*
I was reading a recent thread about nailers and staplers on the main board and a lot of guys seem sold on staples for casing and trim. Why?
If you’ve gotta paint them, more spackling. If you ever remove the trim, staples split the crap out of it. They are a pain to remove themselves.
As far as just keeping the trim on the wall, it seems like some guys are trying to put more iron in it than the framing. Why?
Replies
*
Welcome to the new millenium. The current thought running rampant in construction is get in-get out, slam it up, move to the next one. Staples are pretty cheap and so are the guns which shoot them. Fasta, furtha, not betta.
Not like it used to be when one might have given thought to future repars.
*I agree completely, it was always intended that we'd be able to get some of this stuff off.
*Maybe I'm missing your point, Joel. Why would you put trim up, and then want to take it off?Staples hold. Twice as well. If it's painted, I'm stapleing.Guess glue would be out of the question?Puttin' it up and keepin' it there, BB
*Hey, BB. I was thinking the same thing until I remembered that I pulled all the base in our home to refinish. Some clod had years ago painted over the beautiful cherry with no grain runout. It was easier to pull it and restore than to attempt this in place. Thankfully, the carp missed just about every stud and certainly the sole plate.Joel, if you think staples are bad enough listen to this. The other day I was visiting in a new, highend house and couldn't believe all the doors were trimmed in fingerjointed oak left bright. Most of the joints were close to the end of a stick so it would have been nothing for the carp to put that end down at the floor.
*Joel, Have you ever tried to attach caseing around the opening of a pull down attic stair? It's simply much easier to build the cased frame on the ground and then install it to the unit as an assembly, and crown staples shot into the mitres hold the assembly together much better than brad nails. I also like to attach the frame to the jamb with staples as i feel in this type of situation it holds the caseing tighter to the jamb, especially when you're working with stock that may have a slight twist or warp in it.
*
Hey Billy! Haven't you ever had to adjust a door after a few years of swinging? Or settling? Or replace a cracked jamb after the kids collided with it? That's when you'll be glad if there aren't any staples on the scene. Same goes for glue. It's enough to cut the caulk line, don't need more gunk.
Mad Dog, I totally agree on those attic pulldowns. Trying to shoot that casing on with a nailer is pretty risky for the fingers,as well.You'd think after all this time someone would build a better mouse trap for those attic stairs.
Rich, remember when "finger joint" meant where your digits bent? I can't believe they can even call f-j material "stain grade" in the first place.
I just think a minimum of fasteners in trim makes sense for future repairs. You can't hang heavy crown without a few nails, but casing and base just don't need to be nailed to death to stay put.
*
Joel,
View Image
© 1999-2000
"The first step towards vice is to shroud innocent actions in mystery, and whoever likes to conceal something sooner or later has reason to conceal it."
Aristotle
*Joe, I didn't say anything about base, or nailing anything to death.I also haven't had to go back and repair any of the doors where I've used staples on the casing, and, I've been doing this for more than a "few" years. I hang a lot of factory made split jamb doors that have stapled on casing. Unpainted is a different and more expensive story.I'm more into actually holding tight than wishin' it would stay there cheaply.I've got kids, guess I just trained 'em not to mash into the jambs, can't remember it though. You might want to experiment with shims, could add a whole new dimension.I like iron, BB
*
You are a lucky man Billy. You never have to make any repairs. But I do, and it's not on stuff that I hung. If you were reading my posts you would see that the whole point is making future repairs or refinishing a little easier. I never mentioned trying to save a couple of pennies on some nails.
I'm glad your kids are trained, but not all of my customers are so lucky. And I do know what a shim looks like.I just don't see a lot of them after I pry off the casing most of the time.
*
There better be a few fasteners in my casings....that's what holds the jamb straight.
shimlessly yours,
blue
*Staples are great for some jobs. I prefer to use them when I build a custom bookcase or fireplace mantle when I know something won't need to be pulled apart.Finish nails are best for trimwork that may need to be pulled off for damage repair. Especially after the customer moves in and the moving guys have been less than respectful to the door jambs. I still prefer to glue my casing to the jambs with hide glue though for a tighter fit, especially if the casing is a custom piece with a high profile bead towards the opening. A blow dryer does a great job if you need to pull the casing off for a repair.
*Joel, I am lucky, but that doesn't mean I don't have to do repairs. I have to fix stuff all the time, but I'll do anything else before I start taking trim off. I'm lucky 'cause it usually works. I guess I thought you were asking why some folks liked to use staples, and it seems you've found out when you've removed stapled trim. Those little buggers hold! Maybe I should think of future repairs when I'm building, but it also seems that most of the stuff I have to fix is not well fastened, rather than too well fastened.So, I'm a staplin' and I'm a shimmin', BB
*
Joe:
I believe that they are talking about 1/4" narrow crwon staples. I have used them in lengths from ~3/4" to 1 1/2".
*
I was reading a recent thread about nailers and staplers on the main board and a lot of guys seem sold on staples for casing and trim. Why?
If you've gotta paint them, more spackling. If you ever remove the trim, staples split the crap out of it. They are a pain to remove themselves.
As far as just keeping the trim on the wall, it seems like some guys are trying to put more iron in it than the framing. Why?