# How do I end this chair rail?



## noone (May 4, 2011)

My first attempt at a chair rail. How do I end this chair rail into window casing and door casing? Do I just end it bluntly and let it die into it? Use a return? How? The window molding on the soon to be installed plantation shutters is going to be about a 1/4 inch thinner than the apron on this chair rail. However, the apron is the same thickness as the door casing. Thanks for any input and example pics!


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

You start with the top piece and create a 45 degree miter. Then make the matching piece. You can then make the lower piece set back the same as the painted one in the other pic.


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## noone (May 4, 2011)

sixeightten said:


> You start with the top piece and create a 45 degree miter. Then make the matching piece. You can then make the lower piece set back the same as the painted one in the other pic.


Is that the ideal/standard way to end it? Do the return like on my second pic? That doesn't look funny to you? Just wondering.....


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

It does look a little odd. But with the added piece on top, it makes the chair thicker than the casings. If the casings were thicker, you would have more options. I guess the other option would be to run the lower piece into the casing, and return only the top piece? Do a test run and see which looks better.


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## noone (May 4, 2011)

The window casing that comes with the shutters is another 1/4 inch thinner than the door casing. Help. Thanks for any ideas on how to do this right.


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## iminaquagmire (Jul 10, 2010)

Run the chair rail into the casing. Whatever sticks out past the casing is mitered away from that casing.


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## AGWhitehouse (Jul 1, 2011)

http://www.woodwrecker.com/woodworking/projects/wainscoting/8ChairRailDetail1.jpg

http://elitecrownmoldings.com/skin1/images/custom/Wiansc_closeUp.jpg

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/atta...ting-90-degree-door-trim-chair-rail-bevel.jpg

http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/1418_1-e1289406447737.jpg

Point is...there is no "right" way, try out some options with scrap pieces till you find what you really like...


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## noone (May 4, 2011)

I like the woodworker.com end. I like the fact that it overlaps the top piece return on the casing. Looks clean. 

Thanks for sharing those examples. 

Off to the library to pick up some trim carpentry books!!


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## wiz561 (Nov 11, 2008)

If you get any books, check out Gary Katz. He has some great DVD's, but they are expensive. He has written a few books that give examples of what ends should look like.

If you were to get one DVD, I'd get his first one. I believe he covers and overview of pretty much everything in it.


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## noone (May 4, 2011)

I ended up doing returns at the ends and it looks excellent. Pics to come as soon as the floor is installed by me.


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