Wainscoting calculator

12 by 12 room, 36 in high, one 3 ft door: 5 sheets, 45 ft of rail.

Cuts at corners and outlets. A plain room can stay near 0. A room with many openings needs more.

Job sheet

Plumb wainscot job sheet

45 ft of wall, 36 in high.

  • Field5 sheets135 sq ft before waste. Sheet is 32 sq ft.
  • Chair rail45 ftSame run as the field, plus the waste percent.
Plumb wainscot job sheet
45 ft of wall, 36 in high.

Field: 5 sheets (135 sq ft before waste. Sheet is 32 sq ft.)
Chair rail: 45 ft (Same run as the field, plus the waste percent.)

Field and chair rail

Run is twice the length plus twice the width, minus the doors. Area is that run times the height in feet. Sheets are the area divided by the sheet, rounded up. Baseboard on the same wall is a separate stick count on baseboard. Full-height board is drywall.

FAQ

How much wainscoting for a 12 by 12 room?

Perimeter is 48 feet. A 3 foot door leaves 45 feet. At 36 inches high that is 135 square feet. A 4 by 8 sheet is 32 square feet, so 5 sheets with no waste. Chair rail is the same 45 feet.

Is 36 inches a code height?

No. Thirty-six inches is a common chair-rail height. Type the height you are building. The sheet count follows the height you type.

Sources

  1. NIST Handbook 44: A 4 by 8 foot sheet is 32 square feet. Thirty-six inches is 3 feet.