Ron's second HouseCall of the day took him to Brunswick, Maine. In fact, he actually started this visit a day early by trading a night in a campground for one at the Brunswick Bed and Breakfast. Mercie and Steve Normand bought this charming Inn about nine years ago and have worked diligently ever since to maintain its New England character.
Click here for a list of what
you will need in order to complete this project.
|
 |
| |
|
There was one guestroom, probably a housekeeper's quarters in earlier days, that had trim work that was painfully plain and ordinary compared to the rooms throughout the rest of the house. The Normands wanted to add detail to the existing molding in this room to reflect the elegance and style that was typical of the other rooms in this home and in many of the larger 19th century homes in town.
|
 |
| |
|
1. Measure molding locations:
- Perhaps the most important part of any molding job is accurate measuring. Ron offers two important tips. One, make sure you are eye level when reading the tape measure. And two, it is always better to be a little too long than too short. You can always cut more off.
- Work slowly and take your time, double-checking yourself as you go.
|
 |
| |
|
2. Make cuts:
- Set up a power miter box for the miter or angle cuts. Most of the miters for a molding project will form a 90-degree angle.
|
 |
| |
|
- Start by taking one long piece of molding and cutting a 45-degree miter on one end. Measure from the cut end to the location of the second miter. For a more exact measurement, instead of using the hook at the end of the tape measure, place the one-inch mark at the end of the wood. Just make sure to add that inch back on at the other end.
- Be certain to determine if you are cutting an outside angle (like around the door casings) or an inside angle, (like from the doorframe to the baseboards) before you cut.
|
 |
| |
|
3. Apply primer:
- Apply a coat of primer to the molding pieces before nailing them into place.
|
 |
| |
|
4. Attach molding:
- Use a pneumatic nail gun for installing molding quickly and easily, especially in an older home, where pounding on the wall with a hammer can cause cracking and damage fragile plaster.
- Ron recommended using plinth blocks at the base of the door casing, and at the upper corners. A plinth block is a decorative piece of woodwork that can simulate the base of a column. On top of the plinth block, they added further detail using half-round molding cut into short pieces with miters on each end and applied to the face of the block forming a raised panel look. This type of simple touch can add beautiful detail.
|
 |
| |
|
- A piece of decorative molding to the face of the door casing created not only more detail, but the appearance of greater thickness as well.
- For the final piece, they added shoe molding along the baseboards just above the carpeting.
|
 |
| |
|
5. Caulk and spackle:
- Apply caulk to the seams or any place where there is a gap. This will give your molding job a professional look. Use interior spackling compound applied with your finger to fill any unsightly nail holes.
- Allow the spackle to dry and then give it a light sanding.
- Apply a coat of semi-gloss enamel.
|
 |
| |
|
RESULTS:
Without losing any of its existing molding, this room now lives up to the heritage of this 1890's home. Transformed from servants quarters to guest quarters, the Brunswick Bed and Breakfast now has an elegant vacancy just waiting to be filled! It only took one afternoon and a little expert advice from Ron! |
 |
| |
|
