Adding Character To A Room: Part II

As mentioned in last week's article, which you can read at our Archives below, adding wood trim to a room will add warmth and character, as well as increasing the value of your home.

Among your choices, starting from the top of a wall and working our way down, are the following: crown molding, picture rail, chair rail, wainscoting, baseboard and shoe molding. Many older houses have had these architectural details removed during misguided remodelings. Many new houses simply had them omitted as a cost-cutting measure.

Fortunately for us, replacement woodwork can be found at architectural salvage shops, home improvement centers and lumber yards. You can expect to find an assortment not only of styles and forms, but of materials as well. Here is a brief summary of each and what you should look for:

Paint Grade Pine - These moldings will have been made of several short pieces of wood glued together end to end. The wood is generally of a lesser quality than stain grade pine, with numerous knots. Paint grade pine costs a little less, but it is meant to be painted to hide its flaws. It may also be offered in poplar wood, easily identified by its greenish streaks.

Stain Grade Pine - These moldings will be knot-free and will have been cut from long sections of wood to reduce the number of joints. It costs a little more, but can be stained and finished rather than painted.

Poplar - Technically classified as a hardwood, poplar acts more like a softwood. It typically is painted, as its subtle grain is easier to hide under paint than is that of oak. Nicknamed "poor man's cherry," poplar also responds well to a reddish stain and clear finish.

Oak (pictured) - This hardwood has a beautiful grain and is the easiest to stain and finish. It does, however, cost more than pine or poplar. Oak has a distinctive grain pattern, so if you are adding architectural details to a room that already has oak trim, you will need to stick with oak rather than being tempted to reach for pine or poplar. You can change the color, but not the grain.

Pre-finished Moldings - As their name implies, these trim pieces have been stained and finished in a factory. While they offer convenience, your choice of colors is generally limited to one or two shades. They invariably stand out in any room -- and not for the right reason.

Artificial Wood - One of the latest innovations, although not in a positive sense, is trim which is formed from styrofoam. Touted for being lightweight, these moldings are far more fragile than real wood trim, which weighs very little anyway. When damaged, they are difficult, if not impossible, to repair, patch or touch-up. Avoid them.

Staining and Finishing - Before applying your color of stain to any pine or poplar trim, first coat it with a Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. This fast, easy first step will insure that the wood absorbs the stain more evenly, reducing the blotchiness you often see in woods that have been stained.

Be sure to save your wood scraps to test whatever color of stain you choose. The picture on a can, brochure or website is only an approximation of the color. Each type of wood absorbs stain differently, so test first - making sure your test scraps have Wood Conditioner on them as well for an accurate reflection of how your trim will look.

The best finish I have found for interior woodwork is Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane. Easy to apply with a natural bristle brush, it dries quickly and forms a hard, durable shell over the wood.

TIP: If you are doing more than a board or two, rent or borrow an electric or air-powered trim nail gun. Less apt to dent the wood than your hammer, the nail gun will quickly and automatically countersink the nail heads, which you can easily disguise with Stainable Wood Filler. The nail gun will also save you the cost and inconvenience of an extra helper to steady each board while you hold the nail in one hand and a hammer in the other.

Good Luck!

-Bruce