How High Should a Chair Rail Be?

Chair rails guard walls against chair damage.

Standard Height

According to DIY Network, a website for home improvement enthusiasts, a chair rail should run long a wall at about one third the distance from the floor to the ceiling. On a 9-foot wall, according to DIY Network, a chair rail should be 3 feet from the floor. On a 12-foot wall, the chair rail should run at 4 feet from the floor.

Functional Height

Though home improvement contractors typically accept one third of the wall height as the standard placement for a chair rail, the rail must be properly positioned to effectively guard against damage from chairs. Because different chairs may touch the wall at different heights, the website DoItYourself.com recommends placing a chair against a wall, measuring the points where it touches and installing the chair rail at that height.

Bottom Line

Home improvement experts consider one third the height of a wall as the standard height for a chair rail, but some rails may run higher or lower to more effectively guard the wall against chair damage.

References

• DIY Network: How to Install a Chair Rail
• Do It Yourself: What is the Standard Chair Rail Height?