Chair Rail Calculator

Rail height and material from room dimensions.

Room length (ft)

Room width (ft)

Rail height (in)

Number of doors

Door width (ft)

Number of windows

Window width (ft)

Cost per linear ft ($)

Waste factor (%)

Tab to move between fields

Net linear feet

Linear ft (with waste)50.6

Height from floor (ft)2.67

Wall height fraction (%)33.33

Corners & joints10

Material cost$101.20

How to Use This Calculator

How the result changes with Room length (ft)

Room length (ft): Length of the room in feet.
Room width (ft): Width of the room in feet.
Rail height (in): Height from floor to center of chair rail. Standard is 30-36 inches (1/3 of wall height).
Number of doors: Doorways interrupt the chair rail.
Door width (ft): Average doorway width.
Number of windows: Windows below rail height may need returns.
Window width (ft): Average window width.
Cost per linear ft ($): Price per linear foot of chair rail molding.
Waste factor (%): Extra material for cuts and waste.

Net linear feet: Chair rail needed after subtracting door openings.
Linear ft (with waste): Total footage including waste factor.
Height from floor (ft): Rail height converted to feet for reference.
Wall height fraction (%): Rail height as percentage of a standard 8-ft wall.
Corners & joints: Inside corners, butt joints at doors, and window returns.
Material cost: Estimated cost for chair rail material.

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Room length (ft) = 14, Room width (ft) = 12, Rail height (in) = 32, Number of doors = 2 = 9 input(s) provided
Calculate Net linear feet
Net linear feet
46 = 46
Calculate Linear ft
Linear ft = netLinearFt * (1 + wastePct / 100)
50.6 = 50.6
Calculate Height from floor
Height from floor = chairRailHeightIn / 12
2.67 = 2.67