I will be installing the molding in my home theater over the next few weeks. The baseboard and crown molding go against the floor and ceiling respectively. I am having a hard time figuring out the best way to get the chair rail molding level all the way around the room.

I cannot simply measure from the floor since like most basements my floor is uneven. The floor slopes down about 3/4" from the back to the front of my theater. If I just put the first piece on and get it level with my 2' long Stanley level and just start working my way around the room, I still fear that by the time I have made it around it will still not be accurate enough and look like it is either running uphill or downhill.

Any suggestions? laser level of some type?

A cheap laser level is the way to go. I purchased one under $20 two years ago. Probably have comedown in price since then. It will save a lot of time in the process. The one I have has a stick of clay or something with it that allows the laser to stick to the wall while working on your project, so you don't need a 3rd hand to help out. Or you could mount on a camera tripod for hands free use.

Bob

If you want it to level with the ceiling you could just cut a piece of plywood or mdf that fits between the top of the molding and the ceiling and use it as your guide as you go around the room.

Yep. Measure down from the ceiling and snap a chalk line.

A rotary laser level is a great little tool to have, and you'll find lots of uses for it around the house. I used one to lay out the soffits for my theater. Another option is a water level. There are inexpensive kits available that use a hose between two ends which consist of clear tubing with one being a filler end.

http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/WaterLevel.htm

If you have a laser. Measure the height where you want the rail. Set the laser on that mark. Measure around the room to see how unlevel the room is. If it is not to bad just go for it.

I found a cheap one at The QVC outlet, but here is another version of a cheap tripod mounted laser level.

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/ttn15150.html


You can also use the poor mans laser. Get a length of clear plastic tubing. you need about 6 ft more than the diagonal of the room to be safe. Fill almost full with water but leave a couple of ft at each end. Make sure you have no bubbles.

Put a reference mark on one wall for the top of the chair rail. Have a helper hold one end of the tube at that mark with the water level at the mark. Walk around the room putting marks every few feet using the other end of the tube and the water level as reference.

I wouldn't use any sort of level. I guess the thing I would do is look at the layout of the room front to back. Figure out a rough height you want to set the chair rail. Since you are gaining/losing 3/4 an inch a level could make the chair rail look crooked. So I'd measure from the top of your base or your crown molding. The reason I say either is because I'd level it up with the shorter height. So if you are 24" from the floor and 72" to the top then measure from the floor all the way around. Mark at a min. the front and back and chalk line it.

I wouldn't use any sort of level.
???

Use a level... You don't need a laser level, spirit levels work just fine.

The longer the level, the better the results. Take a pencil and lay out your line, use a square to transfer the line around corners.

try not to have any inside or outrside corners within 12-18 inches of a splice, and make sure to use an overlapping joint on the splices. This means cutting at a 45 degree angle (viewing from above) and then pinning the "top" cut down on the bottom.

Depending on the profile of your millwork, you might be able to get away with a basic miter joint in inside corners, but be prepared to cope the corners for the tightest joints that set apart a professional quality installation from a "home handyman" job.

The website for Fine Homebuilding magazine and even the This Old House website have links to tips and tricks, and crown, base and chair rail installation are common topics.

???

Use a level... You don't need a laser level, spirit levels work just fine.

The longer the level, the better the results. Take a pencil and lay out your line, use a square to transfer the line around corners.

try not to have any inside or outrside corners within 12-18 inches of a splice, and make sure to use an overlapping joint on the splices. This means cutting at a 45 degree angle (viewing from above) and then pinning the "top" cut down on the bottom.

Depending on the profile of your millwork, you might be able to get away with a basic miter joint in inside corners, but be prepared to cope the corners for the tightest joints that set apart a professional quality installation from a "home handyman" job.

The website for Fine Homebuilding magazine and even the This Old House website have links to tips and tricks, and crown, base and chair rail installation are common topics.


In his case a level will give him a 3/4 inch drop/rise vs the floor. If he wants that then go with a level and it will be out of wack and won't look right. If his floor was more level then I say use a level. In this case I say go off of the floor and chalk it. Then use your chalk line as your guide. I do this all the time and it works a hell of a lot better then a level, especially if you are doing it yourself.

Personaly I would use a water level. Its basicaly a clear tube with stoppers in both ends and a colored water in it, you set it at the height you want and go around a mark around the perimeter the height for the chair rail. You set it at the right height and when you move the other end the water keeps the same level as you move it.
Doug

Or you could scribe and back-bevel the base to conform to the irregularities on the floor AND be level, and then just pmake the chair rail level.

BTW, 24 inches up would be the location of a chair rail in a day care or a tree house or something,...

BTW, 24 inches up would be the location of a chair rail in a day care or a tree house or something,...



Thanks for stating the obvious in my example. My point was to show that you wanted to go off of the shorter side whether it was the top or bottom.

The baseboard and crown molding go against the floor and ceiling respectively.

Actually if you are getting carpet the baseboard is elevated a bit so the the edge of the carpet is tucked under for a crisp edge. Just get a handful of wood scraps the desired thickness of the gap and rest the baseboard on the scraps as you work around the room. Where walls meet use a single scrap to support the ends of the two meeting pieces. If there is a random low spot don't force the base moulding down but rather just fly over it and let the carpet kind of fill in the extra width of the gap.

Learning how to cope cut the end of the base/crown moulding for inside corners rather than cutting 45's will give you a tighter joint. If you've never done this, practice on some scraps first. After 2-3 attempts you'll develop the feel for it.