Cutting Chair Rail for Staircases

Video Demonstration


At The Foot of The Stairs

To determine the angle of miter cut required for your stairs, take the Template to the staircase stringer (that is the part of the staircase against the wall) and the horizontal angle of the floor or baseboard (fig. 11) and lock the Template in the required position.

Measuring the right miter angle for chair rail up stairs

Then use the Template to set the workpiece holders at an external angle (fig. 2) and lock the pivoting workpiece holders in position.

Setting external angles for chair rail miter cutting

The chair rail that is to be fitted to the wall of the stairs to the left-hand side of the miter joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the left-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in fig 12.

Cutting miter joints in chair rail

The chair rail that is to be fitted to the wall of your staircase to the right-hand side of the miter joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the right-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in Fig 12.

At The Landing

To determine the angle of miter cut required at the top of your stairs, take the Template to the staircase stringer (that is the part of the staircase against the wall) and the angle of the landing (fig 11), making sure the landing is level, and lock the Template in the required position for your miter joint.

Then use the Template to set the workpiece holders at an internal angle (fig. 1) and lock the workpiece holders in position. The chair rail that is to be fitted to the wall to the left-hand side of the miter joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the left-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in fig. 12.

Cutting angles for chair rail miter joints

The chair rail that is to be fitted to the wall to the right-hand side of the miter joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the right-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in fig. 12.

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Please Note

These TOP TIPS for cutting miter joints are provided as a service from MML (QS) Ltd. The information is intended to help with the cutting and fitting of moldings around the house with the use of the "Magic Mitre" product.

MML (QS) Ltd assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. The reader and user of the product must always exercise all reasonable caution and follow all applicable codes and regulations and the safety instruction.