# Trimming-out drywall-wrapped openings



## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

Hello. I got talked into 'wrapping' openings (like the opening between living room and dining room--there's no door) with drywall and trimbead on my current renovation project. Usually I just trim out the whole thing--wall and jamb sides. Anyway, now I find that trimming this out is a little weird.

Do I run my face trim straight down to the floor like I usually would? If I do that, and butt the basebard up against the face trim, then what do I do with the trim on the jamb side? Or do I first run my baseboard continuously around opening, then run my face trim, butting it up against the top of the baseboard?

I'm not sure if you can figure out what I'm asking. I don't have a picture, although that would be easier.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Not sure I follow you. 

A.) Are you "wrapping" the opening with drywall (sheetrock) and corner bead? 
OR
B.) Are you isntalling wood trim around the opening?

A.) Drywall: Install sheetrock as needed, install corner bead, coat, sand. Then install the baseboard, wrap the baseboard around the lower walls and what would be the "Jamb" as well. Miter the corners.

B.) Wood Trim: Install jambs to the floor. Install Casings to the floor. Install baseboard on walls (not at jambs) and but the B.B. to the casings.


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

Thank you. We are wrapping the doorway with drywall--in fact, it's already done. And the guy who is handling my trim is installing the trim as though we did NOT wrap the doorways in drywall. He installed the casings to the floor first and then butted the baseboard up against it on the wall side of the doorway. That leaves an awkward trim problem on the jamb side of business.

Well, I guess I'm on my way over there to tell him to start over again. This is why, until this project, I have done all the work myself. I really hate this crap.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

You could have him cut mitered returns on the end of the baseboards so they aren't just simply stopped. It is a subtle detail but sometimes looks good.

Here's an example...I did it here with the base cap. By the way this picture was taken before I did some very necessary spackling!


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

It helps to attach the pic...:whistling2:


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

Thank you, kctermite. Thanks for the picture--to me, that is the ONLY way to do trim in that situation. You simply must make the trim return on itself. It provides a nice, polished finish. I wish I had a picture of a simple doorway (without a door) that is fully wrapped in drywall and then trimmed out properly.

I went over to the job site and argued with the trim guy. He insists that, not only do you not wrap the baseboard around and then but the casing up against the BB, but you don't put any BB or other trim on the jamb side of the opening. He says that, once the finish flooring is in, he finishes the drywall on the jamb so that it meets right up against the flooring seemlessly. This makes no sense to me. I think he's just trying to cut corners.

Can anyone help me with good picture examples of how to trim out this exact type of situation?


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

It is definately an atypical situation you're dealing with. 

I'm confused...Are you casing the opening or not? If so, I don't know of a good way to trim it. It is just very unconventional, at least around here. These sorts of things vary from region to region though.

Bottom line is that he's your contractor, and should trim it the way YOU want it.


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

Yes, this is a weird situation. I regret letting him talk me into wrapping these openings in drywall. Am I right in thinking that this 'finish' option is more appropriate in more contemporary homes, where you install only baseboard around the bottom--no casing at all? Isn't that how it's usually treated? 

What I really want him to do is install a trim piece against the jamb, and then reposition the casing so there is like a 1/8" reveal. Just like I wanted it in the first place. It's only 3 doorways. It's not going to kill him.

Whattaya think? I really appreciate the advice I've been given here, by the way. I have been searching for a good DIY forum for nearly a year now, and this one looks great. I've spent the past couple of hours scouring other posts and have learned a lot! I've learned many new things, but it's also great to learn that I've been doing a lot of things right all along! Thank you very much, everyone.

I'm gonna go post an introduction of myself in the intro forum, if anyone's interested.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

I'm with you on this. It isn't too late to conventionally build the jamb and cased opening. If nothing else, it will look good and will be much more durable.

I occasionally see homes with rocked jambs, but they're usually the "southwest" look with the rounded corner bead instead of the standard 90 degree stuff. On those, they run the base right through the opening.

Remember, you're paying for this. You need to love it when it is done.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

I too suggest taking the S/R out (if needed) and just going with the classic wood cased openings. 

I personally hate S/R wrapped openings. We only see them, or do them, on bargain, low budget projects.


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

Thanks guys. I agree completely. In fact, I'm on my way over right now to straighten all of this out. It will be done the way I like (the right way!) or he can leave and I'll finish it myself.

Thanks!!!


