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Craftsmen worked on-site for
architects and their clients to create works of
art. Many of America’s opulent homes from the
19th and early 20th centuries, where skilled
artisans carved the moldings by hand, are still
maintained through preservation societies, and a
one visit will leave you with an appreciation
for the craftsmanship of the past.
As the home improvement trend has advanced
in the last two decades, so too have the options
that are available to the masses of American
homeowners. Where once a craftsman would
expensively and painstakingly carve flutes into
columns and labor over the details of egg and
dart molding, today, mass reproductions of
classic forms of millwork can purchased at very
reasonable prices. Decorative trims, detailed
moldings and accent pieces of all types can now
be found at local lumber yards across the
country, ready for installation in your home.
If your home has very little trim, then it
might be a good investment to upgrade your rooms
with heavier or more decorative moldings. You
may want to make this a learning experience if
you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, or you
may choose to hire a handyman or carpenter. If
you are planning to do it yourself, you should
do a bit of reading on how crown molding is
installed, and then go to a home that is being
trimmed out and study how it is done on the job.
The real world is by far the best classroom! Ask
the carpenter questions. While this job requires
little more than a measuring tape, miter box,
appropriate saw, nails and caulk to install
properly, learning how the process works from an
experienced craftsman can be invaluable.
Depending on the size and detailing in a
piece of trim, the level of difficulty can
increase. You must install it properly, making
sure the angles that have mitered fit together
well at the corners of the room, and also you
must match the detailing on the trim you have
selected as you transition from one piece to the
next. Here again, carpenters can teach you a
trick or two that helps them and will put you
one step ahead of other homeowners trying to do
the same thing.
Suggestions to prepare:
•Pick
out the crown moldings, baseboards, and door and
window casings that you like.
•Buy
a sample piece of each to take home. (Check the
scrap bins for free pieces before you buy.)
•
Research online about installation.
•
Visit a construction site while it is being
trimmed out.
•
Observe and ask questions.
•
Show them your samples and ask what difficulties
might arise with the detailing. (You will find
that people are very helpful when you ask them
about their craft.)
Ready to Begin:
You need to take measurements of the rooms that
you intend to trim out. For an example, let us
discuss one room and its needs. In most rooms
with trim, you will find the following three
elements.
1.
Door and window casings
2.
Baseboards
3.
Crown molding
Note:
Keep in mind that you will probably want to trim
the house out in the same style of molding for
continuity, unless you want a special look in a
certain room. This is your choice, but most
Americans have similar moldings through out
their homes, while the scale of the pieces may
vary depending on room size and ceiling height.
To measure the room, first, make a list of
the elements as described above. Then measure to
find out how much of each type of trim you will
need. For crown molding you should measure the
perimeter of the room. A room that is 12’ by 14’
would require 52’ of crown molding. The lumber
yard will sell various lengths. So choose
according to what size you can transport with
the most ease. In general, longer lengths are
preferable because that allows you to have fewer
seams. As for baseboards, the same measuring
technique would apply. They also run the
perimeter of the room. Additionally, buy more
than you need by a certain percentage. Even the
most experienced carpenter has a “professional
over-run” now and then. Next you will want to
measure the window casings. Think of this as
framing a picture and measure the around the
window. For the doorways you are taking three
measurements, the height of both sides of the
doorway and across the top.
Once you have these measurements, then it
is time to purchase your new trim. Most people
choose a style of crown molding that they like,
a baseboard and a casing. Use the same casing on
your doors and windows for continuity. Most
moldings come in different sizes as well. To ask
what the correct size for a given room is a hard
question. There are carpenters that will have
definite opinions about what size a molding
should be for a given room, but the best answer
to this question comes from interior designers.
They will tell you that it depends on what
effect you are trying to create. Substantial
moldings add value to any home. Also, remember
that many moldings come pre-primed, which
eliminates the arduous priming and sanding
before a finish coat of paint can be applied.
Note:There are a few tools that would be a good
investment if you are considering trimming out
your entire home.
•
Compound miter saw for complex angles
•
Nail gun for rapid and precise installation of
each piece
•
Safety goggles (always a good idea)
•
A stable ladder or small scaffold
You will run across obstacles and your back
will hurt at the end of the day. If you do run
into trouble, stop immediately and search the
internet for an answer to the problem. If this
does not yield results, then go back to that
construction site and ask an expert. Once you
have completed the job, you will be very proud
of the value and beauty that you have added to
your home. |
