Trim is the part of a room you notice without realizing it. Clean miters, tight copes, and consistent reveals make an ordinary room look finished. Gappy joints and caulk-filled corners do the opposite.
Common trim projects
- Baseboard after new flooring. Most flooring installers don't reinstall trim to a finish standard.
- Door and window casing upgrades, from thin "clamshell" trim to wider flat or craftsman-style casing.
- Crown molding. It's the hardest to do well because walls and ceilings are rarely straight or square. Inside corners should be coped, not mitered.
- Wainscoting, board-and-batten, and picture-frame molding on accent walls, dining rooms, and stairwells.
- Matching historic profiles in older Wilmington homes, which may need custom-milled or stacked stock moldings.
Material choices
MDF is stable and inexpensive and works well for paint-grade baseboard and casing in dry rooms. Finger-jointed pine or poplar holds up better to dings and moisture. Stain-grade oak, cherry, or walnut costs much more and requires a carpenter comfortable with no-caulk joinery. Use PVC or other moisture-resistant trim in bathrooms and basements prone to dampness.
What affects price
Linear footage, number of corners, profile complexity, whether old trim must be removed carefully, and whether caulking, filling, and painting are included.
Questions about trim & molding installation
Should trim be painted before or after installation?
Many carpenters prefer to prime and apply a first coat before install, then fill nail holes, caulk, and apply the final coat in place. Ask us who handles painting when we quote your job.