# Casing this entryway



## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

First, I appologize for the BAD pictures, I'm not sure where the camera wandered off, so I had to use my cell phone. 

This is the dining room I recently finished. I had planned to put some fluted casing [like this] around the door way, with rosettes in the upper corners. However, I can't seem to figure out a good way to make the fluted casing meet the baseboard.

If I stick it right on top of the baseboard (easiest), the casing is a little thicker than the baseboard and sticks out a little bit.

If I were to run the casing all the way to the floor and cut/butt the base to run up against it, I'm not sure what to do with the part that actually goes through the entryway (the ~8" depth of the doorway). I am about to the point where I think I'll have to go get some 1x10 boards, and rip them down on the table saw and trim out the whole doorway. I'd rather not, but will if that's the best.


Does anyone have any suggestions?


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

Nice work.

I'd do heavy 1x10's all around the bottoms.


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

probably need 5/4 for the plinth blocking


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## Mike in Arkansas (Dec 29, 2008)

What Tpolk said. Plinth block is the traditional way to do that. A thicker piece of wood slightly wider than your fluted molding. The wall molding butts against it and the fluted molding will sit on top. Make it 10 or so inches tall.


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

Then for the "doorway" part of entryway (it is off-white in the picture) - what do I do there? Do I wrap the "10 or so inch" board around at that level, or should I frame the whole inside of that doorway? Right now, it's drywall there.


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

might look pretty nice if you wrapped all three sides of the opening with 10" tall Plinth blocks and the fluted material to make it look like pillars. square cut the base into the plinth blocks and architraves across the top.
all painted nice and shiny ...


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

I think I will wrap the plinth around at 10". I hadn't thought about putting the fluted material on the inside of the doorway, that might look neat. I'll need to go visualize that to see if I'd want to go that route. That doesn't matter though, as it won't change the 10" plinth around the bottom. Just a question of whether or not to add extra fluting.

For the architrave across the top, I have started to think about doing something different than just running another piece of casing with rosettes. Every time I think about this the design gets more and more complex - ha.

I can't go too high above with a complex design though - the drop of the trayed ceiling will start getting in the way, and I don't want it to appear a jumbled mess (see picture).


Also, I have a smaller doorway to the kitchen that I was going to do similar, but I bought narrower fluted casing, since that wall on the right is not big enough for the stuff I want to use around the entry to the livingroom (see other picture).




P.S. Found the camera


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## YesMaam27577 (Jan 16, 2010)

In general, casing is done when there are jambs -- the casing hides the joint between the back side of the jamb and the (maybe rough) edge of the plaster/drywall.

IMO, the look of a cased opening is much more elegant than a plaster-wrapped opening.

So, IMO, if you want to case that opening, start by removing the baseboard on all three sides (inside, outside, and 'jamb'side). Rip some C-and-better pine to the proper width, and nail it up -- head jamb first, side jambs next.

Then add the casing, and re-install the baseboard.

A plinth block can be good-looking, but is only absolutely needed if the baseboard is thicker than the casing.


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

with proper painting of the drywall jamb you will never know its not wood


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

tpolk said:


> with proper painting of the drywall jamb you will never know its not wood


That's what I was hoping for. I am slightly concerned about framing out the jamb, because it is already somewhat of a low clearance (HVAC ducting running above it). I'm 6'-4" tall, the clearance is probably about 6'-6". Even putting a 1/2" board across the top might make it feel like I need to duck every time I walk through it.

I think I'll run the casing set off from the corner at 1/8 to 1/4 inch, leaving a slight reveal, as if it were just covering the gap for a board that framed out the jamb. For the base, I acquired a piece of 1-1/2" thick pine that I can cut to be both a plinth board, and wrap around the jam, because something needs to close the bottom - drywall jamb meeting floor doesn't work. 

Here is a sketch I mocked up of my concept. Not sure about the top of the frame above the jamb, that can be changed on the fly, the bottom is my main concern right now.


