- Door Casing

Material & Tools Needed

Hammer / Finish Nails / Nail Set / Brad Gun
Miter Saw / Miter Box
Adhesive / Caulking Gun
Tape Measure / Pencil
Caulking (paintable latex)
Sandpaper- Medium Grit
Utility Knife
Chisel
Paint / Paint Brush

Getting Started

Upgrading your door or window trim is one of the easiest do-it-yourself projects that a homeowner can do. Get started by removing your old trim using a chisel and hammer. Scrape off any extra caulking on the door jamb and walls with your chisel.

Painting

Paint your door casing and allow them to dry before you start installation. Touch ups can be done once your installation is complete.

Measuring & Cutting

A quick way to measure is to hold the molding against the wall in position and mark it with a pencil on the side of the molding that touches the door jamb. You will typically want to leave 1/8" of the door jamb exposed.

Since each corner of the doorway is 90 degrees, you will just be using the 45 degree miter angles on your saw.

Securing The Casing to the Wall

Before mounting the molding to the wall, apply a 1/4" bead of polyurethane adhesive to all sides of the molding where it will contact the wall. It is also good practice to put adhesive where the moldings connect at the top of your doorway. You can use any adhesive that is rated for use with polyurethane (check the back of the label) -- we have had great success using Red Devil Construction Adhesive, Loctite's Powergrab and PL Premium Polyurethane Adhesive, all of which work well and are readily available at most home improvement stores.

Use small finishing nails or a powered brad gun to secure the molding while the adhesive sets. Make sure to use a nail punch to sink your finish nails below the surface. If you are using a powered brad gun, adjust the power so that the gun drives the brads just below the molding surface.

Now that you have all of your molding installed, spend a little time with some latex painter's caulk and fill in all those little seams and nail holes. Run a bead of caulk around the entire job to make it look nice and neat. Latex painter's caulk cleans up with water and is very easy to smooth out with your finger. Touch up the paint as needed.