My Old Workshop | Category Archives: Trim | Page 3Trim Archives - Page 3 of 4

Home improvement and renovation tips

Why you need a block plane

This tool is ideal for fine-tuning trimwork for a perfect fit.It's small, so you can hold the plane with one hand and the stock with the other, and use it just about anywhere.And, unlike many other planes, it has a flat sole with a low-angle blade -- often 20 degrees, but as low as 12 ...

Woodwork painting tips

Rolling paint on a wall is quick and easy. Then you have to do the trim and other woodwork. Actually, it's not that difficult either, if you follow the right steps.First off, leave it till you've painted the walls. It's easier to cut in toward the walls than vice versa. Also, it's easy to splatter ...

Tips for tight-fitting trim

Nice looking trim does wonders for a room. Here are some tips to a sharp looking job.Tools. Accurate cuts mean a tight fit, so use a sharp knife or scribe to mark cuts. Cut with a backsaw and miter box, a radial arm saw, a trim saw or a circular saw on a miter jig. ...

Three tips to better measurements

They say measure twice and cut once. Here are three ways you can measure more accurately and effectively.Make sure you keep the tape parallel with the edge you're measuring. Even a slight angle over a few feet can introduce a good 1/8" to 1/4" error.The usual technique when making an inside measurement (a window frame, ...

Design tips to hide crooked walls and sloped floors

A house that begins life straight and true will change its ways over time. Some degree of settling is inevitable, and if you have an older home, it may be quite noticeable in uneven floors or crooked doorways. Just because your old house is no longer square doesn't mean it's about to fall over; chances ...

The traditional way to install crown molding

You might think the easiest and best way to install crown molding at the ceiling is to miter-joint where it meets in inside corners. But a lot of carpenters swear by the traditional method. Coped joints can give you a better fit, even if the wood shrinks, and while there's extra work in some areas, ...

Pro painter tips to take the work out of painting (part II)

Paint a room in this order: ceiling, door and window trim, walls, then baseboards. Here's why.It's hard to avoid some splatter on walls when painting the ceiling, but no big deal if you're painting the walls afterward.And while some recommend painting trim last, it's much easier to cut-in to the edges of door trim than ...

Make your own big baseboards

Back in the old days, the big trees were a dime a dozen, and big wide baseboards were the rule rather than the exception. Today, wide planks are more rare, and therefore more expensive. And so you find most modern trim is small, often undersized for the rooms it's used in. What can you do?You ...

Dress up your ceilings

You can change the whole atmosphere of a room by doing something a little special with the ceiling. Here are a few ideas.Ceiling tiles have been popular for years, but some of the newer 3-D tiles actually simulate the craftsmanship of the past. Ceiling tiles are usually hung on pre-fab grids, which are either installed ...

Decorating tricks and tips

Here are a few inexpensive ways to revamp a room.You can magically remove an uneven ceiling. Install cove or plate rail molding a couple inches below the lowest point of the ceiling. Paint the molding one color, continue this color up the wall and include the ceiling. Your eye notices the level molding, and you ...