Picture Frame Moulding for Walls: Sizes & Kits

Picture frame moulding is thin decorative trim fixed to a flat wall in rectangles, so the wall looks panelled like a Georgian or Parisian room. It costs a fraction of real panelling and goes up over painted drywall in an afternoon.

Upper and lower frames, or one row?

With a chair rail at 36 inches you get two rows: tall upper frames and short lower frames. Without a rail, one row of tall frames reads more modern and works well behind a bed or sofa. Use two rows on walls 8 ft wide and over; one row on narrow walls and stair runs.

Moulding profile and size

A 1.5 to 2 inch (40 to 50 mm) profile suits standard 8 to 9 ft ceilings. On 10 ft ceilings step up to 2.5 inches so the frames do not look thin from across the room.

Frame count by wall width

Wall width Frames per row Frame width
8 ft 3 26.5 in (67 cm)
10 ft 3 34.5 in (88 cm)
12 ft 4 31 in (79 cm)
14 ft 5 29 in (74 cm)
16 ft 6 27.5 in (70 cm)

Example: 12 ft wall

On a 12 ft wall use 4 upper and 4 lower frames, each 2' 7" (79 cm) wide, spaced 4" (10 cm) apart, with a chair rail at 3' (91 cm). Total about 112 linear ft with waste.

Full cut lists: 8 ft · 10 ft · 12 ft · 12 ft with 9 ft ceiling · 16 ft with 9 ft ceiling

Common questions

Is it moulding or molding?

Same product: moulding is the UK and Commonwealth spelling, molding the US spelling.

How much does picture frame moulding cost?

Pre-cut kits start from about $53. A two-row layout on a 12 ft wall needs about 112 linear ft of moulding including waste.

What is the trim around a picture frame on a wall called?

Picture frame moulding, box moulding or applied panel moulding. With a chair rail and frames only below it, it is called wainscoting.

Get it pre-cut

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