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I have 1200′ of 1×4 and 1/2×4 pg fir that I am using for trim in my house. I would like to know how to make the trim fit over uneven places in the walls. Should I cut some grooves along the trim to allow flexure across the boards? If so, how deep? Also, I am sure I can nail the baseboards into the studs to attach them firmly, but how about the trim around the doors? I can nail into the jamb, but how about the outer edges? The nails don’t hold well in plain dry wall. Is there some kind of fastener or nailing technique I should be using?
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Not to worry, there's studs and jacks all around your doors and openings.
However, are you sure you want to do this?
You read like this is a first experience and trimwork can make or break the final look of your house and INVESTMENT.
Gabe
*Gabe is right. Goofy framing and drywall can be fixed or hidden. Lousy trim work will stick out like a sore thumb! If you have to ask this question, you may want to ask yourself if you are qualified.There are some wonderfull techniques that trim carpenters use for this, which would take far too long to discuss here. You might want to check the archives, as I think the question was posed about 9 months ago.Gooves won't work, because they need to be perpendicular to the trim, and you'll see them. I would suggest a couple good books (Taunton has a great one, I think it is Trim Carpenter Techniques or something like that); or using a cap molding on top of the base. Door Jambs are another issue, and you can't scribe them, nor can you add a cap. Slop some more mud and re-paint? Personally, I'd deal with the wall issue before you trim, rather than during the process. Mud is so much easier to sand than wood.
*Read a book on it, and buy a decent power miter box (the $150 Delta 10" I bought has done fine). It's a rare corner that is properly aligned at exactly 90°, though some "hammer persuasion" and mudding can help a lot. It takes a long frustrating time at first, learning how to measure, cut, nail, sand, spackle, caulk, and hide the framer's and drywaller's mistakes PLUS your own -- but it's fun, too. SEARCH THE ARCHIVES for lots of tips.After 1200' you should be pretty good! Flat trim was a good choice for starting out, too. Ease the edges so they don't ding so easily, and learn how to paint trim properly, too. Don't leave a nail in that misses the stud or plate -- yank it out. Good luck!
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Thanks for the advice, but bear with me, I've searched around the site and haven't found a way to search the archives. Any help?
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John, I'll echo the advice about a good book on trim carpentry. Don't hesitate to check your public library.
I wouldn't try to "curve" trim to match uneven walls. All this does is accentuate the unevenness and make things look worse. In some cases, you will need to flex the trim a bit, but try to use some caulk here and there to fill in gaps. If the trim is straight, a lot of the uneven nature of the house will actually disappear.
Hint: Any unevenness will be accentuated by contrasting wall and trim colors. Keeping the wall and trim exactly the same color will minimize the problem. Ever notice how el-cheapo slam-bam maximum-square-feet-for-the-dollar places have monochrome paint jobs?
Anyhow, good luck... Steve
*John, You might want to consider a three piece base. Start with you base as square stock say 1x4. Nail this as straight as you can, shimming and shaving to achieve as straight as possible. The base cap is a milled piece that sits atop the base. By judiciously rolling the cap in and out, you can keep the profile at the base top uniform and still fit tight to your wall. At the bottom edge of your base run a 1/2x3/4tall shoe, again keeping tight to floor and base. It will not hide large bellys and bows in the wall and floor but it will trim out a large number of them. Don't be afraid to cut out a bit of drywall to get a nice flat fit, especially around door casings. You should have 3" of stud at doors and windows so nailing the trim is no problem. For small gaps behind my casings, I run a bead of paintable caulk, clean off the excess so it is flush and clean of the casing edge and paint it the wall colour. Some thoughts. walk good. david
*Go down to the bottom of the discussions on BT. Double click on the archives. Then search. You need to be in the archives to search them. As a proudly self proclaimed idiot home owner DIY guy, they are the best on-line resource I have encountered.Mike
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I have 1200' of 1x4 and 1/2x4 pg fir that I am using for trim in my house. I would like to know how to make the trim fit over uneven places in the walls. Should I cut some grooves along the trim to allow flexure across the boards? If so, how deep? Also, I am sure I can nail the baseboards into the studs to attach them firmly, but how about the trim around the doors? I can nail into the jamb, but how about the outer edges? The nails don't hold well in plain dry wall. Is there some kind of fastener or nailing technique I should be using?