Window and door trim problem! Help please

[Mike Johnson - Chicago]

I'm finishing a project gone bad with many contractor stories I won't get into, except to say that I'm stuck with a situation and am looking for DIY help.

The project at hand is the installation of stained oak trim (800 lf).
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The window and door jambs do not line up with the drywall :( and "by how much" is highly variable! :mad:
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The only things I can think of doing are not going to go well:
1) Try to make shims/extensions to fit the tapered gaps and then stain them (2 coats stain + 3 coats water based poly).
2) Slit the drywall under the trim and bash/crush it with a hammer to "make it flat".

Anyone been through this before and have any "learned the hard way"s to share?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

[Peter Quinn]

I'd make some extension jamb stock, probably slightly thicker than the existing jamb stock with a rabbit with one leg maybe 1/4" to cover the existing window jamb so there is no gap/sight line issue. You will have to scribe them to the sheet rock so they end up flush. It may have been easier to measure and correct the problem before the windows went in, bit late for that now. If you put a slight chamfer or radius on the leg of the rabbit that cover the intersection of jamb and extension it will be barely noticeable. I might take another approach with paint grade but the options are more limited for stain grade work. For the purpose of scribing it may be easier to make the extension jamb moldings on the edges of wide boards, mark them and cut them off than to work with narrow pieces. I have included a sketch  for example. its a lot like a back band, but on the inside of the jamb rather than around a casing. Verify you will have clearance to remove your screens as required.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have run into that several times. It looks to me like you will have to do extensions. Without knowing how much of a difference there is in the offsets & the what corner joints will be, it is hard to say if you could get by without tapering the extensions. I have had good luck just using straight extensions if the offset is 1/8" or less.

[Conrad Fiore]

If you are going to overlay all your trim, the only way I know is to pack out all the jambs. I would prefinish the extension material just as the trim is. Rip strips slightly wider than the depth of the drywall so the extension stands proud by about a 1/32". Glue and nail the strips and set the nail heads about 1/8" deep. Run a block plane around the extension until the plane is flush with the drywall. Nail up your trim and Bob's your uncle. If you get any slight tearout around the inside, youy can touch it up with a dab of stain to darken it.
I have done this on tons of windows, painted and stained and it looks perfect.

[Randall Houghton]

Hi Mike
I run into this alot when doing window replacement. You need to make jamb extensions preferably out of the same material that the window manufacture used. If you are uncertain as to what that is contact the manufacture and they will be able to tell you the species and also the finish. I usually rip the extension piece so they protrude past the sheet rock about a 1/16 or so. The amount of the extension that protrudes past the sheet rock will vary which is ok because you just want it to be proud of the rock over its full length. I attach the extensions with glue and finish nails. After the glue has dried countersink the nail heads so hey are deeper than the surface of the surrounding sheet rock. I usually use a hand plane to trim the extensions flush with the sheet rock and I usually cover the wall around the window with paper so the sole of the plane doesn't mar the wall. I would avoid smashing the sheet rock as this is going to make it more difficult to fit the trim properly. Do you have a particular trim style that you're using or copying to match other trim in your house? Do your window need an interior sill? If so the technique for installing it is a little different than that of the jamb extensions. This can be a time consuming process so take your time and don't get frustrated. A good to great trim job can really increase the enjoyment and appeal of your home. Hope this helps.
Regards
Randy
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[Peter Quinn]

The rational for my banding suggestion is that it looks like the edges of that prefinished jamb have been eased, as they should have been prior to finishing. If you simply tack on an extension this will create a very obvious sight line that will illuminate the taper of the extensions a bit, and you will never have a seamless joint. You don't really have a glue joint at this point given its been sealed with finish, so the rabbit also gives you a sort of locator/mechanical connection . A little PL glue or adhesive might strengthen the bond a bit. I have also run them a bit proud of the sheet rock then flush trimmed with either a power plane or a router with a jig depending on the circumstances and the degree of taper involved. Its a fussy bit of work that takes time, but only once in a lifetime!

[Larry Edgerton]

Just replace the extension jambs with ones the right size. Not much more money and a lot cleaner.

Larry

[Edward P. Surowiec]

Hello Mike , all of the above are great solutions and I have used them. However be aware that if you plan to miter the trim molding the corners may not lie flat . Meaning that the two trim lengths that intersect at a corner will join in a good 45 but one of the legs may lie proud. I used Rosette Blocks in the corners in addition to the extension jamb solution mentioned earlier. Good luck.
Ed

[Ryan Mooney]

Wow some great detailed info here! I wish I'd known about SMC when I was redoing my trim :)


I used Rosette Blocks in the corners in addition to the extension jamb solution mentioned earlier. Good luck.
Ed

I would second the use of Rosettes or other non-mitred joins (i.e. but joint or craftsman style head) if you haven't done a lot of trim, getting the corners right can be a real bear on uneven walls - especially with stain grade where you can't hide it with paint.

I managed to mostly muddle my way through with a copy of http://www.amazon.com/Tauntons-Trim-Complete-Expert-Advice/dp/1561588695 which seemed to cover most of the basics (not saying its the best or 100% accurate, just that it worked for me).

I cut all of the Rosettes for our house on the DP with a Rosette cutter. It wasn't super hard, just slow (took about 5 hours to cut ~60 Rosettes) - if you have a lathe and can control the feed rate more accurately it goes a lot faster and you'd end up tossing less oopses. I used a crappy insert set (I think it was maybe $60 for a set of 20 about 4 years ago), if I was doing it over I'd just buy one decent profile.

[Mike Johnson - Chicago]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

I had enough "buffer" material that was finished along with the rest that I "sacrificed" the buffer to making the shims/extensions.

Going ok,I I'll post pics as I complete~

[Rich Engelhardt]

Re: Rosettas...
The style of the house plays a crucial role.
My wife and I agreed that, while rosetta blocks look nice - they are so out of place on our split level they looked stupid.
I trashed that idea & went mitered corners instead.

My vinyl replacement widows also left a 1/8" gap between them and the drywall surface.
Being vinyl, I couldn't shim the jambs out, I had to shim the trim.

Thankfully - like the rosettas - natural wood looked odd, so I used poplar and painted.