Calling on some good trim men for some advice. I have a couple of areas that I’m not sure how I want to end the base and chair rail. I’ve attached a quick sketch. In diagram (1) I’m putting 6″ base and 3″ chair rail along one side of the stairs. The right side I will miter a return on both the base and rail. It’s the left side I’m undecided on. (A + B) on the diagram. I would like to get some ideas on a nice way to end the base and rail on the left ends. There is an existing 1.5″ colonial molding running from the top of the base, along the underside of the treads and then goes horizontal at the top of the stairs and ends at the wall end.
In the second diagram, I have two different moldings meeting at a corner. On the left is an existing 2.5″ colonial molding, and I will be placing 6″ molding on the right. Once again I’m looking for some ideas that would make these two moldings come together nicely.
I always get good tips from this forum and have no doubt you pros will impress me again with your ideas. Thanks all.
Replies
I can't tell from the sketch what the stairs look like - I think what you're drawing is that you have enclosed treads, but the wall is capped shortly above them, (so somebody didn't have to take the time to cut an open skirt . . .?)
I don't think, given the overhang that I'm assuming is there, that cutting the chair rail at the intersecting angle and back beveling it would look out of place. I don't know that there's a ton of great new creative things here. You could also return it to the wall, but I think the triangle effect you'd see would look amiss.
For the two bases, I'm hoping the 6" stock is also wider than the shorter. If so, that I'd return to the wall with a compound cut, and butt the narrower stock to it. If you don't have any sort of other detail to break it, that's about what you can do with what you have.
"The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb " lyrics by Roger Waters
1) chair rail - I'd do an angled return; requires a compound cut, so you have to think it out first; basically the rail will be cut on an angle to match the pitch of the stairs and then returned. Compound cut is needed so as not to put a hook on the end.
2) base is hard to visualize, but I think I'd wrap a couple of inches of the 6" around the corner, put a return on it, then let the 3" colonial into the return (just shorten the return and butt it in).
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
basically the rail will be cut on an angle to match the pitch of the stairs
I get that part and I agree.
and then returned.
Don't understand that part.
I am thinking of coping the chair rail to the rising stair molding. It's hard to visualize and could be a pita. An easier way would be to bevel the end so the chair mold doesn't stand proud of the stair mold. Yes you do require a compound cut in this case.
Regarding the hi-lo base I like your idea.
Ah, my idea as to cut the end of the rail at the same angle as the stair pitch; but, rather than going through hoops trying to join the two trims, I'd end it a tad shy and put a return on the end of the rail (i.e. there'd be a small gap between the two).
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Phill, I still can't visualize the detail on the rail. How do you put a return on the cut end of a trim that's not plumb? A sketch would help.
Alas, no sketching tools on this old machine (anyone know of decent freeware on that I could put on the big box to respond here ?
In any case, it's one of those tricky, little, compound cuts you really have to visualize in your mind..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I`m not sure I`m following you on question one regarding the chair rail, so I`ll bypass for now.
As for the two different base mouldings....is it possible to remove one run of either?(preferably the 2 1/2" ) Take it back to an inside corner and replace with the 6" base. At the inside corner install an inside corner block (store bought or make one up yourself) to make the transition it would blend easier and be much less noticable than at an outside corner.
I`ll try and reread your initial question in AM when brain is functioning a bit better and get back to you with a suggestion.
EDIT: To clarify...or at least attempt....I`m starting to doze...I`d better get some sleep!
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Edited 3/2/2004 11:50:46 PM ET by JAYBIRD
I assume this is your place. I would do as Jaybird says and end dissimilar base at an inside corner.
I'd rip out the 2 1/2 going up the rake wall, replace it with flat stock add another piece of flat stock vertically at the adjacent wall, install a wide piece of flat stock as a chair rail backer, install flat base, fill in all the triangles with base cap, and self-return your chair rail where ever you think it looks good.
That rake wall, since it is unique, can be treated different from the rest without looking weird.
Clampman
tear off the rake moulding, it's disproportionate and causing you untold woe. replace with stock 2-3" that is as thick or thicker than the base and chair. if it is thicker, you may run a roundover or small profile making sure the flat edge that the chair and base will butt to is still as thick as they are. hell, flute it if it is stylistically commensurate. run it along the rake and down vertical, leaving it the thickness of the 2.5" colonial (obviously a bit more if you do the last sentence) proud of the riser. miter the chair to it, butt the base to it on both sides, and be happy. i would even rout the profile (not flute) on both base edges of the vertical piece, because i like mustard on my dogs.
this is assuming i understood the drawing.