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## RenovatorLLC (Jun 8, 2008)

I'm guessing he won't like it, as his now installed baseboard will probably be too short. Even if you take away the sheetrock, shimming the jambs plumb and the jamb thickness will require moving the casings in toward the center of the opening, leaving a gap where the baseboards were once butted to the casing.
In any event, he is whacked if he thinks that is normal. At least on the eastern seaboard, anyway. I've never seen such a thing from an experienced contractor (seen some weird stuff from DIYers, though. Not that there's anything _WRONG_ with that...:whistling2


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

Yeah, he wasn't amused when I told him to re-do the openings. But the openings are very wide, so I did not require that he remove the rock from the jamb--just wrap it in trim wood. We can afford the decreased opening size a little bit. So that's what he's doing, happy or not.

Thanks again for all the help, guys!!!


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Glad to hear it worked out for you. :yes:


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

Well, I wish I could say it actually 'worked out' for me. Unfortunately, my contractor has not shown up or contacted me since this past Tuesday morning. Subsequently, I have learned that the police are looking for him for a few reasons and that he does methamphetamines. Nice, huh? 

So I changed the locks and left messages for the contractor to call me--told him he's fired and not welcome on the property and that he must make an appointment to retrieve his tools. So far, I've heard nothing from him.

So much for hiring alleged professionals. I'm back to doing this stuff myself. And the first thing I'm going to do is remove all the crappy trim he did and do it over right this time.


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## RenovatorLLC (Jun 8, 2008)

Sorry about the experience. I'm assuming you asked for his license number and checked his references, no?


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

He is not a licensed GC. However, he came highly recommended by two people whose opinion I hold in high regard. In addition, I have seen his work on similar projects. His work early on at my project was very good, and we had no problems. Inspections passed with flying colors. I think what has happened is that he has gotten more involved in his drugs.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

tmpyankee said:


> I think what has happened is that he has gotten more involved in his drugs.


Didn't that raise a red flag with you??? :whistling2:

Guys like that tend to get less involved with paying their insurance, showing up on time if at all, or doing high quality work (especially on fridays).


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Holy smoke!! The contractor from H__L! Wise move on your part. Please don't think we're all like that, though. And I would agree with everyone else as far as using trim, not drywall and corner bead. I guarantee it wouldn't take long before something banged into it (furniture during move-in....) and you'd be repairing and repainting. Good luck.


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## daxinarian (Jul 9, 2008)

thekctermite said:


> Didn't that raise a red flag with you??? :whistling2:
> 
> Guys like that tend to get less involved with paying their insurance, showing up on time if at all, or doing high quality work (especially on fridays).


I would assume that the drug use was unkown at the time of hiring...

tmpyankee: good lord woman, you must have come down on the guy that pretty hard to drive him to drugs :wink:


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## tmpyankee (Aug 25, 2008)

No, had no idea he did any kind of drugs when I hired him. And like I said, he was doing really good work right up until about 2 weeks ago when he would disappear for a day or two and then have some excuse, and I'd have to make him re-do this or that. He was treading on thin ice and he knew it, and this is just the last straw.

I know not all contractors are like that. Unfortunately, the good ones are so very expensive. Or they treat me like I'm a pushover just because I'm a woman. I'm no pushover. I'm no expert either, but I've done just about every aspect of numerous full-renovations in my short time on this earth: pouring footings, replacing a roof, framing, subflooring, replacing mudsills/joists, etc., tile, hardwood flooring restoration/new install, finish trim, sheetrock, paint, complete kitchen install, landscaping, retaining walls, windows, gutters . . . you name it! Only thing I won't do is plumbing and electrical. But some of these guys take one look at me and think they can just walk all over me. It's frustrating.

Got anyone you can recommend who works in Fort Mill SC and can respectfully work with a woman without costing me an arm and a leg? I've got 3 complete gut-job renovation projects within a 1/2-mile of eachother just waiting to get done. I can't do it all myself and live to tell about it.

Well, sorry about the tirade. Thanks for the help!!!  One day, I'll find a good construction team to work with me--good people like I'm finding here on this site. :thumbup:


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

I'm sure you'll hear from someone who can point you in the right direction. Sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on things already. I did a job in Anderson S.C. (a McDonalds) years back, but that's way closer than your location and when gas was $.55/gal. best of luck!


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Sorry about my attempt at sarcasm regarding his little habit! I'm sure you didn't know about it prior to hiring him. 

Sad but true, these days if you want a quality contractor you have to pay good money. Most of the guys with lower bargain prices are priced that way for a reason.


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