*This “How to: Window Casing”  is sponsored by DAP and includes affiliate links. *

REAL Window Casings

  A few years back I was working on  window casings in my Primary Bedroom. ( It has undergone two makeovers in the past few years.  You can see the original makeover here, and the new moody design here.)   My Dad  happened to be visiting me when I was in the process of working on casing my windows.   He walked in and watched as I proceeded to add a thin piece of MDF to the interior of the window frame in preparation to add  actually trim to the front of the window… to which he  says… “Punkin,  (He calls me Punkin) what are you doing?”

The Solution:

I then  proceeded to  explain to him  that I didn’t like seeing the wall texture on  the interior of the casing so I cover it…  he  patiently   listened to  me explain my  reasoning…   he nodded  as I explained… and then  he  said “thats a good way  to do it…  but tell me why you  don’t just case the interior?”   My Dad has been in the home building construction industry since he was 12…  I learned how to use tools and worked rough construction along his side all  through high school and college.  He knows  a thing or two  about a thing or  two…  but I never did mill work with him. I never learned how to actually  case a window! 

 I had given all my windows the MDF  makeover version because  I was  scared too! (It is still is a great option,  but it’s more of a “window hack”.) Looking back “being scared” seems like a really dumb reason.  I put it off for years… and now I  wish I had leaned in sooner!  Let me show you how I now add window casings  using interior trim. 

The “Scary Part”- Drywall Removal

  The scariest  part of this project is  removing the drywall.  It isn’t a hard job it’s just a little scary!  I have never been  great  at drywall and I don’t love working with it.  The idea of tearing it apart  terrified me… “what if I have to fix it?”!   Honestly,  you guys, not scary… the reason removing the interior drywall is necessary is because you need to make room for the new board.  

 Average drywall is about 1/2″ thick.  Once the drywall  is removed from the interior of the window jamb in creates space for an actual board… not just flimsy MDF paneling.   

Let’s  get started most  outside corners are going to have a piece of  thing metal (sometimes plastic) under the drywall where the joint  meets,   this is called “corner  bead”.   I  just  hit the corner with  a hammer until I found where the “corner bead” started. 

Once the corner is located,  just  start prying!  Use a small pry-bar to slowly lift the corner bead,  and it will  bring the drywall with it.  be aware that there will be quite a few nails that will need to be backed out  as the corner bead is  removed.   It is not a hard process,  just take s little patience. 

 After there corner bead is removed the side of the drywall should be exposed.  (It may have some adhesive  helping hold it in place. Use the prybar  to slowly pull the drywall off of  the door jamb.

 Once the drywall is removed from the sides 2×4’s  (Construction differs  base on location,  my first floor  is  comprised of cinderblock and the window were cased in the PT fir stripping.)

  The last  piece that needs to be removed  is the “sill”.  In our home they builder added a marble sill.  These are easy to remove… they may break in the process but that is not a big deal.  I  use a rubber mallet to loosen the sill and then use a pry bar to lift and remove. 

Mark and Measure Window Casing

  One of the things that I LOVE most about this way of window casing, is that it allows me to correct errors the builder made.   In the past when I was doing the MDF version of a window casing I was always surprised that the dimensions from one side of the window to another were always so different!  I figured… the window is a square/rectangle. Why aren’t the opposing sides the same dimensions… the answer? Most generally the discrepancy is in the drywall and builder error.  I have found that drywall mud is the magic eraser for a builder.  If they mess up or need to make something flush, they  just add more  mud.  Once the texture is added it is hard to see  the original problem.  SO…  when you removed the drywall  you can access the windows TRUE dimensions, which SHOULD be perfectly  square.  When  building my casings I base them off of the window dimensions, not the opening.  This will ensure that the casing will be square, and the way that I construct these actually  HIDES  builder errors.  Win/Win. 

Construct Window Casing

  The goal when taking dimensions is  to   cover the  tiniest bit of the window frame, and still  have enough to have the board  AND  still  be able to open and lose the window.  The great thing about this form of construction is you can hide a lot of discrepancies.  The interior depth of my window  varied  based on where you  took the measurement.   Instead of scribing and custom cutting the interior board I  used the deepest measurement and call all of my interior casing boards to the depth.  (For example,  my sill depth  was 3 3/4″ at one point but then  4 1/8″ at another. So I used the 4 1/8″ as the width for my  interior boards.) 

 I cut  my  sill  (bottom board) and my top  board first.   I  quickly did  a dry fit to make they  would fit. Next  measure the side dimensions,  including the depth of the bottom and top casing pieces.  Again, there is a good chance that the dimensions will not be exactly  the same.  In this  case cut both the side casing pieces to the the shorter dimension.   The goal is to create a “square” window…(Meaning that the corners are square 90 degree… not an actual  4 equal sides geometry square.)  I would suggest dry fitting all four boards  into the window opening before beginning the install process. 

