks downright ugly I guess we'll switch it out with the real thing later. We are trying to avoid ugly as well, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhjmom Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Shh! Don't tell dd that.:D We're going with least amount of labor and money here, lol. I know it would look better, but she's satisfied with using the chair rail and so I'm just going with it. Now if it were my living room or dining room, I think I'd opt for the real thing. ETA: If it really looks downright ugly I guess we'll switch it out with the real thing later. We are trying to avoid ugly as well, lol. ;) Gotcha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Shh! Don't tell dd that.:D We're going with least amount of labor and money here, lol. I know it would look better, but she's satisfied with using the chair rail and so I'm just going with it. Now if it were my living room or dining room, I think I'd opt for the real thing. In that case, she should paint a faux wainscoting on the wall. Definitely cheaper, and to my mind, much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 In that case, she should paint a faux wainscoting on the wall. Definitely cheaper, and to my mind, much easier. Yup, I tried to talk her into that - especially when we priced the wainscoting at Lowe's - can you say OUCH?!!! But there were some other factors - guilt being the main one - that pushed me to let her have her way. She's been wanting her room painted for about 3 years now and I've always had some excuse for why that just wouldn't be a good idea. She just had her 18th birthday - a milestone birthday in my estimation - and I felt that this wasn't the year to tell her once again that things are tight so "can we please just do a lowkey birthday this year?" Her 16th birthday was a disaster - can't remember why now - just lots going on and we had to keep postponing the actual celebration - so I just decided this is the year the poor girl gets what she wants. At least it wasn't a brand new Lexus convertible.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Bummer - faux painting is so much more fun than carpentry. Dd(14) has already decided she wants a red Corvette convertible. I'll have to make sure nothing happens to her 16th birthday! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.