Finishing Trimming

Helpful Finish Carpentry Tips, Tricks and Information

Finish carpentry is one of the projects more and more people are doing on their own. A few reasons for this are because of money or the lack of money, or because of the availability of all the information that is accessible. Some times even with all the information through books, videos, or the web people still have trouble with finish carpentry. Some reasons for this is because it is a type of craft that requires actually doing it and learning the different variables and problems involved with for example, hanging doors or just every time a stick of trim wood goes up. Some of these variables may include crooked floors, crooked walls, crooked framing or maybe even something like extra wide jambs. Here I am going to give some advice and tips to help explain some of these variables and problems you might encounter while doing your own finish carpentry.

 

Hanging Doors

 

I have found that casing my doors on one side before installing the doors makes it much quicker and easier in most cases. This of course does not hold true every time but for the most part it does. Be sure to case the side which goes to the inside of the room. To make it even quicker some times you can order or buy these doors precased on one side straight from the factory, store or lumber yard.

 

Casing doors or windows

 

.One common problem when applying casing to a door or window is the jamb does not come out flush with the sheetrock of the interior wall. This is particularly true on outside doors or garage doors. One way to remedy this is to take your hammer and hammer down or crunch the sheetrock down next to the jamb. Be careful as to not damage the sheetrock out past what your trim will cover. If you do, it can be fixed with a little spackle or sheetrock mud but try to avoid this. The idea here is to get the casing as flat against the wall as possible so it is not tipped in toward the jamb. The more it is tipped the harder it is to get nice mitered corners.

 

For casing windows for the first time

 

With windows sometimes curtains or window dressings will cover up the trim. Start in the bedrooms or back rooms first or where you think there may be curtains. Casing windows does take a little practice and patience so take your time with the miters. Try to keep your reveal as uniform as possible but if you do need to fudge it a little to tighten up a miter that is ok as long as its just a tiny adjustment. The reveal is not as eye catching as a loose miter. If you look at trim work in restaurants and businesses and other homes you will see a huge variety of the quality of work. Some of the quality is really nice and some is so bad you wonder how it passed. I can almost guarantee yours won't be absolutely perfect every time so know your tolerances and what your expectations are that you will except from yourself. A good trimmer knows his tolerances well.

 

Using hardwoods

 

When using hardwoods such as oak or maple or whatever stay away from knots in the wood when nailing. If you shoot a nail in near a knot you risk splitting the wood. These hardwoods will undoubtedly split on you at one point or another. If the wood splits it can be filled with wood filler if it's not split to bad and would look just fine. If by chance a piece ends up splitting right off it can be glued and clamped back together without to much trouble and again would look ok. If possible use this piece in an area that is not noticeable such as inside a closet or back side of a bedroom door or some where it wouldn't be highly noticeable. Keep in mind almost everything can be fixed.

 

Match your Wood

 

Let's say for example oak. The wood grains and color of oak can vary quite a bit so match your trim wood ahead of time for a good uniform look in your work. For the pieces that don't match use them in closets and less conspicuous places or places only you will see like the laundry room, again just not in highly visible places. This applies to all other varieties of wood also not just oak.

 

Perfect measurements

 

In finish carpentry to obtain those perfect measurements, set the wood in place and mark the wood. It's quicker and much more accurate then using a tape measure for the precise cuts at joints and miters. I only use my tape when it is necessary. This is particularly true when applying casing. Very precise cuts are necessary and essential at times.

 

By using some of these suggestions your trim work will undoubtedly be more professional looking and at the same time may save you some aggravation. A few things to keep in mind while you are working on your project, nothing is  absolutely perfect. Wood filler can and will fix some of the problems encountered. Know what your tolerances are, in other words know what is acceptable of yourself.

 

About the Author

Pat Fisher is a professional carpenter and woodworking craftsman. For more information on finish carpentry and household carpentry projects, visit <a href="http://www.finishcarpentryhelp.com/">www.finishcarpentryhelp.com</a> and pick up your free eBook.

Gifts for Mothering Day: Offer Glorious Roses

There isn’t a greater means of letting her know how much you adore her than by gifting her with exquisite roses for Mothering Day. But real flowers fade within days. Wouldn’t the best solution be to offer her roses which never wither or die away? The details below concern roses and rose ensembles of jewellery appropriately know as “Rosie”.

Gifts for Mother Day -On the Subject of the Rose 

Roses have been a part of human culture for over 5000 years. The first known roses were cultivated in Asia and were brought to Europe during the Roman Empire. Cleopatra, Marc Antony and Nero, who all played a role in history, were believed to have had a fancy for roses. Roses are linked with love and sentiment. As stated in mythology, the roses felt a sense of disgrace when Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden. Roman mythology has it that Rodanthe, who was a stunning woman, was transformed into a rose by a goddess called Diana. Also, the flower insignia of England is the rose.

