Chair Railing, what to do when butts against casing....

[G]

My chair railing, in various places around the room, is going to be butting against the casing around my doorway, around my closet, and also around my windows. The chair railing is a little more 'raised' at its highest point than the casing is, so when it's flush against the casing, you can see the end grain.

What is the most typical method for installing the railing at these junctures? I'd imagine you don't just butt it flat against the casing and allow the end grain to show...

Do I just miter a 'return' at all of these locations? If yes, should the return basically be right up against the casing so that, in effect, the outermost edge of the return/chair railing is touching the casing, and then goes 45 degrees back from there (if you can picture it...)?

Thanks!!!

[beecrofter]

A chamfer would work just fine here, as would planing down the back of the rail over a few feet so that it meets flush or below the door casing. A few blind kerfs might make it bent to hug the wall better.

[RicodJour]

Mitering is my standard way of doing it. If it were new work and you were installing all of the room trim fresh, is to build up the door and window casing with backband, although that's a lot more work and likely unwarranted if you're just installing chair rail against existing trim.

R

[G]

Yea, just installing against existing. Will do the mitered returns, sounds like the way to go, and I'll let the tip of the chair rail touch the casing and that's where the return will start. Tnx for the advice folks

[3G]

not knowing the exact profile of your chair rail I will not suggest a return or miter. I usually sand the edge that sticks by the casing so it is rounded, it looks much better than a return. a return usually makes the bottom edge short.