Trimwork Questions.

adettman

Hello. My name is Adam. My experience with carpentry is limited. However, I've been hired to install door and window trim in a house that's being sold in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I'm familiar and comfortable with the tools necessary to finish the job. The process itself, however, is a bit foreign to me. I've watched a film, scanned through a book. I'm eager to take on the job.

The problem I'm running into is that the window jambs are not flush with the surrounding drywall. I would use jamb extenders to correct this problem but the gap between the jamb and the drywall is not uniform around the window. At the top of the window, the drywall is proud of the jamb 3/8". Once you follow the side jambs down, however, the bottom is flush with the drywall and would require no jamb extenders.

The person that's hired me to complete the work has suggested running a jamb extender around the window to compensate for the greatest gap (3/8"). At the bottom, then, there would be a 3/8" gap between the trim and the wall behind it. He intends to caulk this cap and paint over it. I think the resulting gap may be too large to caulk.

Please reply with any thoughts or suggestions you may have. One other possible solution is to reset the placement of the window itself in order to bring the jambs flush with the drywall. This may be more work than it's worth as the house isn't in the best of shape to begin with and the sellers are only interested in getting it on the market as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I appreciate the database of information that this website provides.

wolffhomerepair

Typically with jam extensions you make them slightly thicker than the biggest dimension. In your case 3/8". Then attach and take a hand plane to bring them to the exact level of the drywall.

Big Dave

Is this a new home or a remodel. The reason that I ask is in some new construction the framers, who usually install the windows, do not do a great job. If the house has vinyl siding on it you may be able to go to the exterior and push the top of the window in enough to be flush. I have done this a thousand times.

Just a thought, Dave.

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troubleseeker

I cut tapered extensions on a table saw so they are flush with the drywall face or if you can't get a fairly accurate measurement, cut the width oversize, hold it in place, and scribe down the wall with a pencil. This will leave the extensions about a sixteenth proud of the wall. If the customer is willing to caulk three eighths of an inch, this will be absolute perfection to him.

winkydink

I have never heard the use of "Proud" as in quote above.
It is also used in the first post of this thread.

Can someone please explain it to me? Is this Canadian talk?
Or what is it's area of useage?

thanks

wink

Bonus

The Concise Oxford Dic. says: " Proud / adj. slightly projecting from a surface (The nail stood proud of the plank)" and mentions that it is a British usage (So Canadian too, presumably)