Replies

1. 
   alrightythen | May 07, 2006 09:03am | #1

   whatever looks good.....

   having said that you will I'm sure be able to find some traditional guidelines from some experience trim carps...

   I think you will find that heights like 36" 42" or 48" work well, but I don't think you are ever limited to such numbers.  you mentioned some items in your bathroom that you want to take into consideration, which is a good plan. try to visualize different heights and picture what they will look like in the end. if you need to you can even lightly lay it out on the wall, which you will want to do anyway when you do have your heights decided on.

   I recently did my 2 bathrooms with beadboard wainscoting. in the one bath I did the one wall where a window is like you have it then follows along the wall into a recess where the laundry hamper goes. for me I felt that if I ran it lower than the window apron it would look to crowded and out of proportion where the window is. so I planned to have the top rail and cap butt into the side window casing. at the last minute I thought hey I'll make the cap piece run into and become part of the window stool and apron.  Looks awesome -  sorry no pics. ( I have an arts and crafts style by the way)

   in the other bath I had the wainscoting go around the tub I simply scaled it to what looked 'right' about 1' above the tub, kept that same height which worked out to about 3' off the floor in the rest of the bath.

   I think what I might do with your bath is again work with the window either again incorporating it into the bottom window trim or raise it up higher and run it into the side trim. personally I think that looks better than running it below the window trim. but that's just my preference and by no means a rule. you then could work it so that your mirror sits atop the top rail of your wainscoting. ( that's just an idea)

   good luck I'm sure you'll get some other responses and differing opinions.

2. 
   Ragnar17 | May 07, 2006 09:28am | #2

   As the previous poster said, it's really just whatever you think looks best.  I have a lot of experience working on 1900-1930 houses; if you happen to be going for a look from that era, I'd suggest going at least four feet high.  My personal preference is to put the top of the wainscot between 4.5 and 5.0 feet high. 

   It sounds like the only fixed geometry in the room is the window trim (I'm assuming it'd be easy to move the mirror up or down a little).  Based on that, I'd suggest seeing how things look with the top of the wainscot about six inches above the window stool.

    

    

1. 
   brownbagg | May 08, 2006 03:57pm | #4

   Need more pictures of beadboard bathrooms.

3. 
   WNYguy | May 08, 2006 02:53pm | #3

   All good suggestions so far.  In this bathroom (photo attached), I used the wainscot cap as the "stool" to the medicine cabinet (no windows in the room).   In hindsight, I think it's a little awkward that the wainscot height and the height of the exposed wall are very similar.  It might have have been better, in this case, to drop the wainscot down a bit.  Or a very tall wainscot, as mentioned by the previous poster, could look very nice.

   Allen

   View Image

1. 
   FastEddie | May 08, 2006 11:42pm | #11

   Nice jib, but I tend to agree that it looks a little crowded.  It looks like the medicine cab trim is jammed down on the top cap.

   What is the small column to the right of the commode?  Looks like another one in the corner.  Does either one serve a purpose, or are they decoratrive?

     

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

1. 
   WNYguy | May 09, 2006 04:21am | #15

   Thanks, FastEddie.  I understand what you mean about the medicine cabinet, although "in person" I don't think it looks as "busy" as it appears in that view from the neighboring bedroom.

   Those two columns that flank the toilet are actually pull-out drawers.  The one on the right houses an outlet to which a hairdryer is connected.  I posted these shots some months ago in another thread, but here's a look at the pull-out:

   View Image

   -Allen

    

   
1. 
   FastEddie | May 09, 2006 04:39am | #17

   That is really neat.  Did you line the top drawer with tin so the dryer nozzle doesn't get the wood too hot?

   Didn't mean to say bad things about the bathroom, but that one part looks a little odd in the pictuires. 

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

1. 
   WNYguy | May 09, 2006 04:44am | #18

   FastEddie, your comments are appreciated, positive or negative.  I'm learning as I go with these projects.  No extra precautions regarding the heat ... although that thought did occur to me.  I decided that exposed parts of the hairdryer don't get hot enough to be of concern.   This bathroom is in my own home; my wife uses it every morning ... so far, so good.

   Allen

2. 
   maverick | May 09, 2006 03:02am | #13

   Nice picture but I gotta ask whats that toilet sitting on? or is that part of the toilet? never seen one like that

1. 
   WNYguy | May 09, 2006 04:24am | #16

   Maverick, the toilet sits on a "cultured marble" slab that's designed for that purpose.  The floor is painted wood, and the slab protects the wood from condensation moisture.  I've seen actual marble slabs that were original components in early 20th century bathrooms, even on tile floors.

