You can easily add subtle beauty to a door, window, or room with decorative wood trim. Moldings (also called moldings and trims) are pieces of materials with an ornamental or decorative cross-sectional profile. The profiles are composed of convex and concave surfaces, with planes and angles mixed. These various surfaces produce different appearances because of the way light reflects off them. They can be stained or painted to complement or contrast adjacent surfaces. Moldings are made from wood, composite wood, plaster, plastic, rigid foam, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and even masonry materials.

The most readily available and least expensive moldings are made from wood and wood fibers. Wood can come from softwood (coniferous) trees, such as spruce, spruce, and pine, or hardwood (deciduous) trees, such as poplar, maple, and cherry. The most expensive moldings are made from hardwoods and are generally reserved for furniture and cabinetry. Moldings made from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) are less expensive. MDF is made from wood fibers combined with resins and put together under pressure to form a material that can be easily shaped with common tools. It is important that MDF moldings not be used where moisture problems may exist, such as in a bathroom or near a basement floor. Finger joint moldings are a slightly more expensive alternative to MDF. “Finger joint” moldings are made from short pieces of wood that have been machined on the ends in a pattern resembling interlocking fingers, glued on the ends, and then run through a molding machine to create the profile. finished. Finger joints can be seen if stained, so painting is clearly the best finishing option. Moldings serve many purposes. They are primarily used to make a continuous and attractive transition where different surface materials or angles meet. Molding is considered very decorative and its use can add unique looks to rooms, doors, windows, and mantels. They can also be used to cover or hide problem areas and to protect softer surfaces.

Moldings are available in thousands of profiles, but can be classified into a few groups, depending on where they are used in a room: floors, doors, walls, windows, and ceilings. Base molding is usually found at the “base” of a wall where it meets the floor. The base caps sit on a square tabletop and give the combination a more elegant look. Shoe molds are used where the baseboard and flooring meet, helping to protect the baseboard and covering any unsightly gaps left between the flooring and baseboard. Chair rails are usually applied to the wall, at about the height of the top of a chair back. Although chair rails are commonly used for decoration, they got their name because they protect walls from being damaged when chairs slide back. Chair rails can also be used to finish the top of wainscoting, a type of panel that covers the bottom three to four feet of a wall. Windows and doors can really pop when they’re “framed” with box molding. The window stool can be added to the bottom of a window, and the aprons below the stool really complete the effect. Picture molding is usually applied a few inches below the top of a wall, and got its name from when people used to hang pictures using wire and picture hooks. This was the best way to display pictures in older houses with plaster walls, where nails were not practical. Crown molding is usually placed at the top of a wall, where the wall and ceiling meet. The molding you will most often find here is crown molding. Crown molding is always “springed”, which means the back edges are beveled so they can be placed where non-parallel surfaces meet. They are used to cover large angles.

There are literally hundreds of different crown patterns and the combinations are virtually limitless. Base boards and aprons can be worn behind the top and bottom of a molded crown to make it look more massive and extend your coverage. Wreaths can be “built” from multiple patterns and other types of trim can be added for different effects.

Moldings can be used on the exterior of homes and structures, as well as the interior. Sloped trim is used when ceilings have a slope or “slope”. Tile trim sits under the edges of tile roofs, creating a more pleasing visual appearance than flat boards and helping to support shingles that extend beyond the roof deck. Bed moldings are narrow, spring or flat moldings with the same purpose as crowns. Brick trim is used as exterior cladding for windows and doors. It is a thick block molding that provides a surface for attaching brick or other exterior cladding such as siding. Drip caps have an angled profile that allows the trim to sit on a window or door frame and carry water to the outside. It usually has a small cove at the bottom to prevent water from backing up into the structure. Today, most people prefer a non-rot material for exterior trim. PVC (polyvinyl chloride), fiber cement, or composite lumber made from recycled plastic and wood fibers are the most often preferred materials, due to their low maintenance and reasonable cost.

Whatever your structural project, molding can be used to enhance the look of windows, doors, and walls. They can be used to cover any gap where building materials and wood products do not fully meet, and provide a seamless appearance where unsightly cracks may exist. Visually pleasing transitions can be formed where different angles meet, and with a little thought and effort, and a few inexpensive tools, molding can add a truly beautiful appearance to any new construction or home improvement project.

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