Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 09, 2005 04:16am | #1

   Give us a little more information. Are you going to make moldings or just trim with plain boards? Are the windows close enough to the sink that the trim might get wet occasionally? What material are the other windows in the house trimmed with? How important is durability - i.e. any little kids who like to bang on things in the house? How important is clear grain? Some people are happy with knots in painted trim, some aren't.

   Also be sure to post this question at Breaktime (second button in the middle row of buttons above).

   My guess is that besides the pine and fir you mention, you'll get recommendations for poplar and MDF (if the windows are in a dry location).

1. 
   DanO2 | Jan 09, 2005 09:34pm | #2

   Thanks for your response.  My house is circa 1935 with a small, only 10' x 11', kitchen, which was remodeled in the early 70's - cabinetry was cheap and insufficient, the range was centered directly in front of one window, the upper and lower sashes in both windows were immovable, both window sills were slightly below countertop level, etc., etc., etc.  A local kitchen designer provided a new layout at no charge, probably from pity.  Accepting the challenge, I gutted the kitchen and slowly replaced everything.  New windows were installed with sills at the proper height and sashes of clear pine.  One window is directly above the sink.  The new cabinetry is birch with a light stain.  Here lies the quandry.  Do I install new birch trim and attempt to match the color of the pine window sashes and the birch window trim to the new cabinetry?  Or, do I install a less expensive wood and simply paint the sashes and window trim?  The door trim was removed during the renovate and will be reinstalled after refinishing, i.e. stained and varnished.  Clear grain is not important if birch is used as trim but, if the wood is painted, no knots.  The trim in the remainder of the house is flat oak with butt joints and simple edge moldings, all stained relatively dark.  What about wood selection for the stools - anything of special consideration?  No kids.

    

    

    

    

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 10, 2005 04:18am | #4

   I think you should post this question at Breaktime, including all the good information in your second post. This will be the right place for your question someday, if this forum ever takes off, but right now there are a lot more people at Breaktime who actually trim windows on a regular basis than there are here.I'm not the guy to ask for decorating advice. My windows are uncased, just drywall returns, and I'm perfectly happy with that. My window stools are terazzo, and I'm happy with that, too, although I may pick granite next time around.

2. 
   aimless | Jan 11, 2005 12:57am | #5

   I'd say, in general, match the trim to the rest of the house, which means a dark stained oak with butt joints. Exceptions to this would be: you hate the trim in the rest of the house and this is only the first room on the list; you want the kitchen to look like it came from a different house; you are feeling creative and want to experiment.

   If you hate the trim in the rest of the house, then I'd go with a nice birch trim stained to match the cabinets. You can experiment with some scrap pine to see if you can get the color of the windows to match, or you can just paint the sashes a color to complement the light trim around it.

2. 
   WayneL5 | Jan 09, 2005 11:00pm | #3

   As to paint vs. stain, it depends on the other trim in the room.  Generally matching the window trim to the trim around the doors looks good.

   I don't like pine because of its coarse grain, which swells and shows when painted.  Most pine is not all that dry when offered for sale, so it tend to move over time as it dries out.

   Poplar is an excellent wood for painting.  It's readily available and not too expensive, and has a nice fine grain, is easy to work, and takes paint well.  If you can, get at least one coat of sealer on all sides before installing it.

3. 
   DANL | Jan 31, 2005 01:39am | #6

   If you are going to paint it, how about Poplar? Takes paint well, although I am nutty enough to like it unpainted and varnished or oiled.