How To Add Trim To A Window

Dwelling house Improvement: Trimming a Window (replacing the sill & apron, adding side/tiptop molding)

July x, 2013 - By Ashley Johnston 72 Comments

Abode Improvement: Trimming a Window (replacing the sill & apron, adding side/summit molding)

When we moved into our new firm back in April, I had a list of must-do items that I wanted to do to help "improve" the house.  And brand it more than OUR dwelling house.  In my brain, I figured, "hmmm, these few projects should but have a month or and so…….maaaaaybe 2 months".

Ha!  That was the clueless Ashley talking.  You know, the girl who has no-idea-what-she's-talking-about-because-she'south-never-purchased-a-home-earlier……or-renovated-one-for-that-matter.  Silly.  Just, plainly silly. :)

I have learned that when one project is underway……17 more projects suddenly appear.  Similar, when we began laying new hardwood floors, we realized that we'd better buy those new baseboards nosotros had been eying.  But before the baseboards could exist nailed in, we needed to trim out all the doors.  Only that's funny…..considering you have to replace the doors offset (with the ones you want) before you lot can trim them out.  But hey, don't forget that painting the walls would be easier if y'all did it before installing your make new doors.  Oh yes, but don't become installing those new doors when painting them first would salvage you a lot of grief.  Can yous run across the rookie thought process in all this?

Yes…..nosotros're learning.

And have made lots of progress.

But I tin can't wait to actually lay around and enjoy all this work.  Go on……..someone please lie to me and tell me that this day will come up! ;)

Until then…….our latest love.  Trimming out windows!!!

**Nope, baseboards notwithstanding aren't upwards.  Just pretend they are. ;)

Trimming out these windows (and our doors) has been magical.  All of the sudden, our boring ol' windows are turning into stunning little focal points.

A slice of wood here and there, a few picayune pieces of molding……done.  We are loving how it's all turning out.

And we love that our windows are no longer nekked!

We're kinda cheater-pants considering we're not trimming out the interior edges of the windows.  Nosotros're only painting the interior edges of the windows the same color equally the trim.  A little deception is okay in this scenario. :)

And considering I love seeing a good BEFORE/Later on shot……I went digging in my old photos.  But turns out, I didn't really focus much on this particular window and its surroundings.  But here's a picture show where you lot tin meet it in the background.  You lot know, merely to become an idea of how that window used to wait in the living room.

See ya later on sucker!

Because here she is At present!

I go along sneaking into the rooms that are mostly done, and I just stare.  Watching these projects actually turn out……..is THRILLING! :)

More than to come soon…

Merely would you like to see how we trimmed out our windows?

Most likely, your window is a little bare.  Information technology probably has a window sill and a measly little apron down below.  A very common window structure.

Let's fix that.  Pronto. :)

**Wood sizes and trim styles are totally variable.  I will bear witness you the process we used and the material we used…….but go on in mind, but you'll have to decide what forest widths and trim styles expect best in your dwelling.

Hither are the wood types we purchased and used.

• 7.v inch wide MDF (along the meridian and for the sill)
• 2.5 inch wide MDF (for the sides and the apron….which is beneath the sill)
• i 1/two inch MDF molding piece for upper trimming
• 1/4 x 1/2 inch woods piece for upper trimming

And so, hither are a few more supplies you'll need:

• Nail gun (yous could too do this past manus…..just a nail gun will save you some fourth dimension)
• Liquid Nails (construction adhesive)
• Paintable Caulk
• Miter Saw (or a miter box to cut molding pieces at a 45 degree angle by hand)
• Utility Knife
• Crowbar
• Paint Scraper

Okay……let's practise this!

Outset, use a utility knife to cut the old caulk seams…

And then pry upwardly the sometime wood with a crow bar of some sort.

Scrape off all the old caulk and any other droppings that's hanging around.

Now, measure out the opening of your window base.  Write that number downwards.  (Ours is 28 inches wide.)

So, decide how broad you desire your window sill to come up out.  For our windows, we use ii.five inch wide pieces along the vertical sides of the window.  Only we similar the sill to come up out an inch beyond that.  So, we measured out three.five inches at both sides and added both of those measurements to the window width measurement.  (So……28 + 3.v + three.five = 35 inches)

Then measure out the depth of the window.  Write that number downward.

And so, decide how deep you lot need your sill slice to be.  Our window was a little over five inches deep……and then we decided to use 7.5 inch wide MDF for the sill.  Nosotros have other windows that are only three.5 inches deep…….then a piece of five.5 inch wide MDF works great for those.  It only depends, and then measure and decide what will look the all-time.

Now, grab the lath you are using for your window sill and cutting it downwardly to the length you lot demand it.  In our case, 35 inches long.  And then, use those measurements that you wrote down and draw them right onto your lath.

