Creating with mouldings: green corridor

Presented by: Boulanger

Remember those old homes with the richly ornate doors? Now you too can replicate the generous mouldings and pediment to create a spectacular new door frame. Choose chic combinations that will give a plain hallway or vestibule a refined finished appearance.

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Installation tips
1. Measurement
2. Installing the door trim
3. Making the pediment
4. Decorating the wall
5. Finishing
Before installing mouldings, allow them to acclimatize in the room for at least 48 hours at a temperature of between 18° and 22°C. This gives the material time to adapt to the ambient temperature. Extreme fluctuations in temperature or humidity can cause undue expansion or contraction of the mouldings.

Installation tips

Install the mouldings using finishing nails or wood glue. Let the nail head stick out by 1/16 in. Use a nail punch to hide the nails properly and countersink it with a nail set.

You can join two mouldings by cutting them at right angles. However, a scarf joint is recommended. Position the two pieces against the wall and cut them at a 45° angle. When connecting two mouldings, make sure the colour and grain match. Keep the number of joints to a minimum whenever you install any kind of moulding.

1. Measurement

To calculate the length of moulding required, measure the room perimeter and round up to the nearest whole number. Add 5% to allow for wastage. In general, baseboards are available in 8 to 16 ft. lengths.

To ensure minimum wastage and optimum results, it is important to always properly measure the length of moulding required to cover each area.

2. Installing the door trim

Attach casing 81273 to each side of the door. Because you will be attaching a pediment over the top of the door, you must cut the casing at 90°.

3. Making the pediment

Measure the outside width of the door from casing to casing. Add 1 ¾ in. to your measurement and cut moulding 81410 accordingly.

Attach the piece of moulding 81410 just above the casings, making sure the overhang extends equally on each side.

Cut rectangle 81448 so that it aligns with the casings and nail or glue it in.

Affix moulding 81445 perpendicularly to the wall, right over the rectangle. It must be 5 in. longer so that 2 ½ in. extend beyond each end of rectangle 81448.

Fasten crown moulding 81370 to rectangle 81448 by propping it under moulding 81445. You will have to make a back cut at both ends of the crown.

4. Decorating the wall

Measure the wall and cut the baseboard. Do this by holding the moulding vertically against the side of the mitre box and cutting it as required.

Install the baseboard all around the room.

Then calculate the height of the wainscot panel. It is installed below the chair rail, which itself is typically located 42 in. off the floor. To ensure the correct height of the wainscot, be sure to measure the baseboard and the chair rail and deduct the total from the accepted 42 in.

Cut wainscot 80809 and install it.

Attach chair rail 80811 above the wainscot panel.

5. Finishing

For a more attractive finish:
  • Patch the nail holes with a filler and touch up with paint.

  • Apply a dash of latex sealer to close small gaps between the moulding and the wall or the ceiling. Sealer can also be used to hide surface imperfections, for instance on the joints between the mouldings.

  • Remember to wipe off any excess sealer with a damp cloth.
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