Should Bead Board be installed Plumb or Perpendicular to base?
I am planning to install T&G bead board and a chair rail in a dinning room remodel. After establishing a level line for the chair rail placement, I discovered that the floor slopes over 1.5″ along a 12′ wall with the slope continuing all the way to the back of the home. I have lived in this home since 1997 when it was built, but never noticed the problem before. After further investigation, it appears the home was constructed with this error. I called the builder and they sent out a representative to investigate. Unfortunately, the 20 year warrantee only covers issues of this nature if the structure is deemed unsafe. I suppose I could take them to court claiming a latent defect, but even if I managed to prevail, I am not sure what could be done to correct the problem without making a huge mess.
Anyway, I would appreciate some advice on how to best layout the bead board, base, and chair rail, in the presence of such a slope in the floor. I believe that following the floor with the base and chair rail will be necessary to mask the slope (This is how the original base and chair rail was set). However, in this situation, how should the bead board be oriented? Should I set it plumb, or perpendicular to the base and chair rail? The wall at one end of the room is plumb, but the other wall is out of plumb with an angle that is nearly square with the floor.
The base could also be set level and scribed to the floor, but it seems the 1.5″ taper would be difficult to mask even if a 8″ or 10″ were used. I had thought about mocking this up, but it is difficult when using the T&G planks.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Replies
True and plumb
I'd install the base to the floor, and the wainscot and chair rail true and plumb.
This will look the best, unless you put things that are long, either horizontally (sideboard-buffet), or vertically (a hutch) against the wall where it is obvious that they are not parallel to the wainsocting and chair rail.
Had thought of that but will revisit....
This was my original thought. I tried drawing a level line at the rail height, but it looked way off. However, based on your suggestion, I just looked again and now think this might be caused by the voids in the paint where the old rail and faux raised panels were located. The old rail and faux panel trim were set parallel to the floor and the new rail is going to be set about 8" higher. The 1.5" divergence is very noticeable. Perhaps once these other lines are gone, the difference will not be so noticeable.
There will be a buffet and two tall china cabinets in the room. However, these are probably narrow enough to level with some adjustable foot pads. We rarely use the buffet. I suppose if we did, we would have noticed bowls of food sloshed over to one side:-)
Thanks very much for the quick response!
The base obviously goes tight to the floor. The chair rail should be level and the beadboard plumb.
If you can't get a reliable laser level for the chair rail placement, use a water level to establish your level line.
Our builder apparently had a level that was out 1/8" in 4 feet, since everything in the house is that far out of plumb/level.
Re: The base obviously goes tight
Thanks for your response. After discovering the problem with a nice 78" beam level, purchased just a few months back, I was concerned that this level was bad. I dug out an old water level and it matched perfectly. Then I placed a golf ball near the front wall and watched it roll across the dining room, hall, and living room, settling against the back wall. I have been looking for a good reason, well at least a reason, to purchase a laser level. Since I am remodeling throughout the house, it may prove a time-saver moving forward.
I am going to mask over the lower wall with some contractors paper to cover voids in the paint where the old rail and faux raised panel trim were removed. Then I will tack up a level rail and eyeball against the floor. As I mentioned above, I think the sloped lines in close proximity with the level rail was likely causing the problem to be much more noticeable.
One thing I did not mention before is that the ceiling is sloped to match the floor. If I try the experiment above and the level rail still looks objectionable, would you change your advice and instead set the rail to follow the floor and ceiling? If so, would you still recommend setting the bead board plumb?
I realize this is an art of illusion, and in the past, I have biased things off level when it provided a better appearance. However, I have never encountered such an extreme slope while having to set both horizontal and numerous vertical lines. If I were using bead board sheets, I would just tack it up and play with it a bit. However, I have ordered 6" T&G boards, so this is not as easy.
Any further advise would be appreciated.
The one place where one might avoid the level rail would be if there is another strong horizontal (sorta) line near it. How "near" is "near" depends on the circumstances, but in this case probably 12" or so.
Always keep verticals vertical -- the eye has a better sense of vertical than horizontal, and having a vertical off can be disconcerting to the point of making one queasy.
I would half agree with setting the base to the floor. I might at least try a taller base set level on the top and scribed to the floor on the bottom. You could use quarter round to give you some fudge factor on the bottom.
I agree on setting the bead board plumb but just how far out of plumb is the end wall? That is where you are going to notice a problem more so than the floor and plumbing the wall is something that can be accomplished more readily than leveling the floor.
The bigger question is what is the cause of this? 1.5 inches on sucha relatively new home is a lot of drop especially over 12'. Is the whole foundation out by that amount or is this a sag?