Woodwork Trim for Beautifying the Home

Are you building a new room or remodeling an existing room? You have decided upon the texture of the wall, the color of paint, the floor covering. Now you need to determine the final touches, the trim work. Using the type of door, window, and flooring material as a guide, pick the casing and trim to match the décor. There are multiple selections to choose from. If you are going to paint the trim, spruce or pine casings will be the best material to use because the are readily available and relatively inexpensive. If your design is more elaborate and natural material is your choice, there are casings in oak, mahogany, birch, walnut, or other hard woods. There also many choices in refinished materials. Wide trims tend to make a room seem smaller, so unless your room is quite extensive, you might go with the narrower trim.

There are two ways to trim a window. One is to use casing on all four sides in a picture frame design. The other is to use a stool and apron on the bottom side of the window. If a stool is used, it must extend past the side casings 1 1/4” on each side. The casings should be set back from the jamb 1/16”. This set back is called a reveal. The upper corners are normally mitered. The trim for the doors is normally mitered at the top corners.

To finish the trim work, either painting or staining, put the material up on some saw horses and apply the finish prior to cutting and installing. This makes it a lot easier and is less tiring on the back.