# Chair rail angle



## htank (Oct 25, 2010)

My brother is trying replace this chair rail running up the back stairs, but is having a small problem with the angle. I told him to to find the angle and half it. I am not a professional, so I just wanted to throw this out there and see if that was the right answer or if there is a better way. Thanks, here's a pic of it


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## Treeoflifestairs.com (Jan 9, 2012)

The easy way of doing it with no math involved is to take the pieces that will go in those two spots and hold them where they will be going one at a time and draw a line along the top and bottom of the moulding. You will end up with two sets of parallel lines that intersect each other. Now again, hold one piece on the wall and mark the place where the lines intersect on the top and bottom of the moulding. Line those two marks up on your mitersaw and that's the angle of the cut. You want the angles of both pieces to be the same but opposite.

Staircases usually have a pitch of about 35-39 degrees so I would expect that miter to be about 18 degrees give or take.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Treeoflifestairs.com said:


> The easy way of doing it with no math involved is to take the pieces that will go in those two spots and hold them where they will be going one at a time and draw a line along the top and bottom of the moulding. You will end up with two sets of parallel lines that intersect each other. Now again, hold one piece on the wall and mark the place where the lines intersect on the top and bottom of the moulding. Line those two marks up on your mitersaw and that's the angle of the cut. You want the angles of both pieces to be the same but opposite.
> 
> Staircases usually have a pitch of about 35-39 degrees so I would expect that miter to be about 18 degrees give or take.


+1. :yes: No math involved. 



















.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

That appears to be a steep stair case


Measure angle and 1/2 is the simplest if you can do that. The method mentioned above works. 

Another way if you have a drop saw and no other means to measure the angle is take a length of any flat board, 

either hold it on the wall level with the paint line and while it runs past the joint mark the top of the other paint line across your board. Cut the angle on your drop saw when it lines up perfectly with the line then half this angle. 

Or

Cut. 45° and then just keep adjusting the cut till it lines up with existing angle then 1/2 that result. 

Sounds like you've for it under control ...... next ..... post pics of the result


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

Treeoflifestairs.com said:


> The easy way of doing it with no math involved is to take the pieces that will go in those two spots and hold them where they will be going one at a time and draw a line along the top and bottom of the moulding. You will end up with two sets of parallel lines that intersect each other. Now again, hold one piece on the wall and mark the place where the lines intersect on the top and bottom of the moulding. Line those two marks up on your mitersaw and that's the angle of the cut. You want the angles of both pieces to be the same but opposite.
> 
> Staircases usually have a pitch of about 35-39 degrees so I would expect that miter to be about 18 degrees give or take.


 

YOU sound like you KNOW your stuff! :thumbsup:

Great answer! :yes:


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## htank (Oct 25, 2010)

Thank you for the quick responses, I'll pass the info off to him. Thank you again


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## MORRIS76 (May 6, 2013)

I always thought that bisecting the angle would work but it won't at least not always. I was installing chair rail in my entry way and I measured one of the corners to be about 92deg. so I halved it and cut two 46 deg angles and they didn't mate up. I ended up cutting two angles at about 42 deg. Splain that:blink:


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## skyking (Mar 24, 2013)

I do the half angle thing, then take some long rips of scrap plywood and fine-tune the angle. 
Gives me a little peace of mind before dicing an expensive handrail or piece of hardwood.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

skyking said:


> I do the half angle thing, then take some long rips of scrap plywood and fine-tune the angle.
> Gives me a little peace of mind before dicing an expensive handrail or piece of hardwood.


Sounds like a plan, let us know how it goes


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