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

thats it


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

Thought I'd update where I'm at. I need to do the other side of the doorway, then caulk, fill holes, and paint the whole thing (jamb + trim) white. However, I'm down a table-saw at the moment, so I can't finish the architrave for the other side yet, hopefully I'll be back up by the weekend.

The top piece is assembled from 5 separate pieces of wood, and looks a lot better than the original idea of just putting a strip of fluted casing across the top, IMO. I used a 1x4 finish board as the back, with a 1x3 finish board as the top "shelf." Using 3" base moulding (ironically, what I tore out of this room and replaced), I put one strip upside down, then ripped a second strip down to about 1/2 height on the table saw. A piece of cove molding finished off the corner.


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

tasty


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Looks very nice = will look perfect once painted.

Only thing I would have suggested: To have set the plinth block back to create a "reveal" on the inside, closest to the opening.

Example: http://www.kelleher.com/documents/InstallWindow-DoorMouldings.pdf

Note the Reveal (set back) - to the left of the Plinth Block:


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## freeswimmin (Jan 23, 2010)

AtlanticWBConst. said:


> Looks very nice = will look perfect once painted.
> 
> Only thing I would have suggested: To have set the plinth block back to create a "reveal" on the inside, closest to the opening.
> 
> Example: http://www.kelleher.com/documents/InstallWindow-DoorMouldings.pdf


Xs2:thumbsup:
typically, in Victorian and 'finer' homes, these would be constructed as actual 'box' columns and trimmed out top and bottom with capitals and bases....

In modern construction and 'value engineering', a faux column is built with the applied trim giving the look of the original columns... this treatment should be done on all three surfaces for the full effect, but another cost saving way is to just apply to the 'face' of the opening on both sides and then paint the 'jamb' with the same high gloss trim paint to make it all look like wood. To finish the effect even better, the plinthe block (or larger base profile) should 'wrap' the opening by mitering the outside corners and cutting 'returns' on the side that meets the room baseboard (square cuts on trim with intricate profiles looks 'amature' and like a mistake unless it is bumping into a larger trim with a square edge). The wrapping and returns will also 'step out' from the column's vertical line making it look more like a true column with a base... 

typically plinthe blocks are always used with rosettes and 'high end' base as the base profile will usually be thicker than casings. (also helps the 'column' look:wink: )

the crown capital you've done looks great!:thumbup: IMHO, the wrapped base is needed as it appears 'top heavy' without the 'base' of the column.


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

Thought I'd update this with pictures. 


























I finished the other side of the entryway on Saturday and started painting the livingroom on Sunday. Here's what it looks like from that angle now:


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## freeswimmin (Jan 23, 2010)

:confused1: plinthe blocks at the top and no base molding wrapping on the 'column' base???

just my opinion, but looks a little odd to me, but i guess it's your's and how you want it... :huh:


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

There may be base molding wrapping the column base after I replace all the baseboard in the livingroom. That's on-deck along with crown when the painting is finished.

I wasn't going to use the plinth blocks at all, just the rosettes, but my wife liked the way they looked up there, so did what the 'boss' said.


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## Big N8 (Oct 28, 2009)

I like the looks. Great job.


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

She Who Must Be Obeyed wins...

I think it looks great. Nice job.


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## william duffer (Feb 10, 2010)

Looks great, if the wife is happy then life is much gooder.


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## Chippy21 (May 2, 2010)

*Dentil Cornice*

:thumbup:
Looks good, think the moulding you've used for the plinth block should have been mitred all the way round so no 'end grain' is visible. 

Dentil cornice like on this page looks pretty posh if anyone is doing something similar in a period property, think I might have a go at my place.

http://www.carpentry-tips-and-tricks.com/Architrave.html

There's also a picture of a moulding that's been fitted in between the dado rail and skirting, to create the effect of wall panelling with ease. That would look good in the reveals if they're wide enough? 

****, I wish my missus was happy with my work! MAybe if I got on and finished it...! :whistling2:


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