In days past, trim carpenters, or those that did the inside finishing or molding, were mostly old guys who had graduated from framing to the more intricate cuts. These days with a wider variety of pre-formed trim or molding, better tools , and skills learned quickly through magazines and other readily available information sources, excellent trim carpenters can be any age, and male or female. Today, more than 75 percent of molding jobs are done by do-it-yourselfers.
Molding, also spelled moulding, is a major factor in window and door installation or replacement. However, molding can also be used creatively in a wide variety of other situations to create magic in your décor. Base and shoe molding at the floor level is common. Choose from basic profiles, or you can get pretty wild with this as well, using a variety of moldings to create a custom look. Ceiling and wall junction can also be trimmed in a wide variety of moldings, including crown moldings. These can be single-piece or a variety of pieces combined, providing a personal, customized touch. These multi-piece, built-up moldings are especially effective on large ceilings. Ceiling molding can be a simple trim piece set away from the crown, or you can create intricate "frame-style" molding patterns, using rectangles and squares of casing and mullion molding. Use multiple molding profiles, installed one piece at a time, to build up a custom profile. The wall surface can also be dressed up with a wide variety of moldings. The simplest is a chair rail. This is especially effective in older homes with 9-foot ceilings to help "break-up" the height. Or you can be as elaborate as you desire using multiple styles of molding to create truly unusual walls. In many instances you can add drama by painting the moldings a different accent color from the walls. You can also create an elegant "paneled" look, using moldings of the same material as wood paneling. Another place where you can get creative with moldings is around fireplaces and on fireplace mantles. A huge assortment of molding profiles are available, although the most common are crown, cove, bed, inside corner, corner guard, casing, chair rail, base, base cap, base shoe and panel molding. All have their specific uses, but many may be applied creatively in a variety of applications. Moldings are commonly available in softwoods and some hardwoods. The "big-box" stores carry only the most popular styles and materials. However, lumberyards will have a wider variety both in styles and in wood species. You can also make your own moldings with a router, table saw , shaper or planer with molding head. Moldings are available in both solid and finger-jointed lengths. Finger-jointed moldings consist of shorter lengths of joined wood. This is more economical than solid wood, and a good choice for moldings that will be painted. Solid moldings may be painted, stained or finished natural. Moldings come in lengths from 3 to 20 feet, depending on the species and molding patterns commonly stocked in your area. Tools of the Trade Today's tools also make molding application easier. After years of cutting everything from crown molding to window and door trim with a hand-powered, Stanley miter saw , it didn't take me long to discover that powered miter saws take a great deal of the effort out of cutting trim and molding. And for the beginner, they can create better cuts. A 12-ounce finishing hammer and nail set were my basic molding installation tools, and they are still just as viable, especially in those hard-to-reach areas. A brad nailer or finish nailer, either air-powered or cordless can, however, make the chore easier and in the case of first-timers, prevent those "hammer tracks" that can ruin a great molding job. Installing molding such as a chair rail is an easy do-it-yourself project. Another valuable tool is a stud finder, such as the OneStep wall scanner by Zircon. These make it easier to locate studs for wainscoting and other wall applications. If installing a wainscoting, a laser level can take the hassle out of finding level around an entire room. In some instances you may prefer to glue and/or staple light moldings to areas such as walls and ceilings. A caulking gun and construction adhesive is used for this chore. In many instances it's easier to finish or paint the molding before application. A paint applicator such as the Black & Decker Quick Painter makes quick and easy work of this chore. The wood molding shown above consists of multiple pieces of varying profiles that are built up to achieve an ornate crown dentil design that adds depth and character. Installation Tips To determine the amount of moldings needed, list the rooms, types of designs to be used, and the profiles chosen. Measure the length of each wall or molding application and round up to the nearest foot. On molding ends that are to be mitered, add the measurement of the width of the adjoining piece to each end. I like to add at least another inch for miscalculations. Most moldings are made of softwoods such as fir or pine. Handle them carefully and don't allow them to become scratched, dented or dirty. Before installing the molding, place it in the room for 24 to 48 hours to allow it to acclimate to the room's humidity and temperature. And remember: Always measure and cut to the longest portion of a 45 degree miter cut. Check out the molding selection at your local building supply dealer. With a handful of molding and a little work, you can create magic with your home's décor. SIDE NOTE Advantages of Urethane Molding As an alternative to wood trim, urethane decorative moldings are available in woodgrain stainable versions and solid paintable pieces. They can be installed as chair rail, cornice and crown moldings to give the room a more complete look. Urethane moldings from companies such as Fypon range from simple 2-inch tall pieces to elaborate built-up, single-piece combinations that can reach as tall as 14 inches. Urethane molding can be cut using standard wddoworking tools. One big advantage of these fancy, large, one-piece profiles is the ease of installation. To achieve the same intricate look with wood trim, one would have to install multiple sticks of smaller molding with varying profiles, building up to the overall final shape, piece by piece. However, with urethane you can cut and install a single piece of large, beautiful crown dentil molding using standard wood tools-and do so in a fraction of the time it would take to build up the same profile with individual wood trim strips. You can combine multiple complex urethane pieces for a dazzling art-deco design. Urethane also resists mildew, insects, warping and splintering, so it can be used indoors or out. For example, Fypon pieces are made of high-density materials with a closed cell structure that prevents water penetration and absorption. Each piece has a consistent quality and finish that requires no additional priming or sealing. In fact, each piece comes pre-coated with a double-primed, exterior-grade ultraviolet stable coating. Once urethane molding is installed, it can be painted, stained and faux finished. For more information in urethane millwork, visit www.fypon.com or call 1-800-446-3040.