Assembling Interior Window Casing

Time to start assembling… using a pocket hole jig  drill  holes on the  back side/ ends off the  side casing boards. 

 Using 1 1/4″  pocket hole screws  secure the side casings to the top and bottom boards.  ( The pocket holes should be on  the outside of the casing,  so they will not be visible once  installed.)  Once assembled  I suggest  doing another dry fit  in the window opening to ensure that it fits properly  and that the window can open and close.  ( There are bound to be uneven gaps around the perimeter.  DO NOT WORRY!  This will be a non issue in the next step.) 

Front Window Casing

  Next it is time to add the front window casing.  This will be the board that sits on wall, and will hid any weird gaps around the perimeter of the window.  I used 1×4″ primed finger board for this step.  When calculating dimensions I used the following formulas: 

 Top /Bottom Casing:  Take the dimension of the  top/bottom INTERIOR of the newly constructed window casing and ADD .5″  This will  create a .25″ reveal on both sides. 

 Side Casing:   Take the dimension of the sides INTERIOR  of the newly constructed window casing and ADD 7.5″.   (3.5″primed board width+ 3.5″ primed board width + .25″ reveal+ 2.5″ reveal= 7.5″)

The assembly process of the front window casing is similar to that of the interior casing. Using a pocket hole jig drill pocket holes on the back sides boards. Using pocket hole screws secure the sides to the top and bottom pieces. This will again create another he rectangle/square, only this one will be flat.

Attach Front Window Casing to Interior Window Casing

BEFORE starting the assembly process I would suggest another quick fit test. Lay the front window casing ON TOP of the interior casing. The goal is to have an even 1/4″ reveal about the perimeter of the interior casing.

After double checking the reveal dimensions it’s time tom assemble! To do that I will rely heavily on my go-to wood glue. I always use Weldwood Wood Glue by DAP. The hold is always strong and does not require an excessive amount. Run a small bead of wood glue along the top edge of the interior window casing. (Keep in mind there will be an 1/4″ reveal and try to avoid adding excessive amounts of glue to the 1/4″ that will be exposed.)

When you use a GOOD wood glue like Weldwood by DAP you really don’t NEED to use fasteners. However, if you are impatient like me and want to hurry the process along you can add a few pin nails. Like I said, this doesn’t really need fasteners, but a pin nail is strong enough to hold it in place as the glue cures and acts like a clamp while making minimal holes to fill later.

While the holes are minimal, there are holes nonetheless that will need filled. Which is not a big deal, I like to fill all of my butt joints with DAP Plastic Wood All Purpose Filler anyways. This stuff is amazing. It dries quick, doesn’t shrink and can easily be sanded for a a PERFECT smooth finish.

After the Plastic Wood has completely dried, sand the entire frame with a finish sander and a fine grit sand paper.

Finish sanding, wipe the window casing down with a damp cloth. Once the casing is dry, make this casing look like a solid unit by adding a small bead of DAP Alex Trim Caulk to the interior seam. Caulk can magically make your trim projects look 100%!

At this point the window interior and front casing are complete. (There is still layer of trim that will be added, but that will not be added until the casing is in place.) Instead of waiting and painting the entire unit in place, I opted to spray it before installing.

Install Window Casing

After the casing was completely dry it was time to install! This is when all of those dry test fits pay off. Instead of installing the window casing piece-by-piece I simply sliced the entire unite into place! If the window casing is sitting wonky use wood shims level out any in discrepancies. (. You can also use a construction adhesive like DAP Dynagrip on the interior of the window rough casing before inserting the finished casing.

At this point the window casing should have a nice snug fit ( As mentioned earlier, use shims if the casing is not snugly fit.) Once you are happy with the fit, fasteners to secure. My casing had a very snug fit and did not require excessive amounts of fasteners. I was able to use 2″ 16g nails to finish the job.

Add Window Casing Perimeter Trim

Now that the window casing is set in place, there is one last piece of trim to add. This final piece will go around the perimeter of the new casing. The point of this trim is two-fold. First, it will add a bulkier look to the casing. Secondly, and more importantly it will hide any noticeable gaps where the new trim meets the drywall. Drywall is notoriously inconsistent, especially around windows. ( Drywall installers will add additional mud and texture to hide variances, while creates an uneven surface.)

To create this trim I ripped several pieces of primed 1×3″ boards in half. Making them approximately 3/4″ x 1 1/4″ strips. I then cut them to fit using 45degree cuts to create mitered corners.

