Baseboards & casings
How tall should a baseboard be? Start with the door casing.
A strip of trim has to work with more than the ceiling height. Look at the adjoining woodwork before choosing a taller profile.
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The guide shelf
Browse by the detail you want to change, the material you have, or the problem you need to solve.
Wall paneling
Picture-Frame Wall Molding: Start With the Empty Spaces
Lay out the wall's empty margins before deciding how many molding rectangles to add.
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Materials & tools
MDF or solid wood for painted interior trim
A smooth painted surface can hide very different materials. The right choice depends on the room, the profile and how the edges will be treated.
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Installation & repair
A sensible order for replacing interior trim
The order of work should resolve the room's fixed edges first, then leave room for fitting, finishing and the parts that move.
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Paint & finish
Satin or semi-gloss for trim beside a matte wall?
Sheen changes how woodwork catches the light—and how clearly it shows a rough repair. A small painted sample is more useful than a finish name alone.
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Room planning
An entryway trim plan that survives daily traffic
Bags, boots and a swinging door put different demands on an entrance than a quiet sitting room.
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Baseboards & casings
Flat or Profiled Baseboards: Read the Room Before Choosing
A flat board and a shaped profile can have the same height yet give a room very different edges.
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Wall paneling
Laying Out Wall Panels Around an Off-Center Door
An uneven opening can become a clear break in the panel layout instead of a problem to disguise.
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Materials & tools
What finger-jointed pine changes about a trim order
Small interlocking joints can make long paint-grade boards practical, but they are worth inspecting before you bring the bundle home.
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Installation & repair
Label trim pieces so the cut list survives the job
A piece can be measured correctly and still go to the wrong wall. Labels keep its location, orientation and finished face attached to the material.
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Paint & finish
Test trim colors on a profile, not just a flat card
Paint a short piece of the real profile and move it around the room. The shape and surrounding surfaces are part of the color decision.
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Room planning
A long hallway needs rhythm, not more decoration
Repeated doorways already create a pattern. Work with that pattern before adding another one along the walls.
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