How to Paint a Room With a Chair Rail
- 1
Start by lightly sanding the chair railing. Use fine-textured sandpaper and work across the railing; wipe off any dust that collects with a clean cloth. Use masking tape to tape off about two or three inches of the wall above and below the chair railing. Apply primer to the chair rail to help the paint adhere better. Let it dry completely. - 2). Paint the chair rail. Pick the same color as the rest of the molding that goes around the walls. To avoid any streaks use a high-quality paintbrush; apply the paint with long slow strokes. Apply a second coat and let it dry completely. Paint the rest of the molding if necessary.
- 3). Paint the wall above the chair railing. If using two different colors or two different shades of the same color, paint the lighter color on the wall above the rail. Finally, paint the wall below the railing. Use the darker of the two colors or shades. If you paint the darker color on top, it closes up the room; keeping the lighter color on top keeps it open and bright.
