How To Install Window Casing

Whether restoring quondam houses or building new ones that look sometime, Tom Silva finds finish carpentry the most satisfying part of the job. For this projection, Tom shows you how to install window trim that has reeded side and head casings, plain corner blocks, a thick stool, and a dainty frock, all of which he copied from the original trim. "People often put in a casing that's too modest or a dissimilar style," Tom says, "but I think it adds to the feel and the value of a dwelling to go on to its original character."

As with all cease carpentry, Tom says, successful installation begins with stable material - articulate, kiln-dried wood or precast foam - and ends with precise measurements and cuts. The result is a seamless assembly with tight joints and no gaps betwixt wall and casing. "Take your time, and always measure out twice before you cut," says Tom.

Pace 1

Trimming Out a Window

When installing window casing in old houses, Tom often has to contend with walls that dip and bulge, causing gaps between the trim and wall. He can't ignore these imperfections, but he doesn't make full them with caulk. Instead, Tom uses forest filler strips. "I similar to leave a nice clean edge for the painter," he says.

To make them, he offset rips a scrap piece of casing to a width of ane inch and as long as the casing is high. He sets the legs of a compass to span the largest wall-to-casing gap (every bit shown in "Fill in the Gap" 1, far left). He and so transfers that distance to the confront of the scrap wood (as shown in "Fill in the Gap" two). Side by side, he places the strip perpendicular to the casing at its outside border, resets the compass to the altitude between the largest gap and the mark on the chip, and scribes the contour of the wall onto the flake piece (as shown in "Fill in the Gap" 3). After cutting along that line with a jigsaw, he applies carpenter'southward gum to the profiled scrap piece and slides it into the gap so wall and trim ally perfectly (as shown in "Fill in the Gap" 4). "With a calorie-free sanding and paint, the joint disappears," Tom says.

Step 2

Prep the Jambs

Hold a straightedge beyond the window; check that each jamb is flush with the wall. If they protrude, plane them down to the wall. If the jambs fall brusk of the wall, mensurate the largest gap between the straightedge and each jamb. Then, from 1x stock, rip jamb extensions as wide as necessary and ¼inch thinner than the jamb thickness. Holding the strip confronting the jamb, drive i ½inch xviii-guess pneumatic nails (or 4d end nails) every 8 to 10 inches. Plane off any excess.

Spread the legs of a compass ¼ inch and residuum the point on one of the jamb's lower inside corners. Using the inside face up of the jamb as a guide, depict a reveal line forth the edges of all three jambs.

Tip: For a tight fit between the casing and jamb, plane a slight bevel into the wall-side border of the jamb.

Step iii

Cut and Rabbet the Stool

Identify a side casing against the wall, aligned with the reveal line on a side jamb. Mark the wall at the casing's outside edge. Repeat for the reverse jamb. Measure betwixt the marks, add together ii inches, and cutting the stool to this length.

Identify the stool face down on the sill with its back edge against the sill trim. Marker where the top of the trim meets the stool'south end.

Keeping the back corner against the sill trim, slide the cease of the upside-down stool against the jamb. Make a vertical marker where the end of the stool touches the jamb.

Connect the two marks with a square and make an Ten in the area divers by the lines; this is the waste that will exist cut out to brand the rabbet.

Remove the waste in two separate rip cuts on a table saw.

Step 4

Notch and Install the Stool

Marker the stool's inside edge 1 inch from each end and place it across the opening. Mark where the stool's edge meets the inside edge of the jambs. Set a square at those marks and draw "jamb lines" across the top of the stool. Rout the desired contour into the stool's edge and ends.

Marshal the jamb lines with the jambs' within edges. Fix the compass to the distance from the stool's back border to the sill trim. Hold the compass bespeak against the wall and scribe lines from each end of the stool to the jamb line.

Post-obit the scribe lines, cutting a notch into each end of the stool with a jigsaw. Test fit the stool; fine-melody it with a jigsaw, chisel, or sandpaper. Use a bead of glue to the sill.

Facenail the stool to the sill with four 18-gauge nails (or 4d finish nails).

Step 5

Install Side Casing

Cutting a foursquare end on a slice of casing and stand that terminate on the stool. Marking where its inside edge meets the caput jamb's reveal line. Make a square cut at that mark. Repeat on the opposite side.

Employ a dewdrop of mucilage to the casing where it overlaps the side jamb and on the finish that sits on the stool; line upwardly its edge with the reveal line. Facenail the casing into the jamb with 4d finish nails, and to the wall with 8d finish nails. Wipe up squeezed-out mucilage. Echo the procedure on the other side.

Nail upwards through the bottom of each horn into the ends of the casing with two 18-estimate or 6d nails. If hand nailing, drill pilot holes.

Tip: To cutting snug-fitting askew ends, put casing confront on 1/8-inch-thick flake 3 inches from the miter-saw blade.

Step six

Add Head Casing

Agree a length of casing beyond the top of the window and mark where it meets the inside edge of each side casing. With a miter saw, make square crosscuts at those marks.

Glue the head casing to the head jamb, making sure its bottom edge lines upwards with the reveal line.

Footstep 7

Add Corner Blocks

Test fit the corner blocks at both corners to check for gaps. Trim the edges of the cake with a plane equally needed to get a tight fit.

Utilise a sparse bead of gum to those edges of the block that will join the side and caput casing. And so dab mucilage on the back of the block; put it in place.

If using a pneumatic nailer, drive 18-gauge nails into each corner. If hand nailing, drill pilot holes, then bulldoze in 8d finish nails.

Pace 8

Cut and Install the Apron

Hold a length of apron stock face up down on the stool. Marker the stock where it meets each side casing's outside edge. At the marks, make foursquare cuts with a miter saw.

To dress up the ends of an apron, hold the end of a scrap apron slice perpendicular to the face of the piece merely cut. Confront the scrap's profile toward the end of the apron and make the edges flush. Trace the scrap'south profile onto the confront of the apron. Repeat on the other end. Cut along the pencil lines with a jigsaw or coping saw, and sand shine.

Apply glue along the meridian edge of the apron, align its ends with the outside edges of the side casing, and press the tiptop edge confronting the bottom of the stool.