Library builder

Wall cabinets are usually installed with their bottom edges 54 in. from the floor, or 18 in. above a countertop (see the illustration on the facing page). Mark a level line for the wall cabinets with a soft pencil, so that it can be erased or easily cov­ered with paint. If there is a kitchen […]

Cabinet installation details are the same, whether you’re working in the kitchen, the bathroom, or any room. Some people prefer to install wall cabinets first so they won’t have to reach over the base cabinets. Perhaps because I am tall, I gen­erally install base cabinets first. Either way, it’s best to begin in a corner. […]

Nailing trim around doors and windows can be difficult when the wall extends past the jamb. If drywall edges protrude just a little, they can usually be knocked back enough by hitting them gently with a hammer. Just make sure the casing will completely cover the flattened, compressed drywall. Sometimes, I start by installing door […]

Often referred to as door and window trim, cas­ing hides the joint between the drywall and the door or window jamb. Spend some time at your local lumberyard and you’ll see all the styles and grades of casing, including the type that’s installed at the factory on many prehung doors. Solid wood casing can be […]

If you’ve installed prehung doors with the cas­ing (trim) attached, then some of your trimwork has already been done. If not, then the time to trim the windows and doors is now. Remember: Accuracy is critical for good finish work. All joints between pieces of wood should be tight, with no space showing. Doing a […]

Once the jambs are installed, you need to cross-sight them—that is, check to see that they’re parallel or in the same vertical plane. Close the door and make sure it rests flat against the stops at both the top and the bottom. Sometimes the door hits the bottom of the stop, for exam­ple, but misses […]

Interior Trim, Cabinets, Countertops, and Closets When I’m feeling nostalgic, I think about the fancy, well-crafted toolkit I carried from job to job before I switched to a 5-gal. plastic bucket. That kit had a place for all my finish tools—handsaws, levels, small hammers, razor — sharp chisels with their blades wrapped in soft cotton, […]

Exterior siding and trim must be painted on all sides, not just on the surfaces that will beexposed to the weather. Back-prime the trim before installation. On doors and windows with wood casings, make sure you back-prime all casings before installing the unit. Take the time to fill all nail holes with exterior-grade wood putty. […]

On our Charlotte house, we didn’t have a lot of exterior painting to do. We installed vinyl siding, soffits, and windows and covered fascia and rake boards with aluminum cladding. But we still needed to do a bit of exterior paint­ing (door casings and doors, for example). On houses with more exposed wood, you should […]

Once the trim has been installed, the next step is to set all the nails, then fill and sand the nail holes. Any nails that are above the surface of the wood must be driven below the surface with a nail set (see the photo at left). If you plan to stain or polyurethane the […]