   Allen

1. 
   maverick | May 09, 2006 03:31pm | #19

   in my house I have a valve that lets a little hot water into the toilet supply line, keeps the toilets from sweating. I know its not the most environmentally friendly solution but it works

1. 
   FastEddie | May 09, 2006 05:43pm | #20

   Your water heater must be awfully close to the commode for that to work.  I can't imagine that a trickle of hot water being introduced into the toilet supply line will have a chance to get hot.  Unless you flush twice ... 

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

3. 
   maverick | May 09, 2006 03:14am | #14

   Chair rail height in a dining or living room is usually determined by the back of the chairs in the room. the chair rail or wainscote cap is supposed to protect the wall from the chair. in the case of a bathroom where the only place to sit is the toilet the rules dont apply

   in that case the beadboard is purely decorative, not functional. If its going to be decorative then show it off proudly. I suggest a height of 8 to 10 inches above the tallest fixture

   ...but not so high that it causes you to move the vanity mirror too high for the little people in the house or you might need to incorporate the mirror into the wainscote/cap field

4. 
   JDRHI | May 08, 2006 04:01pm | #5

   As others have mentioned....its more personal preference than anything else.

   You will have to keep in mind the heights of the switches and/or outlets. Make sure they land either completely within or completely outside of the wainscott and not in the middle of whatever type of capping you'll be installing.

   If the bottom of the window isn't too low (i.e. lower than toilet and sink) I often use the sill to set my height. I then use the stool as a cap around the entire room and do without a skirt.

   Don't go so high that a medicine cabinet or mirror are unusable for the majority of the household either.

   J. D. Reynolds

   Home Improvements

5. 
   philarenewal | May 08, 2006 05:32pm | #6

   If the room is small, you might try going with taller wainscotting.

   Gives me the feeling of being a midget in a giant's room so makes the room "feel" bigger. 

   Same with very tall base moulding in small spaces.

   Maybe mock it up with cardboard to try to get a feel for how you would like it.

    

   "Let's get crack-a-lackin"  --- Adam Carolla

6. 
   doorboy | May 08, 2006 07:03pm | #7

   Another consideration is the fact that you are dealing with a 96" sheet of material. Your math may change when you consider the amount of waist you will have with the different heights.
   Terry

   "Kinky for Gov. of Texas"

1. 
   JDRHI | May 08, 2006 07:15pm | #8

   Where you getting 96" sheet material?

   Beadboard is available in various products types and size choices.

   The sheet version would be a last choice.

   J. D. Reynolds

   Home Improvements

1. 
   brownbagg | May 08, 2006 07:38pm | #9

   the only beadboard I can find is 32 inches tall by 5 feet.

1. 
   JDRHI | May 08, 2006 09:10pm | #10

   Thats not beadboard...its Durock!

   No wonder you can't get the paint to stick.

   J. D. Reynolds

   Home Improvements

7. 
   mycarwood | May 09, 2006 12:38am | #12

   I think that a proportion of 3.5/8 makes the best overall presentation, when you can do it.

8. 
   canon | May 10, 2006 06:36am | #21

   When I started this post, I knew that I would be getting some great advice; and I did. I told my wife that I had friends on line who would quickly clear things up. To everyone who has taken the time to post a comment or photo, thank you so very much. Your comments and suggestions have given us plenty of food for thought and a plan. Now I just have to re plumb for the new sink and rewire for the new lights.

1. 
   FastEddie | May 10, 2006 07:20am | #22

   Now I just have to re plumb for the new sink and rewire for the new lights.

   You're starting down the slippery slope of remodeling. 

     

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

9. 
   andybuildz | May 10, 2006 03:28pm | #23

   Heres two different areas I used wainscott. In the mud room I wentup four feet but in the upstairs bathroom I came to the top of the lower side of a sloped ceiling...
   Its what ever works for you!
   BE sure to prime all four sides if youre going to paint/stain it.

   If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!

   TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]

   
1. 
   canon | May 10, 2006 06:15pm | #25

   Thanks, nothing speaks more clearly than a photo

10. 
    Dave45 | May 10, 2006 03:45pm | #24

    I've "mocked up" this sort of thing with blue painters tape.  It can be done quickly and gives you (and the customer) a way to "play" with it until it looks right.

1. 
   canon | May 10, 2006 06:16pm | #26

   Grreat idea, Thanks