This is my method for installing paint grade casing. There are plenty of helpful tips in this video that I use all the time. Instagram @vancouver_carpenter
DIY'er here. I've done about 20 door casings and made a hash of nearly all of them. Pros don't often think of the little tips they've acquired over the years that us newbies have never heard. This video is the first I've seen that is genuinely helpful. I'm tempted to go rip off a casing, just to give it a try.
I havent done any of mine in my hime, in fear of them looking bad which in turn stresses me out cause I cant stand them unfinished. Im gonna try now I feel more informed now. I appreciate the tips also.
I worked with an old school finish carpenter years ago that was so good you almost could have painted without caulking his trim. His crown molding and cabinet work was the best I’ve ever seen. I wish I had taken the time to learn from him but I was young and stupid so I missed the opportunity.
About to install my first door casing. Your step by step instruction is VERY helpful. Thanks for not making assumptions about your viewer’s skill levels.
You said " come right up close " . . . now , this is one of the most helpful tips for the making of this hands-on videos since you truly helped me to see what you did . Thank you so much for your great skills and empathy for the ones like me that need help to do it better.
Trim carpenters must be the happiest people on earth. You get to see the fruits of your labor every day. Hands on - no technology to mess with your mind and soul.
Thanks for the tips. I put all MDF base, shoe and casings in my house 15 years ago now that I have had the kitchen and bath done all modern I decided to change all the moulding to what you just did 1/2 x3 and base will be 1/2 x 5 1/2. The plane moulding is more appropriate for a modern look. Some of your tips with the glazing bar and glue on top are new to me plus the way to hold the nail gun. Thanks. I went out and bought a Milwaukee battery finish nail gun because I have the Milwaukee battery system. So much easier than dealing with a compressor cord and noise. I have a 2000 foot home to install. You have a favorite miter saw stand you like. I want a stand this time. I was cutting on the garage floor before.
Keep up the great work, ur awesome. I'm a 4th Generation carpenter. I was the black sheep of the family and retired as a 25 year police & medic veteran. I never gave up my roots though I still do carpentry -My family mentors have passed. Thank you for this; this is my "whoo-saa" now.
Been doing home projects for about two years now and never knew about holding my nail gun gangster style. Thumbs up for that tip. I've had more than a couple of nails veer out on me. Thanks!
A helpful video, thanks. One safety tip that I would add is that when somebody is cutting a 45 angle on the mitre saw, to keep the hand that is holding the wood in a position so where it is impossible for it to get sucked into the blade. The saw teeth are circling clockwise meaning that it will tend to pull the wood (where one's right hand is holding the wood to the rail) into the saw's blade, and possibly pull one's hand into the blade if it moves along with the wood. So what I do is lock my wood-holding hand into a position so that it is impossible for it to get sucked into the blade, in case the wood gets jerked into the blade.
Scrambled O I will add my thanks to scrambled O’s observations. For the home DIYer your instructions are fantastic! Thanks for sharing your expertise and years of experience.
I think that is the most important part of his videos. If he just says he does something "just because" it makes it so we put our own input (ignorantly) and that is why we end up wrong. We don't know what we don't know.
I used to do site work years ago brings back some memories. I used to put the mitred head up first then go from there but planing the architrave up to fit the frame.
Thanks for the tips to install casing. I purchased the door yesterday and will be installing today. When finished I will re-do some of my old casing installs that were not as pretty.
I have this speed square from harbour freight. 3 dollars and it has a 1/4” pivot point, works perfectly as well. Forgot to glue for the second time today though. Gotta take it easy on the grass.. Thanks for the great videos. Been a lotta help this last half year.
Hey man. Just wanted to say thank you. I bought a house in 2021 and had 2 weeks to rip out and install new door casings in the entire house so it was safe for my family and kids to move in (it was that bad). And this video really helped me. Now I'm back watching again so I can finish the one door I wasn't able to get to.
Really appreciate your channel. I've been renovating my house and I get tremendous help from your videos. I find with your guidance I'm getting fantastic results. Takes more time than slapping it together but the results are far more professional. Thanks for the efforts!
Very nice video with helpful details; 2" nails, brad nailer, 1/4" reveal, hold it like a gangster, jambs first, etc. All of these little things that it's so hard to learn and you had it all, so thank you! And gluing the joints; who does that? Only someone who wants their work to last. Thank you, again.