Be sure to measure out both sides and marker them separately…..because most likely, they are a piffling dissimilar.  Yep, no one's house is perfect.

Then, employ your saw of option and cutting those pieces out of your board.

Then, place the board in the window opening.  If information technology's slightly off, make adjustments until it fits.

Now, smash the board into place, securing it to the stud pieces underneath.

Now, it's time for the acme piece.  Cut it to the width you demand.  In our example, it was the window width plus two.five inches on both side for the vertical pieces that will be added side by side.  (You can add the vertical pieces kickoff just we needed our top piece in identify beginning, considering it's slightly hiding some of the blinds behind information technology.  And it was hard to measure where that top board would sit, without having it in place first.)  Use a level to be sure that the height board is sitting evenly.

And then blast it in place.

Adjacent, measure out how long your side pieces need to exist and nail them in identify as well.  (Measure out them independently.  Most likely, they volition be different lengths.)

Now, measure out for your frock piece.  Measure from 1 side piece to the other…….considering you'll desire it to be the exact same width and then that everything looks fifty-fifty.

And so, blast that apron right in place.

Now, for everything up until now, we used 2 inch brad nails.  But for the trim pieces, you want something much smaller.  We used piffling one-half inch brad nails.

For the upper trim slice, nosotros decided on a 1.five inch wide simple molding (another close-up picture in a higher place).  I have seen much bigger and more ornate molding pieces used…..merely I prefer a uncomplicated molding for the window.

Just measure the width of your board that's in identify, catch your molding piece and miter the two ends at a 45 caste bending to run across the length measurement you lot need.

And and so nail information technology in place, using those smaller nails.

And because I need a close-upward of everything, here's that 45 degree angle.

Oh, and line up the summit of the molding evenly with the meridian of the board piece.

So, cut a "return" piece, that is mitered (at a 45 degree angle) at i end and then a straight xc degrees at the other, to sit against the flat wall.  Nail information technology in identify.  (And don't worry if information technology'south not perfect……we'll make full in the cracks later.)

If yous get into a tight spot and can't fit a nail gun or hammer, structure agglutinative works great and dries really fast.  (Just don't go it on your peel.  It's awful to get off!)

We like liquid nails.  And use it for many things.

Adjacent, nail the skinny trim piece in identify.

Keep the trim piece fifty-fifty with the bottom edge of the lath behind information technology.

And considering this trim piece is flat (unlike the curvy molding piece), you lot can only barrel up the corner pieces to each other.  (Don't worry, we'll make full in those cracks later.)

At present, fourth dimension for all the finishing work (…which e'er turns out to exist my job!)

Use forest filler and fill in all those smash holes.

In one case it'southward dry out, sand it down evenly.  And while you're at information technology, smooth out any other wonky edges or rough corners.  (The MDF we used has a slight curve to it along its edges.  And so, any edges that we cut, we tried to match the same curved edge look.  You lot may want to do the aforementioned.)

In one case yous're done sanding, vacuum upwardly as much every bit possible.  Then wipe with a damp textile to get all of that dust off and then let dry out.  Yet, if you don't want to expect for the wood to dry out (after wiping it with a clammy cloth), using denatured alcohol on a cloth will make the cloth damp enough to attract the dust just dries instantly.

Now, time for the fun.  Caulking.  Begin caulking all your cracks and gaps, hiding whatever imperfections.  I'chiliad serious……this stuff is magic! :)  (Only be certain you're using paintable caulk.)

But here's my secret.  A bowl with a chip of water and some wet paper towels.  ALWAYS keep your fingers wet when working with caulk because it keeps it smooth and easier to work with.

Then, smooth out those lines with your wet finger.  (There are caulking tools to smooth out those lines…..only I prefer my finger.)  And then re-moisture your finger, and repeat.  Afterwards every swipe, I wipe my fingers on the wet paper towels and continue on.  If your caulk is looking bumpy……only really wet those fingers and smooth it out.  Just be quick about it all, because caulk starts drying pretty quickly.

But just to give y'all an idea of the magic of using caulk…….here's the before, after adding caulk, and then after the concluding paint task. See?  Information technology's magic! You can't even tell there used to be cracks anywhere!!!!

In one case all your caulk is dry………paint everything!  And then your trimming will all melt into each other.

Then, sit dorsum and let your socks be blown off.  Pretty, right? :)

Whew……only most 17 more windows to get.  We'll only pace ourselves.  It's so worth it! :)

Good luck!

Ashley

Home Comeback: Trimming a Window (replacing the sill & apron, adding side/top molding)

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Source: https://makeit-loveit.com/add-trim-to-interior-windows

Posted by: daughertywrintrah.blogspot.com

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