dado dilemma

[fazza13]

I am putting up a dado rail and have a few dilemmas for going up the stairs... the first is at what height do I go up the stairs? I read somewhere to put a thin board against stairs and then measure at right angles the same height that dado is in hallway, but this looks too high (I tried pinning some up, pic below). Can anyone tell me a better way to do it?

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My second dilemma is that the stairs turn a corner and continue upwards before reaching the landing. I had presume the best way would be to continue the angle round the corner, however there is a window in the way and I just don't think this will look right (happy to be persuaded this is the best way to do it)? pic of this scenario below. My plan was to continue dado parallel to floor from landing through window, and have a bit going vertically down at corner on stairs to meet angled bit coming from hallway (if that makes sense?!) white line in 2nd pic demonstrates.

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Thanks in advance for your help.[/img]

 

[misterhelpful]

You should measure vertically from the top edge of the stair string to the same height as the rail in the hall. Mark this heght at a few points up the stairs, connect the dots and you should find the height then looks right.

The dado rail should also change angle directly above the point where the skirting/string does. So in your first pic, the rail should really change angle twice but if you only want to do it once then use the centre point of the two angle changes on the skirting.

As far as the window area goes, the rail should technically follow the angle of string, otherwise, if you look from the bottom of the stairs the lower half of the paint /paper will appear too high in the corner. However, if you feel it looks better as you have drawn it (I'm in two minds ) then by all means do it that way.

Hope this makes sense and has helped a little.

 

[big-all]

keep in mind you cannot change angles in 2 directions at once
as in you can turn through 90 degrees at the corner but you cannot at the same time reduce or increase the angle this has to happen a few inches away