These boards are very lightweight and can easily be installed using a bead of DAP Weldwood and reinforced with pin nails. ( I am newly converted to using pin nails when working with small trim. Does the job perfectly with minimal holes!)

Caulk Window Casing Seams

After the perimeter trim is installed it is time to add the final touches. The last thing we need to do is melt away any visible seams! To do that I use my trusty DAP Alex Fast Dry caulk!

I add/ smooth out a small bead of DAP Alex Fast Dry caulk along the seam where the new trim meets the window casing, where casing meets the wall.

Lastly, I fill any visible gaps where my trim meets my window.

DAP Alex Fast Dry caulk is ready to paint in as little as 20 minutes! By the time I finished caulking everything and gathered my paint supplies I was ready to paint!

There you have it folks! This simple and plain window is not a beautiful statement in my boys room.

Prep Boards for Door Casing Makeover

 I recently decided to give my upstairs landing a makeover.  There will be a cute desk area for my kids, but I wanted to take this makeover one step further. I wanted to give all the doors and the trim a glow up.  I really didn’t want to replace all the door casings, that sounded like a lot of work and more money than I wanted to spend. So instead I decided to work with what I had and give the door casings a makeover and I did it for CHEAP!  

As you can see in this BEAUTIFUL image below,  the door casings were very  basic, builder grade casings.  Nothing wrong with them. I actually had given  the casings and the doors a  quick coat of paint a few years back.   Again, nothing wrong with them, but I  had an idea that would only cost a few dollars a door and would totally elevate the look of them.  Let’s get started with a door casing makeover. 

Remove BaseBoards

   This idea only works if you are comfortable removing your existing baseboards and then reinstalling them after  the door casing trim is done.  (We are making the door casing wider and we need to make space for the  new trim.) If you are new to installing baseboards, make sure that you check out my baseboards tutorial here. 

Rip Boards Down for Door Casing Makeover

Here is the basic premise. I planned to ADD trim to the existing casing. I wouldn’t need to remove the existing trim, and it would save money win/win! After playing around with a few options I ultimately decided that I wanted the new trim to be 3/4″ thick and 1 1/4″ wide. the best way I found to do this was to split a 1×3 primed finger board right down the middle! ( You could also split a 1×4 in thirds and have them be a little narrower, which would still look great.)

I used my table saw to rip all my boards in half. (If you do not have access to a table saw I think that using a 1×2 would also produce the same results, it would just be a bulkier profile.)

Sand Boards

Once the boards were ripped in half, I sanded them.  Yes,  I could wait until they are installed and sand them in place, but I prefer to sand before.  In my opinion it is so much easier! 

Primed finger board is typically in decent shape and dent not require much prep work. I used a 220 grit sandpaper, and it only took a few minutes. 

Custom Fit Trim

I’ve learned the hard way that  not all doors, windows, and walls are square.  Just because one side of the door is  84″ doesn’t mean the other side is.  Always take the time to measure all sides of EACH door. 

Mark / Measure

 You can either carefully measure each side or you can mark in place. I prefer the latter.  I simply place my board and mark the inside of the  trim. (As seen pictured below.) 

Of course, if you prefer use a tape measure and measure from the bottom of the door casing to the inner top of the existing door casing. 

Cut to Fit

When cutting the trim, the bottom edge will be a straight 90º  with a 45º on the top.  The goal is to create mitered corner. 45º+ 45º= 90º. 

Set your miter saw to 45º and cut to your marked measurement. 

Installing Trim

Nail In Place

 This may be an unpopular option, but I am using a pin nailer for this project.   You can  use a 16 or 18 gauge nailer for this project. However, I have  found that for small trim pieces  the pin nailer is an excellent choice! (If you recall my picture frame molding, I used a pin nailer exclusively.)  I used a 1.5″  nail,  AND  I knew I would be using caulk which would also help secure the trim. 

As seen below I use a small scrap board cut on a 45º angle so that I can ensure that  I am installing the trim in the correct spot. 

I proceeded to do the same on both sides of the door.  ( If you are still worried about the trim being secured,  feel free to apply caulk to the back of the trim when installing. It will serve as an adhesive.) 

I saved my top piece for last. When marking my top pice I like to measure it from long point to long point and then mark in place.  (See the below image.)

 For the top trim piece it will require 45º cuts on both ends.  Once the top pice is installed it should look a little something like this. ( See below image.)   I know this may seem subtle, but this small change really does make a big impact! 

