Archives for April 2024

Upgrade Your Windows by Adding New Window Sills and Trim

April 30, 2024 by kelsey.mackall

My primary bedroom was looking boring and left me wanting. I replaced the flooring to match the rest of the house, trimmed the doors, repainted, and changed some decor. But I still wasn’t feeling right about the windows. I felt like they were super bare and I really wanted a way to dress them up without window treatments.

New Window Sills and Trim Are Easier Than You Think

I decided to frame my windows to help them have more dimension and to appear bigger. In order to start with a blank slate I used a knife to cut the caulk around the windowsills and apron (the piece of moulding under the window sill). Then I used a pry bar to remove them from the wall. I like to use the same boards for window trim that I use for door trim. Usually I go with pre-primed pine and I use 1x4s for the sides and the apron. I opt for a 1×5 across the top with a 1×2 laying flat on top of that. For the window sill I use an additional 1×5.

Woman scores caulk to remove window sill

Woman uses pry bar and hammer to remove window sill

I measure the windows and cut the trim pieces accordingly. For the top and bottom pieces I make sure to account for the 1x4s on the sides and add that to the length I cut the board. When cutting the window sill I use my jigsaw to cut out the corners where the window sill will extend past the corner in the front. When everything is cut I start putting up the trim using my nail gun. Even the window sill gets nailed down so it is secure. Then I caulk all of the seams where wood meets wood and where wood meets the wall. It gives it a seamless finish. I fill the nail holes with wood filler so that it can be sanded smooth for paint. I painted these window frames a creamy contrast to the walls, White Mocha by Behr.

Window Sills and Trim Make All the Difference

The end result is stunning. Framing the windows gave them a larger appearance and a much more finished look. They now match the door frames that I also updated the same way. I am so happy with this project and even happier that it’s a quick and relatively inexpensive update.

Improve the Look of Your Room by Installing Easy Craftsman Trim

April 29, 2024 by kelsey.mackall

I’m a sucker for clean lines and a simple look. The trim on my doors is outdated and desperately needs an update. I was in the process of refreshing my master bedroom and this project was a no brainer. The orange toned floors are being replaced with the same flooring used in the rest of the house. It gives the whole house a seamless look. I also added dimension to the flat doors, painted the whole thing, and replaced the lighting and decor. It’s just what I wanted and the updated door trim brings the whole look up a notch.

Easy to Install Craftsman Trim

I started out by cutting the caulk on the old trim and then wedging a pry bar in between the trim and the wall. It was super easy to remove the trim and give myself a clean slate to start with. For the trim I like to use pre-primed pine. I use 1x4s on the sides and a 1×5 on top with a 1×2 laid on top for a little more dimension. Measure the height of the door and cut the 1x4s the same. For the top I measured the width of the door and made sure to add the 1x4s to that number before cutting the 1×5. I cut 1×2 the same length as the 1×5.

Then I use my nail gun to attach the trim, taking care to ensure it is level. I attached the 1x4s vertically on the sides and the 1×5 across the top. The 1×2 gets laid on top of the 1×5 and also is attached with nails. Now that everything is attached I use caulk on the seams between the wall and the trim and also between the pieces of trim. Wood filler is great to use to fill the nail holes because it can be sanded smooth for paint. I used a contrasting creamy color, White Mocha by Behr, to paint the trim and complete the look.

And Done!

It was so easy to change this door trim out! I’m so glad I changed it because it really elevated the whole look of my master bedroom. It has nice clean lines and looks less dated than the previous trim. For around $100 in wood I was able to change the whole appearance of the doors in my room. I would recommend this to anyone looking to change things up a little bit!

Make Your Doors Look Brand New In Less Than a Day

April 28, 2024 by kelsey.mackall

There are so many parts of my house that are just, well, boring. I am desperate to do away with as many of the boring things as I can! Last year I updated the doors in my upstairs hallway and that changed the look and feel of that space so much. My master bedroom recently got new floors, and I just couldn’t help myself. I absolutely had to update the doors.

I Put In a Little Work to Have Brand New Doors

I had the best idea to update my doors. To carry out my plans I started by ripping down a sheet of 1/5 plywood underlayment into strips. I measured and cut them to fit my doors and then started to apply them. Once they were cut, I used liquid nails to glue them on, framing the outside edges of the doors, followed by the top and bottom. Then I added two horizontal strips to give even more dimension and character. After the glue I clamped the strips on to let it cure and added finishing nails to make it more secure. As always, I caulked the seams to give it a clean and finished look, then I painted them a contrasting creamy color, White Mocha by Behr.

Woman uses saw to cut wood sheet into strips

Stunning!

The change in these doors is jaw dropping. They look so different and so much more exciting. I can’t believe that such an easy project changed these doors so much. The master bedroom now has new floors and new doors. Soon I’ll update the baseboards too and then move on to an even bigger project!