How to Install Door Trim on Closet Doors - Casing & Finish Carpentry

Door trim installation doesn’t need to be difficult. Watch and learn how to add character with this made from 5 different pieces of moulding. Scott also shares some books that have inspired him when doing finish carpentry work. The first step to installing trim is to cut the casing down to manageable pieces. The installation process starts with the plinth blocks at the bottom of the door frame. The plinth blocks are nailed in place using a 2 inch finishing nailer. Once the plinth blocks are installed, it’s time to measure the length of the casing. The key part of this is that the reveal (distance between the edge of the casing and the edge of the door jamb) is marked on the door jamb. Hold the casing in place and transfer this measurement to the casing and cut them to length on the miter saw. Install the casing with 2 inch finishing nails to ensure you have enough nail to go through the drywall and into the studs. The top cap is made up of three parts; the header, a 1/2 round trim, and a small crown moulding. For this closet, because the trim runs into the wall, this is built in place to ensure a tight fit against the wall. In an upcoming video, this will be built in once piece and then installed. The first step is to cut the header to length on the miter saw. For the end that touches the wall, it has a 5 degree back bevel to ensure the rounded corner of the drywall doesn’t interfere with the fit. The next step is to measure and cut the 1/2 round trim and the small crown moulding to length. Note that the crown moulding needs to be cut upside down on the miter saw. At the end of the cap, the moulding wraps around the side - this is called the “return“. These are small parts to cut. Measure the thickness of the header and cut the parts on the miter saw (cutting the small parts off of a large piece to keep your fingers away from the saw). Test fit the moulding with the return piece and adjust the cuts if needed. Once you’re happy with the fit, glue the return on to the 1/2 round using CA glue and an activator as it will bond in 5-10 seconds. The last step is to use carpenter’s glue and a brad nailer to install the assembled trim. For the small crown, repeat the same steps used for the 1/2 round trim, with one exception. Measure and mark the distance between the installed 1/2 round moulding and where the small crown would be installed. Now you’re ready to fill the nail holes, sand the 1/2 round at the bottom of the cap, sand the miter joints, and prime the cap. With one final sanding of the primer, you’re all ready to apply semi-gloss paint to the trim and admire your work. MITER SAW DUST COLLECTION HOOD PLANS RELATED VIDEOS Closet Door Upgrade to Replace Sliding Doors - Closet Organizer Build - Replace Door Trim - 10% off STARBOND CA GLUE LINK Use Coupon Code “WIBN“ for 10% Discount - AMAZON LINKS Roberts’ Illustrate Millwork Catalog (1903) - 🇨🇦 Trim Carpentry and Built-ins - 🇨🇦 Decorating with Architectural Trimwork - 🇨🇦 Miter Saw - 🇨🇦 Note: purchases made with these links help support our video production work VIDEO TOPICS 00:00 How to Install Trim on Closet Doors (Casing) - Finish Carpentry 00:54 Book recommendations for finish carpentry 01:44 Trim design using a plinth block, Victorian casing, and a door trim cap 02:51 Cutting down the header/cap and casing to rough dimensions 03:56 Making plinth blocks and using a stop block on the miter saw 06:04 Trimming the casing to fit against an uneven wall 10:15 Installing the plinth blocks 11:35 Measuring and cutting the casing 12:10 Installing the casing 13:27 Measuring, cutting, and installing the door trim cap board 14:13 Measuring and cutting the half round and small crown moulding 18:49 Using CA glue to attach the small return on the half round moulding 19:58 Installing the small crown moulding 22:45 Priming the door trim cap Our Newsletter - Sign up at Our Woodworking Plans - Our 1-on-1 Woodworking Advice Sessions - See the tools we use in our workshop and the tools we recommend: 🇨🇦 Canadian link - For more woodworking knowledge or to contact us directly, visit our website Hosted by Scott Bennett, owner of Wooden It Be Nice in Brooklin, Ontario, Canada #Trim #Casing #Moulding