Wainscoting Calculator
Calculate exactly how many wainscoting panels, feet of chair rail, and cap rail you need. Enter your room dimensions, wainscoting height, and panel width to get a complete material list with cost estimates.
Enter Your Room Details
Full Breakdown
Wall Perimeter
Net Linear Feet
Wall Area (wainscoting)
Panels Needed
Chair Rail
Baseboard
Construction Adhesive
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your room length and width in feet.
- Choose the wainscoting height — 36 inches (3 ft) is the most common.
- Enter the panel width (standard beadboard panels are 48 inches wide).
- Deduct doorways where wainscoting won't be installed.
- Click "Calculate Wainscoting" for your full material list.
The Formula
Perimeter = 2 × (Length + Width)
Net LF = Perimeter − (Doors × Door Width)
Panels = ⌈(Net LF × 12 ÷ Panel Width) × (1 + Waste%)⌉
Chair Rail LF = Net LF × (1 + Waste%)
Standard beadboard panels are 48 inches wide and come in heights from 32" to 48". Chair rail goes on top of the wainscoting. One tube of construction adhesive covers roughly 32 linear feet of panel.