Hello,
I want to replace my MDF door and window trim. I don’t want to reduce the size as my casing is very wide. Currently the door and window trim are 4.25 wide (true inches). The baseboards are 6.5 inches high (true inches, not nominal).
My plan right now for door and window casing is to buy 1×5 pine painted and rip them down to 4.25 wide (nominal 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches.)
My plan for the header of the doors and windows is to buy a 5/4 deckboard and rip off the curved edges for the header and make plinth blocks (8 inches).
My plan for the baseboards is to buy 1×8 wood and rip them down to 6.5 inches and chamfer the corner at 45 degrees. Then put some sort of square shoe moulding.
Do these proportions sound ok? My room height is about 10 to 11 feet.
Replies
Deck boards?
1x5” pine?
It seems like you want to replace painted mdf with painted pine casings, and replace the base with something a bit taller. If you are going to have painted trim sticking with mdf will give you a smoother finish with no chance of cupping or warping. Using a combination of 1/4 , 1/2 and 3/4 thicknesses will give you the effect you want.
That all sounds like a nice plan with good proportions. Are you putting the plinth blocks up above at the leg meets the head intersect as well as down below for the leg casing and baseboards to butt to?
Why are you ripping down the radius off deck boards that are 5.5" wide, the ripping will reduce the header/plinths to 5" wide is that what you want? And your okay ripping both sides of all headers? Do you plan to run the orbital sander to clean up and knock down all the rips? If it were me I would just get square edged 5/4x6 pine headers and just use it, rather than mill my own headers. I assume you're trying to save cost, but I don't think it's saving you enough unless you just want to mill the boards regardless. Mdf is not a way to get a smoother finish, it is particle cardboard essentially and is not for high end work. We only use it on sheds and spec houses. Highly sensitive to moisture, even in the primers and paint itself. Have tried oil based products and similar results. Best painter in our state can't make mdf smooth as glass. Stick with your plan on the pine.