Firstly, there's no set rule as to how high thedado rail should be fitted. However, when fitted at the most common height it can help to achieve the desired look.
Dado rails used to be used primarily to protect the wall from the back of chairs (rather than being more aesthetic as they are now).
The lower third of the wall is the most common area where dado rails are installed. So how do you work this height out?
Calculating The Dado Rail Height
To work out where you should install the dado rail, we recommend this simple calculation:
Wall height divided by 5 then doubled
For instance, if your wall height is 2400mm (2.4m) you would divide this by 5 to get 480mm (0.48m).
Then you simply double 480mm to get 960mm (0.96m).
With this in mind, you'd be safe to install the dado rail anywhere between 900mm (0.9m) and 1000mm (1m) above floor level.
The Method Behind The Measurement - Design Logic
This specific formula determines the height of dado rails based on principles of aesthetic harmony and proportion in interior design.
By dividing the wall into equal thirds or fifths, we create proportional sections that are pleasing to the eye. The dado rail positioned at one of the lower division points provides asense of balance and order in the space.
Placing the dado rail around 2/5ths or 1/3rd of the overall wall height hits the visual sweet spot - high enough to properly divide the wall, low enough to avoid looking too high.
At this height, the dado rail is in harmony with the typical heights of door and window features in a room, it aligns with their proportions, rather than conflicting with them.
Having the rail too low down would make the upper section feel disproportionately large and heavy, too high and the the upper section would feel disproportionately too small, don't rely on guesswork, let Maths do the hard part!
The formula is a simple, time-tested method. it can be applied to any room height and adjusted slightly while maintaining the effect.
Interior design principles favour mathematical harmony and ratios, the calculation creates a harmonious ratio in thewall sections that align with decorating intuition.
What If I Prefer The Dado Rail Higher Or Lower Than You Recommend?
When it comes to choosing the height for the dado, we can only give you a recommendation based on the most common height of fitment.
Should you not agree, then that's OK! At the end of the day, it's your home and your personal preference as to where you think the dado rail will look best.
For instance, if your wall height is 2400mm (2.4m) you would divide this by 5 to get 480mm (0.48m). Then you simply double 480mm to get 960mm (0.96m). With this in mind, you'd be safe to install the dado rail anywhere between 900mm (0.9m) and 1000mm (1m) above floor level.
For your stairs, you should set your dado rail at the same height calculated for the hallway. So, if the rails in your hallway are placed three foot from the floor, the rail going along the stairs should measure at three foot above each step. The rail should rest at a 90-degree angle, following the slope of the stairs.
Picture rails are traditionally used for displaying pictures around the room, due to the wedge along the top of the profile. In most cases, the picture rails are positioned between 300mm and 500mm from the ceiling.
Dado is applied for a height of three feet to Seven feet especially in kitchens, toilets, hospitals, etc. Skirting is provided for a height of about Six to Eight inches so that the walls do not get wet during mopping or washing floors.
When you paint everything, the skirting, the dado and picture rails in the same colour, it makes the room appear bigger and creates a calm, elegant atmosphere.
Instead of painting dado or picture rails in a traditional white, go bold by choosing contrasting colours that stand out against the walls. This can create a visually striking and attention-grabbing effect. For a seamless and cohesive look, paint the dado or picture rails in the same colour as the walls.
Extending the wall colour above the picture rail will create the illusion of taller walls and a higher ceiling. If you take the colour over the picture rail and up to just below the cornice, your eye will be drawn upwards, maximizing the sense of height.
UniBond No More Nails Original grab adhesive is a great all-purpose construction adhesive which can be used to install dado rail onto the walls around your home. It completely eliminates the need for screws and nails.
"A picture rails is high and a dado rail is usually between 1000mm to 1200mm from the ground. It would depend on which species of timber for costing but I would say approximately £220 per room. Taking into consideration that multiple rooms would roll into one another reducing the cost."
A white dado looks clean and classic, whether it's breaking up a single wall colour or drawing a neat line between paint and wallpaper. Meanwhile, painting your dado the same colour as the wall – as in this all-Vardo living room – creates a strong contemporary look.
To start, you need to create a mark on the wall at the height you want the dado rail to sit. ...
Next, hold your spirit level up to this mark ensuring the 'bubble' is centred, and create further markings at regular intervals along the spirit level.
The dado rail, also referred to as a chair rail, protected the wall in areas that would be of high traffic and have people passing or furniture touching the wall. The protection of walls was clearly very important within historical interiors.
As long as you have a nice smooth and solid base, dust it all down and apply your first coat. Touch up any bare wood with primer or thinned down u/coat. If going for a gloss finish, then 1 coat of undercoat, lightly sand down when dry, apply gloss.
In architecture, the lower part of the wall above the skirting board is called the dado, and the dado rail sits just above this. The diagram below shows the classical origins of interior architectural mouldings and how they represent the classical order.
Dado rails also present a great opportunity for tricking the eye. In this home office, India Yellow stops just short of the rail, giving the illusion of more wall, and more space above it. For the opposite effect, bring your darker base colour higher.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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