Prep Door Casing for Paint Makeover

Fill Holes

 Ok,  before we start painting there are a few more steps.  Seeing as I used a pin nailer the holes that I need to fill are very small. Regardless of the nail size, the holes do  need to be filled.  To do this, I used Plastic Wood by Dap.  Once it is completely dried, I go over it with a sponge sander and smooth it out. 

Caulk Seams

 Here is where the magic happens. Caulking the seems.   Apply a small bead of caulk  where the new trim meets the old casing.  Smooth out the bead of caulk using a damp finger, or baby wipes also work great.   By caulking this seem it create a very unified look, and also helps secure the trim in place. 

 I suggest using DAP Alex Ultra.  It has advanced anti-shrink technology,  PLUS it’s paintable in 15 minutes.  Perfect for the impatient DIYer like myself. 

Caulk Perimeter of Door Casings

Repeat the same process around the perimeter.  Again, this will not only create a flawless look, it will also help secure the trim in place. 

Repeat this process on any desired door frames. 

Paint New Door Casings

Once the caulk and nail filler is completely dry it is time to paint.   Before I started priming I did quickly go over the entire door with a sanding sponge to remove any sheen from the existing topcoat.  

 I suggest removing the door hardware when painting.  In my opinion it actually saves time  to remove the hardware then try to tape, and cut in around it . Plus it ALWAYS looks better to  just paint the entire slab without cutting it.  It just does. 

 I  used a paint and primer enamel in  satin sheen. It worked great for this application. I  could have rolled but I love the look and efficiency of a sprayer, so I  draped and taped the entire area and used a Graco TC cordless sprayer. 

Install New Hardware for Door Casing Makeover

If you did remove the existing door hardware it is time to reinstall it, or maybe add something new!  I added some really fun doorknobs to my primary bathroom and I love them.  However, I was trying to do this space on a budget and used the existing ones. 

 Let’s break this down. I had four doors in the upstairs landing.  I needed a total of (5) 1×3’s =$48.   That comes out to approximately $12 to upgrade each door. I feel like $12 for a  door casing upgrade is well worth the money and effort. 

 Thanks for following along and take luck, 

Corey 

Sources: 

• Wall Color: Ultra Pure White by: Behr in Eggshell Sheen
• Door/Trim Color: Agreeable Gray by:  Sherwin Williams in Satin

I have recently become obsessed with picture frame molding. There is something about the subtle sophistication that I simply cannot get enough of!  Naturally, as I was designing my primary bedroom makeover, picture frame molding was at the top of my list.  I have never done picture frame molding but I was amazed at how easy this transformation was!  I have to give a  big shoutout to DAP for sponsoring this post and putting out great products to make this project so easy to execute.

My bedroom has gone through several changes over the past few years. I have done the “light and bright” look. I have embraced the “farmhouse” style and adorned the walls with shiplap, but this time I wanted to take bold, sophisticated approach. The first step in this transition required a blank slate! I removed the shiplap from my room and skim coated my walls. ( This is not a necessary step and after doing it myself I don’t know that I would recommend this step. It was A LOT of work. I am convinced this look would still look stellar on a textured wall.)

Spacing

  I honestly think that deciding on spacing was the hardest part of this project. (Seriously, this is such a great beginner DIY project.)  When deciding on a layout I would suggest using tape or  objects to visualize the space.  As seen below I used yellow to plow out the general size of my headboard. I would heavily suggest taking  any furniture in the space into consideration.    

 After  plotting out the general spacing,  I needed to decide on how many “boxes”  I wanted on my  wall, I also needed to decide how much spacing  I wanted in-between my molding boxes.  For example,  if your reference the image below you will see that I have 3.5″ in-between my picture frame molding boxes. I also used this same spacing at both the top and bottom of my picture frame boxes.  * So I have 3.5″ in-between the bottom of my boxes and the baseboard, and the top of my boxes and my crown molding.

Draw in spacing

Once I had determined the layout for my wall I proceeded to transfer my design on to my wall. While there are many  ways to add molding  have found this method to work best.  It takes a little more planning but it makes the application process a breeze!  I simply used a pencil,  tape measure, and a straight edge (or a level). 

 As  pictured above, I used 3.5″ spacing in between my picture frame boxes.  I found the best way to create even spacing is to utilize a spacer block.  ( I simply used a 1×4″ board as a spacer while drawing in my lines.)

Fill Holes

Honestly, this next step should have been my first, but live and learn. I found that I had a handful of holes and divots in my walls that I wanted to fill. It is much easier to do this BEFORE you have a hole bunch of trim on the wall!

 I like to use DryDex Spackling by DAP when repairing drywall.  I love DryDex especially for this application,  it doesn’t require priming after use, meaning it won’t flash your paint!  It also won’t shrink or crack and it even has a built in “ready”  indicator. It goes on pink, and when it is dry it turns to white! Nifty, huh? Once the DryDex had turned white I lightly sanded it using a drywall sandpaper.

