Baseboards & casings
Mitered Casing or Square Joints? Let the Profile Decide
The joint should support the molding's shape, not force a favorite detail onto the wrong 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
Wall Paneling in a Room With a Low Ceiling
Use proportion and restraint to keep a lower room from feeling crowded by decorative lines.
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Materials & tools
Lightweight polyurethane molding: what to inspect
A lightweight molded profile can simplify an ornate detail, but inspect the surface, edges and mounting requirements before choosing it.
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Installation & repair
A straight board against a wavy wall
A long straight board can expose every change in a wall. Decide whether the board, the backing or the finish detail needs attention.
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Paint & finish
The cut edge is the hard part of painting MDF
A cut MDF edge can absorb coating and develop a different texture from the face. Prepare a sample before painting the whole run.
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Room planning
A sensible order for floors, paint and new trim
There is no single sequence for every room. Start with the floor system and the surfaces you intend to keep.
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Baseboards & casings
When a Plinth Block Solves a Trim Junction
A floor-level block can resolve different profiles, but it needs to receive them cleanly.
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Wall paneling
Applying Trim to Textured Walls: What the Texture Will Show
Applied molding leaves the wall visible, so its texture becomes part of the finished panel.
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Materials & tools
A careful first look at salvaged molding
Old molding can bring an unusual profile into a room. Inspect its condition and coating history before treating it as a bargain.
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Installation & repair
When a gap needs fitting instead of more caulk
A narrow finish seam and a gap that changes the shape of a joint are different problems. Decide which you have before choosing a repair.
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Paint & finish
When a wood knot shows through fresh white paint
A brown mark over a knot may need a compatible blocking system. More finish paint is not always the part that is missing.
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Room planning
Measure a room for trim without losing the details
A useful survey records corners, openings and obstructions as well as the long wall dimensions.
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