Bro these videos are helping me SO MUCH. I just got into finish carpentry and The info/tips you share definitely help me not look so clueless while on the job haha. 🙏 thank you!
Thanks. I've been following your vids and you make everything look so easy. You're also humble and soft talking, not like some other (great) channels that think they are cool if they yell and gesticulate.
I just want to say thank you for taking the time to make detailed door casing video. I had never done this before and just finished and it is (OK). Not as flush as yours, but, flush enough for me. At any rate, especially defining the tools needed was key. Your communication in this video is benchmark.
I fo this for a living and your work is fantastic. Extremely text book correct on everything you did. It does take a few minutes longer to do this correctly but it is worth it. I wish I worked with people like you. Today fast is good but it is sloppy work. Fantastic!!
Very helpful, and I was able to do a pretty good job of installing casing around a set of double doors. I especially like the tip about marking the 45, since I always managed to mess that up.
So appreciate you sharing your skills and the tricks of your craft. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching/learning from your videos. Love the common sense approach and the wit "All gangster"! Thanks!
Added advice for new people that he never mentioned: - No two miters are never the same so be sure when you cut your two side pieces, make sure your top piece is scribed in to make it tight and depending on your blade, cut just top of the line. - Not every 45* is 45* so be sure your miter saw has a correct 45 so check it with your speed square. I have a hitachi miter saw and the 45 is more like 43* and zero is like +/- 1* so double check first. - When cutting, don't just eyeball it and go for it... Cut about an inch above the line to check your miter line to make sure the cut matches the line and THEN you can get closet and close in on that cut. - When you are nailing your pieces together, Throw a couple brads from the side and top corners of the trim as well. - No need to glue, that does no good and just breaks the more you open and close the door and/or settling of the home, simply use some wood putty and/or caulk to seal off the lines. - There's no "chisel point", you can shoot straight or at an angle disregard that. I've shot at hard angles and still had them turn so that he said don't matter. - Don't just "line up and shoot"... Plumb your first piece, shoot ONE BRAD AND STOP! Go to the top and assure your plumb up top, shoot it. Do the bottom. THEN you can start firing away the rest. - Someone said "always nail your header first" .... There's no federal penal code to do it that way "always". I've done it both ways and get the same result. Overall, miters are fun and challenging at the same time, always cut and measure, check and repeat. Don't just jam one at the miter and place it.
I like to use Ulmea spring clamps (the ones that require the 'pliers') on most paint grade miters. I know, they're expensive, but I think worth the investment. If you're working on multiple doors at once, there is plenty of clamp time for the glue to grab hold on one casing set while you work on another. On stain grade, you have to weigh the scars left behind vs. the quality of the joint bond... I also remember, back in the day, being able to order finish nails with the chisel either in-line or biased to the nail gun, so the 'gangsta' method may not be universally effective. If the business end of the nail string looks like saw teeth, nail with the gun parallel to the jamb leg/header. If it looks like one long, articulated chisel, hold the gun perpendicular to the jamb leg/header. And IDK if many manufacturers offer that option anymore. Senco and Duofast used to, but I don't have either brand in my current arsenal. Really enjoy your videos!
I find it interesting how meticulous getting a perfect drywall finish can be and yet planing down the door frame to be flat is considered excessive for most doors in the house. Not being negative, I just find that interesting. I've learned so much watching your content and I consider you the best resource on youtube for learning this type of stuff.
I don't think he is trying to say it is excessive, just that most folks opt for speed as they don't get paid by the hour. It is 'good enough' vs 'good'.
So glad to see a carpenter spread the glue completely on cut ends of wood trim. It seals the grain and helps preventing joints opening up with humidity fluctuations. I do tons of poplar trim work.. Back-prime (not just the face) and glue your cuts completely. Only way to do it and not have joints galore open up.
Really appreciate the attention to detail here--in both your work itself and your explanations. You have a great blend of expertise and approachability, and I hope your videos help spark a revival of interest in the skilled trades. We are in so much trouble with so many older tradesmen retiring and so few wanting to take their place. The long-term pro-college, anti-trades bias in North America is truly going to back up everyone's toilets and make our buildings fall.
Everyones toilets and buildings are already failing! I know because I am fixing them every day! Also, we are already at the trades shortage people have been warning us about. I feel really bad for the average homeowner trying to get ANY work done. It's a real gamble if you can even find someone these days.
That's a good habit with spreading the glue. It's especially necessary when installing solid wood trim as it seals the wood grain and prevents/minimizes moisture getting into the wood and causing miters to come apart.