Measure and Cut

 It is time for picture frame boxes!  In order to create the picture frame boxes I used  PVC Base Cap Molding. It is available in most big box stores,  I purchased mine at The Home Depot.  

Lucky for us, most of the think work is already done! After drawing the boxes on the wall with a pencil I went through and measured all my perimeter lines and wrote in the needed trim length for each section. (Not pictured) In THEORY all of the boxes should be the same length and height. This was the case in 95% of mine. (I have a few wonky walls and wanted to keep the spacing between the boxes and the wall even as opposed to straight.)

So the next step, is transferring the measurement of the boxes to the base cap trim and  then cut.  When cutting the trim I use a miter saw set to a 45 degree angle.  Remember when cutting you measure from the longest point  to longest point.  

Add Caulk

Now that I have my trim pieces cut and ready, it is time to install. Typically when installing trim work an adhesive or caulk is used. I have found that a good flexible caulk is just the ticket! I like to use DAP Alex Flex Caulk and DAP Alex Fast Dry when working with PVC trim.

After installing a lot of trim, I have deemed this the easiest way when working with flimsy base cap… apply the caulk directly to the wall! I already have my lines drawn in and so I know exactly where it needs to go. This is especially handy technique when handling long pieces of trim! (Imagine trying to put a 73″ piece of flimsy trim on the wall (well over your head) with caulk on the back. As you can imagine the caulk often times gets smeared on the wall in places it should not be.) By putting the caulk on the wall I simply press the trim on to the wall, and it is a little more forgiving as I push it into place with less mess and smearing.

Something to Consider: There are differing opinions when it comes to adhesive vs. caulk when applying trim. I like using DAP Caulk on PVC trim because it does an excellent job of holding the trim but it is a little more forgiving than an adhesive and less damaging to drywall should I ever choose to remove the trim. For heavier trim and paneling I ALWAYS opt for DAP DynaGrip.

Attach Base Cap

Seeing as the boxes are already drawn on the wall, it takes a lot of the think work out of the install process. When securing the base cap to the wall I like to use a spacer block and a pin nailer. (Remember before how I said that I used a 1×4″ board when drawing in my lines. I also used the same 1×4 when installing the base cap.) It works as a great spacer and makes for perfect lines! As far as securing it to the wall, PVC base cap is very light and does not need heavy duty fasteners. In all reality just DAP Plus Caulk is all I would need to hold it securely, but I am impatient and a pin nailer is the perfect clamp to hold the trim to the wall while it dries.

When securing the trim I like to nail directly at the to top go the ridge. While many DIYers try to hide their fasteners in the grooves, I prefer have the fastener hole top and center it makes for a quick fill and repair!

Repeat the application process on all four side of your boxes. Again, if you outline your boxes on the wall with pencil this is a nearly painless process!

Fill Holes

Again, I’m a HUGE advocate for using a pin nailer on light weight trim. It is the perfect gauge for the job and creates a very small hole. It makes for a very quick repair using DAP Plastic Wood. It only takes a very little bit of DAP Plastic Wood to fill all the holes.

Remember how I said that I like to drive the pin/nail directly through the top ridge?   By doing so it makes it incredibly easy to fill, and subsequently sand!  After the Plastic Wood is dry I follow up using a sanding sponge.  The nail hole completely disappears! 

Caulk Seams

Last step for creating beautiful picture frame molding, is hiding all the flaws. When it comes to hiding flaws DAP Alex Fast Dry Caulk is your best friend. It can take a mediocre trim job to a seemingly flawless execution!

I run a small bead of caulk around the perimeter, as well as the interior of each trim box. If you want to see more about this step make sure you check out my saved highlight reel on Instagram along with my video.

Paint

It’s time to paint! (Great news, Alex Plus Caulk has a dry time of 20 minutes! As soon as you get all your paint supplies assembled you are pretty much good to go!)

(If you so choose you can add a primer. In the past I have found that if you use a good paint with primer you can forgo this step when painting drywall.)

Well, there you have it folks… what do you think? I used about 20 pieces of trim on my main wall, which comes out to a little over $100. I think the money and the little bit of elbow grease was definitely worth it! Picture frame molding took this blank boring wall and transformed this room into a moody, sophisticated space.

Thanks for following along and make sure you check out the full room reveal coming soon!

Take Luck,

Corey

Sources:

• Paint Color- “1905 Green” by Magnolia Home Paints 
• Floor- Select Surfaces “Cocoa Walnut”