The Representation of the Rose

Even though the rose has, for all time, meant love, the diverse colours still hold a connotation of their own. To illustrate, the yellow rose is symbolic of admiration and comradeship. A white rose symbolises innocence whilst a pale pink rose represents grace. The dark pink rose stands for thankfulness. Purple or lilac roses correspond to delight and orange roses symbolise appeal. Roses which involve a couple of colours merged as one hold a distinctive significance. A combination of white and yellow roses stands for agreement and a mixture of red and white roses indicates agreement and attachment.

Gifts for Mother Day -Concerning Hair Accessories in the Rosie Collection

One of the best ways to wear roses, real or faux, is in the hair. The Rosie ensemble includes elegant artificial roses made into stunning hair accessories. Also incorporated are hairpins or hairgrips with astounding pale ivory roses constructed of fine foam material. The roses can be obtained in large or medium to fashion the ideal completed style. In addition there is a set of hairgrips available which re ornamented with soft little roses made of paper. What a perfect way to express your love for your mum whilst helping her look her best.

A Gorgeous Rosie Necklace

Envision a double row of striking roses about her neck. This necklace is quite striking and contains hand made fimo rose buds that are strung on a fine wire and embellished with sparkling beads. Fimo is a form of polyester clay which is shaped and baked, and subsequently embellished. Limo roses are a magnificent intense red colour and have delicate detailing. Don’t you think it would be a good idea to get the coordinating bracelet to complete group?

Gifts for Mother Day -On The Finishing Touches

The Rosie collection has a unique rose corsage that’s made from a pale ivory material and has a silver-plated pin. Also is a lovely headband which has a group of paper roses and has embellishments of diamante branches. Finally, to make her truly feel like a queen, consider giving a tiara decorated with a paper rose and diamante branches. Both gold and silver tiaras are available.

A meaningful, symbolic gift from the Rosie collection will show your mother how truly special she is.

how do I bid interior trim carpentry/cabinets, and small trim sidejobs?

I have been doing all types of finish trim and building/installing cabinets for over 7 years now. I've been working for my boss but I'm about to totally switch career paths hopefully, but I'm going to need to do finish side jobs here and there while I'm getting a new business started with a friend.

I heard theres a limit on what you can make without having a license? Someone told me if its under $500 I'm ok? Is it really worth getting a license, i know theres commonly a $1 Million liability coverage required around here and im not sure what that would cost me. I live in Northern California, where costs are high.

My boss just says to figure out what i want to make for that day. I'd like to be able to bid fairly to both the customer AND myself. (for a while these will be weekend side jobs)

I have a job coming up where they want a custom built in cabinet to fit their plasma and theater equipment. I always build or trim then the customer uses their own painter etc.

I contracted on and off for over 30 years. Please don't get me wrong, because I am trying to help you out here. If you have to ask that question, you should be spending your time working for a man that has already got a licence and enough work to keep you busy.

Let me ask you this question and I will give you the answer before I finish.
What is worse than bidding a job and not getting it.
Well I may as well go ahead and answer it now.
It is UNDERBIDDING IT AND GETTING IT.
I once spent about 5 or 6 weeks building a bathroom addition and in the end, I spent $47.68 out of my pocket doing the job.
Another thing I learned. You can break even sitting at the house.
OK, with that said, I figure you are probably like I was when I was younger. I want to be my own boss and that's it.
You can not go in and underbid the pros and make money. They have been doing it so long everything is second nature to them and they have all the tools needed.
If I haven't changed your mind yet, good. I hope I didn't. Read on.
Keep the job you have now. Buy every tool you can think of and store them. Don't break them out to use on your bosses job.
Get your truck set up the way your boss has his set up.
Get you a contractors licence and get bonded. Please don't try to work under the table. You have got to pay your taxes or it will come back and bite you in the ass. Sooner or later it will get you.
Now, as for bidding the job, call several contractors and tell them a lie. Make them think you are looking for a sub to do trim and want to know what they are getting per foot of trim. I am not sure what it is where you are at, but I would think it is probably somewhere around a buck a foot.
If you have everything in order, you can underbid them 20 to 30 % but be careful even at that. You have got to move. You don't have any time to play around. If you are going to start a company like this, you have got to stay on a roll. Put yourself on a small payroll, no more than what you are earning now to start with. Build a bank account.
If you can get hooked up with several builders for thier trim work, you MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK, but if you do, you will be working twice as hard as you are now, for just a little more true income.
You will have to pay taxes, everything that goes into transportion, (tags, Insurrance, fuel, tuneups, tires, etc., etc., etc.,
Please don't work under the table. I am on disability drawing $745.00 a month because of it. I fell 10 feet and will never get another job, unless I build it for myself, which I am working on, but it wasn't worth it.
My advice to you is stay on the job you have and invest every extra penny you get. That, and trusting in the good lord and praising him for what you have, is the way to get to where you want to be.
Good luck and God Bless

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