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Finish Carpentry

Once the house has a roof and windows, once the drywall is up and the floors are laid, then the finish carpenters roll up their sleeves and go to work. Finish carpentry — the installation of trim, cabinets and shelving, stairs and other details — is what transforms a house from a work-in-progress into a completed home.

Finish work is often about details, and carpenters draw on long experience to execute them precisely. Whether it’s crown molding, baseboard, or a built-in bathroom cabinet, the results will be among the first things that anyone entering a room will notice. Flaws like mismatched grain or joints that don’t line up exactly the way they’re intended are the bane of any finish carpenter.

And so most finish carpenters have learned a trick or two about getting it right. Is there a simple way to outline an elliptical doorway? Yes. Can shelving be attached to the wall without any visible means of support to look as if it’s floating? Of course. Is there a way of building a custom cabinet that rolls under an adjacent counter when not in use? You bet. Fine Homebuilding’s authors have been there.

New construction is one thing. Restoration carpenters and remodelers, of course, face wholly different challenges. They’re working with an existing building where floors are rarely level and walls perfectly plumb. That calls on finish carpenters to know not only the basics, but also how to adapt these techniques to a house that’s far from perfect.

Whether the house is old or new, and regardless of the materials or architectural style in which the project has been designed, Fine Homebuilding’s collection of articles and videos will get you headed in the right direction.

 

  • scribing

    Scribing Made Simple

    Use a washer and a pencil to scribe moldings quickly and easily without marring a finished surface.

  • Exterior PVC Trim: Windows and Doors

    Watch this Shop Class video to learn how to assemble and install casings for windows or doors in a wall that has been furred out for a rainscreen.

  • how to install PVC blocking for plumbing and electric fixtures

    Exterior PVC Trim: Wire and Pipe Penetrations

    In this episode of Shop Class, builder Ben Bogie shares tips for installing escutcheons to create solid mounting surfaces for exterior electrical and plumbing fixtures.

  • how to install PVC corner boards

    Exterior PVC Trim: Corners, Inside and Out

    Watch this episode of Shop Class to see the best options for fitting outside corner boards and inside corners when installing exterior trim.

  • how to install PVC water table trim

    Exterior PVC Trim: Water Table and Cap

    In this Shop Class video, learn how to use cellular-PVC boards and drip caps to create this traditional architectural detail that will be the foundation for your siding installation.

  • How to install PVC soffit and fascia

    Exterior PVC Trim: Soffits, Fascias, and Rakes

    In this episode of Shop Class, builder Ben Bogie shares tips for getting tight joints, for cutting PVC trim with standard carpentry tools, and for keeping your job site clean when installing cellular-PVC trim.

  • how to install PVC trim

    Exterior PVC Trim: Layout and Preparation

    Builder Ben Bogie starts off this Shop Class video series by establishing a control height as a reference point for laying out exterior trim on a house.

  • Rustic Oak Brackets

    Learn how to use rough-sawn timbers and traditional joinery to fabricate sturdy, beautiful supports for a cantilevered kitchen island countertop.

  • Stay-Tight Miters

    Get a better bond with glue sizing.

  • How To Build a Craftsman-Style Fireplace Mantel

    Simple joinery and layered construction create a rock-solid, refined centerpiece.

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Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 297 - February/March 2021

    • Foundations for Success
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    • Insulating Glass Keeps Getting Better
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  • Issue 294 - Oct/Nov 2020

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    • Tool Test: Folding Sawhorses
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  • Issue 293 - Aug/Sept 2020

    • A Practical Guide to Fall Protection
    • Installing Frameless Cabinets
    • Make Any Tablesaw Safer

Fine Homebuilding

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