Putting in Trim: A Newbie’s Information

To finish a large-scale trim mission, I (not an expert, only a DIY-er) suggest the next:

1. Analysis Methods to Set up Trim

After I began my first trim mission, I had no expertise putting in trim.

Earlier than I priced wooden or thought-about what instruments I would wish or did the rest, I watched a number of YouTube tutorials. I searched below key phrase phrases like “methods to” and “wainscoting” or “methods to” and “crown molding.”

This gave me an thought of what I used to be getting myself in to. It’s additionally how I discovered to put in trim (together with the assistance of the 2 books listed under).

2. Create a Work Area

If in any respect potential, have a delegated work area the place your instruments are organized and accessible and the place there’s enough room to work comfortably with lengthy and unwieldy items of trim.

3. Purchase Instruments and Provides

I discovered the next instruments to be completely essential for my large-scale trim mission. Hire, borrow, or purchase, however you have to have them.

(These instruments symbolize a big funding. If you happen to’re doing a big sufficient mission, it is going to be price it to purchase, however for a smaller mission, lease or borrow.)

4. Plan Out Each Element

To provide you with a design for my trim work, I browsed websites like Houzz and Pinterest for concepts.

(Remodelaholic notice: We even have a put up right here with a lot of wainscoting types.)

As soon as I made a decision what I wished to do, I measured all of the partitions and calculated how a lot wooden I would wish.

Phrase to the smart, give your self loads of overage. You gained’t have the ability to use the whole thing of each piece of trim and you’ll definitely make errors.

If you happen to’ll be enterprise a big, multi-room mission like I did, I like to recommend doing a small room first to get a really feel for a way a lot wooden you’ll actually need (it is going to be greater than the precise measurements) and for a way a lot time it takes.

Among the rooms in my dwelling already had crown molding and chair rail, so I merely matched what was already there for the brand new trim work.

I priced the wooden I wanted at Lowe’s and Dwelling Depot and at my native lumber yards. I discovered I might get one of the best deal at an area lumber yard and ordered from there.

The lumber yard additionally delivered (for a charge), which, given the scale of my mission, was enormously useful. Retailer the wooden indoors the place you’ll be putting in it and provides it 3 or 4 days at room temperature earlier than utilizing it.

I drew each final piece of trim on my wall earlier than making any cuts or nailing something in place. It’s quite a bit simpler to make changes with pencil drawings than with wooden.

I measured from the ground to the highest of my chair rail molding, making a mark on the wall about each 18 inches. I then used my degree to attract a straight horizontal line connecting all of the marks so I’d know precisely the place to position the trim.

Identical factor for shadow containers. I measured then marked the place they might go and used my degree to attract straight traces connecting all of the markings. Additionally, once I drew the traces, I measured them proper then and wrote the measurements on the partitions (I double-checked the measurements earlier than slicing any wooden.)

When it got here time to connect the wooden, I might simply line it up with the pencil markings (although, on the time of set up, I nonetheless double-checked that the trim piece was straight utilizing a degree).

6. Nailing

When it comes time to nail, keep in mind you’ll should fill every nail gap with wooden filler. Don’t go loopy, however you additionally need your trim to be steady and safe.

I discovered that if I put a nail at every nook (not too near the sting, although, otherwise you’ll threat splitting the wooden) and about each 8 to 10 inches, that was loads.

7. Ending

The end work (wooden filling, sanding, and caulking) appeared to take so long as the measuring, slicing, and nailing, but it surely’s the end work that actually makes your trim look pretty.

• Nail holes. Use wooden filler, not caulk to fill your nail holes. Use a lightweight hand with the wooden filler as you’ll should sand no matter dries in your trim. I counsel utilizing a lightly-damp rag to wipe over newly-filled nail holes to reduce sanding in a while.
• Sanding. Sanding sponges are nice for carved moldings and most trim work with minimal wooden filler to be sanded.
• Caulk. It should really feel such as you’ve caulked miles of seams, however do it! It will provide you with that seamless look the place the wooden seems to only develop out of the wall.  As talked about above, that is my favourite caulk (I attempted a number of totally different sorts over the course of my mission). Purchase by the case to save cash. You’ll use a ton of the stuff!

Get suggestions for caulking like a professional right here.

I put up lots of of ft of trim: chair rail, crown molding, and dozens of shadow containers.

(The cabinets and mantel across the fire within the household room had been constructed by a carpenter, not me).

I did each final little bit of the job solely on my own. I had a basic contractor come by to try all the trim work I did. He advised me that if I’d employed him to do the work, he would have charged me no less than $10,000. The wooden for my total mission value me about $1,500.

Paint colours are Benjamin Moore White Dove (white) and Restoration {Hardware} Silver Sage (mild blue).

With Sherwin Williams Naval for the darkish navy blue

I employed somebody to color all of it after I completed putting in trim.