Replies

1. 
   stevent1 | Aug 04, 2006 10:41pm | #1

   The reveal on doors is to allow for the barrell of the hinge. When you flush the casing to the jamb of either a door or window you will have an awkward seam that will have to be filled and sanded. The 1/8" to 1/4" reveal will give you an additional shadow line and makes up for trim or jamb that is not perfectly straight.

2. 
   MojoMan | Aug 04, 2006 11:15pm | #2

   Don't worry about it. A reveal is just one of those old-fashioned, traditional, tricks of the trade that evolved over centuries for good reasons that separates quality work from hack jobs and is used by senile old-timers. Most people don't worry about that silly stuff like that anymore.

   Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

   http://moosehilljournal.blogspot.com/

1. 
   Jay345 | Aug 05, 2006 12:05am | #4

   correction... most ill mannered , wrongly taught , left headed , poorly trained , people don't worry about "silly Stuff " like that any more.

3. 
   andy_engel | Aug 04, 2006 11:20pm | #3

   One reason for a reveal is that it's nearly impossible to do flush trim that stays that way. So, you struggle to flush up imperfect materials, do a good job, and then the humidity changes. Reveals look professional and intentional, failed attempts at flush trim look amateurish. And they mostly all fail.

   For interior work, I like 1/8 in. reveals.

   Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

4. 
   hammer | Aug 05, 2006 12:09am | #5

   I would suppose the cut around the strike plate might be hard to perfect. Something I wouldn't want to see every time reaching for the door handle. 

5. 
   Piffin | Aug 05, 2006 12:36am | #6

   It can only look good when the materials are all perfect, the windowframes are all perfect, and the workmanship is all perfect.

   Since most of us work in real life with real materials, we use reveals. It also just happens to emulate some classical details that go way back in western architectural history

    

    

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6. 
   DougU | Aug 05, 2006 01:21am | #7

   There isnt any rules that say you cant flush your trim.

   As Piffin and Andy E already mentioned  though, its done for ease, style, tradition.........

   I personally wouldnt like flush but if you do then by all means go for it, it will be a lot more difficult to maintain the look, especially over time as the wood moves.

   Doug