Not sure you’ll even see this, but thanks for this tutorial, currently install my first door trim in my house and this gave me the confidence to do it!
You have such a lovely way presenting tips and tricks, such gentle guidance. Pleasure watching your videos, even though I don't have a door casing in my near future. :-)
I was thinking of tackling replacing the current door frames but man oh man am I scared!! This helped greatly!!!! Wish I did this kind of stuff for a living!! Or at least have the knowledge! Thank you for all of your posts!!!❤️
It’s called a T Square lol going to get me one BEFORE I start installing my door trim. The present baseboards are no longer made so I going to have to install all new baseboards & door trim throughout the house. One room at a time. Appreciate your expertise & detailed instructions. Hope I can do as good a job as you’ve done. Learning as I go. lol
Yes, you did get lucky. My experience apparently has been as yours, that the miters do not always come out right the first try. That is why I always put the header piece up first and then match the legs. I have seen many people use your way by putting the legs up first. The problem being is that when you don't "get lucky" you wind up cutting the header shorter and then your reveal must be adjusted. If you get really unlucky and both miters of the header have to be adjusted then your reveal will wind up being noticeably off. On the other hand if you make your adjustment to the leg then at worst you will wind up with a small space at the sub floor which, if the finish floor is carpet, tile or wood, it will not matter at all. I liken this to painting yourself into a corner, but then each has their method I suppose. One more thing, when I was a young man such as you I did not bother to wear hearing protection either and now I am paying the price. Do yourself a favor and take care of your health at work. Despite my critiques I think you've made a great video!
You just need to bisect the angle of the door jamb on both ends. Carry a mitre protractor in your belt for this. No getting lucky, no weird reveals, no adjusting and no different length hypotenuse on mitres.
Thanks Vancouver Carpenter, I followed your guidance and just installed some casings that for the first time didn't look terrible.... Also thanks to your tip on the gangsta style grip I looked cool while installing it.
Great content. I've watched a lot of your videos recently as I was working on a small diy project. Found your videos really helpful. Thanks, and best wishes
Vancouver Carpenter , in the US we call it a combination sq this is a sliding t bevel. www.homedepot.com/p/Johnson-T-Bevel-B75/100353824?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD29A%7CMulti%7CNA%7CPLA%7CMajor-Appliances%7CSpecial-Buys%7c71700000032418849%7c58700003842365800%7c92700030987191770&gclid=CjwKCAiA8rnfBRB3EiwAhrhBGkiGfgAtlPInkJmsbKT6wFOy1tLAXGJvB67JTpI8XAQS3hb65wz9TxoClasQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Nice. Everyone does tutorials on walls and frames that are absolutely perfect. Then it doesn't work when you try it in the real world. I think your tips are definitely going to help when I give this a go on my definitely less-than-perfect 1920's walls/doorframes.
Very nice! Love your videos. I do the same steps except i biscuit all miters. ( I get it that Novices may not own one) and I use a shim along with the glaziers to reinforce against movement. Also I tack corners and middle only then fit joints. Glue up, then finish naill off. It allows removal if the cuts need tweaking or a little 1/64 bump if i so desire.
@@R1ckyfrankl1n Anyone can paint, but after time of experience. As a beginner I would cut in wavy so bad it forced me to use tape. But after a few years, I could cut straight with my eyes closed while I'm balancing myself on a basketball and drunk as hell. Jk. But you get my point. Lol
This type of video remind me how not enough it is to buy a book about how to do this type of work. Thanks a lot! Now I can finally stop having to fill my not 45 degrees angle with silicone :D
11:57 also wear your safety glasses. Yesterday I was using 1 1/2” nails and they where bending in a u shape. I think it was hitting something hard. Then one if them actually flew out and scratch the side of my face. Almost got my eye. I never thought that would happen.
Put a trash bin under the miter saw, no one does it and I can't understand why? It is so easy and keeps the site clean. Great videos by the way, I really enjoy them
Gareth Kalber, TOTALLY!!! I hate tripping over garbage, plus saws are dangerous and most guys have the biggest messes at their feet while working with their saw.
I assemble and glue all the casing together on a flat surface. I use spring clamps to hold the miters tight while the glue dries. The assembly goes up together and the miters always stay perfect. No tuning necessary. Please use saftey glasses. A 2" nail hitting the head of a drywall screw will do some crazy things.
