How do you attach a Dado Rail??

Question

Im going to decorate my hall way and id like a dado rail along the middle but im confused as to how to attach it. I was thinking of something along the lines of NO MORE NAILS, but that doesnt stick instantly.

Can anyone give me some ideas as to how to stick then to the wall, preferably without nails.

Cheers!!

Answer 1

Sticks like, Stickfix or Pink grip has better instant grab than no nails.  You can sometimes use duck tape to hold in place untill compleatly set.

Answer 2

No more nails will be ok, but  you may need temporary nails underneath to stop it slipping down the wall, same as coving on your ceiling.

Mark your horizontal line on the wall or use a laser level or similiar. Tack the nails in first, then the dado rail can rest on it. Only go in about 3-4mm so don't worry about hitting cables at this depth. When it is dry and fixed, remove the nails and fill the small holes with filler, then decorate and make good.

Edit : Infoboi -  That's all good and well, but she clearly asked how to do it without screws or nails.

Answer 3

Time to complete job: About 1/2 a day.

Approximate budget: Rails cost from around £25. Timber yards are usually the best value.

You will need:

Dado or picture rail

Drill

Wood and masonry bits

Screwdriver

Spirit level

Tape measure

Pencil

Hand saw

Mitre box

Screws and wall fixings

Wood filler

Filling knife

Tip: It's much easier to paint or varnish the rails before fixing them. Prime bare timber and fill any cracks with wood filler.

Step 1: Measuring

Decide on the height of your rails. A dado rail should be fitted between 1 and 1.2m (1.1 and 1.3yd) from the floor. A Victorian or older house with high ceilings should have the picture rail at a height somewhere between 300 and 500mm (12 and 20in) below the ceiling. 1930s-to-present homes have lower ceilings and the picture rail is usually level with the top of the door frames.

Use a tape measure and mark the wall at the correct height. Make marks every 1.5m (1.6yd) around the room. Work from the ceiling down for picture rail and from the floor up for dado rail.

Rest a spirit level on top of a piece of the rail and use this to join up the points you have marked. You may need to slightly adjust the line if your floor or ceiling isn't level.  

Step 2: s***w holes

Make s***w holes at 1m intervals along the centre of the rail with a wood bit. Countersink the holes so that you can cover the s***w heads with filler.

Tip: Pre-packed dado and picture rails sold in DIY stores come with hidden plastic fixings that don't need s***w holes in the wood.

Step 3: Drilling

Start at the corner of the longest length of plain wall and mitre the end of the first rail using a saw and mitre box.

Hold the rail against the wall with the top edge lined up with your pencil line. Mark through the s***w holes with a pencil.

Drill the fixing holes in the wall at the marked points. Use wall plugs for brick walls or cavity wall fixings for plasterboard walls.

Tip: Try to buy full lengths of rail so that you don't have to join pieces in the middle of the wall. If your room is very long, mitre the other end of the first rail as well. Then mitre the end of the next piece of rail to make a neat angled joint.  

Step 4: Finishing

s***w the first rail in place and work across the room using the same technique.

Mitre the ends of the rail to fit into external and internal corners.

When the entire rail is fixed, cover the s***w holes with filler and allow to dry before adding a dab of varnish or paint.

Tip: Pre-packed dado and picture rails are pre-cut on the ends so that the internal corners are a neat fit. These join at right angles and don't need to be cut in a mitre box.

Answer 4

Pink grip will do the job. You may need to put a couple of temporary tacks to hold it while it sets

Answer 5

great difficulty lol

Answer 6

No nails is good.  The ones that use solvent grab faster than solvent free and for me they stick better too.  Makes sure the plaster is dry and free of dust.  If the surface is dusty, paint a line of exterior stabilising solution and let it dry.  PVA is OK for this too,  

Answer 7

If you want something that is instant stick use double sided glazing tape from a double glazing supplier but make sure that you mark level lines first and you have worked out how to make your joints good luck  

Answer 8

Hi

I put my picture rails back up with no more nails and a couple of little tacks. been up more than a 12 month.