Material for a Ledge for a chairrail?

J187

I am remodelling the lower half of my split level home. In the family room there is a foundation wall about 48" high on one half of the room. I am giong to wainscott the lower section and put a ledge on top. WHat is the best thing to use for the ledge? I want to paint the ledge white, maybe finish it with a molding.



Edit -- I found this on here, this is exactly what I'm talking about, only mine will be one long section, 20ft long, nothing breaking it up.

Mike Finley

Best is impossible to say. It depends wholly on your private criteria which you didn't disclose.

Look at MDF to do what is in that picture.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

AtlanticWBConst.

You could use Pine 1x12...or whatever the width is that you need to install and have your overhang with enough space to also install your under-hang cove-trim.

At 20'...you could splice 2 sections together. You could biscuit them or 45 cut them and apply wood patch to hide the seam.

If you want to spend a little more, you could use finger-jointed pre-primed pine.

Just make sure that you are not attaching directly to the concrete knee wall.

In the pic you posted, we framed the knee wall and installed a 2x4 'cleat' on the rear knee wall . We tied the two areas together (Front and back using a fabricated brace constructed onsite, from steel framing.)
The result is that the shelf is attached to the KD framing....

__________________
- Build Well -

ColoradoBuilder

If you are painting it I would recommend MDF. It can be milled just like wood and comes in consistent widths and straightnesses. I would use a stand off or build out primer instead of a bonding primer because MDF is porous and this will cut down on the number of finish coats.

AtlanticWBConst.

Yes, alot of DIYers don't realize that you can buy MDF in 4x8 sheets, in different thicknesses, and cut down to your needs, including, routering a nice edge to it for shelving....

For long shelves (over 8'), tho, you could still use a premium pine or poplar boards (12' +)....

__________________
- Build Well -

J187

I like the idea of pre-primed pine. Thanks

J187

The lumber used to fir out the wood paneling thats on the front now looks like it is ramsetted into the concrete and then the paneling nailed to those nailing strips. Is that ok? Also, if so, if those nailing strips are 2" higher then the concrete can I lay the ledge down on those?

Brik

If you want real wood the I do not recommend pine. You will never be able to find a straight piece or one without knots. MDF is straight and inexpensive. For wood, use poplar. Much fewer knots and its generally straighter and flatter.