Architraves with proud door linings/frames

[Brendan]

I'm having to take on internal carpentry to get my house finished.

 

Most of my door frames are 5-10mm proud of the plastered walls (though due to uneven plastering it might vary from 0-10mm along the height of the frame. I should be able to sand down the plaster in some areas if needed).

 

In order to get the architraves to sit nicely flush against the walls, should I:

 

1) remove the frames and trim them down, then re-fit

2) rebate the architraves

3) something else?

Edited July 8, 2023 by Brendan

[TonyT]

I think removing the frames would be the quickest and easiest way, especially as you can now pencil mark the plaster edge, remove, and refit.

 

once you get over the heartache of removing one the rest will fly in, and you will realise it’s the best decision 

 

good luck with whatever option you go with

 

 

 

[nod]

Another option is to cut your arcs to size and pencil line round them Trim the excess back This works up to 5 mil But any more than that you would be better following Tony’s advise and put a deeper lining in 

[Conor]

3. Just fit them and caulk the gaps.

[nod]

3 minutes ago, Conor said:

3. Just fit them and caulk the gaps.

I think it’s the other way round 

Plaster holding the arcs off 

Or have I misread 

[joe90]

14 minutes ago, nod said:

think it’s the other way round 

Plaster holding the arcs off 

Or have I misread 

I think you have, although I have found it’s usually the other way round!!. 

 

“Most of my door frames are 5-10mm proud of the plastered walls “

 

you could always plane the door frame down in situ, taking the frame out is overkill IMO. When I fitted my architrave I pinned it to the frame and no nails to the frame, a few mm can be filled by the no nails and acts as a caulk as well.

 

 

[bassanclan]

+1 electric planer and a sander to get it to 2mm

[ProDave]

2 minutes ago, bassanclan said:

+1 electric planer and a sander to get it to 2mm

Except how do you plane the last few inches down to the floor?  Chissel?  Hand plane with a forward blade?  

[joe90]

3 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Except how do you plane the last few inches down to the floor?  Chissel?  Hand plane with a forward blade?  

I do have a plane with a forward blade but not that common I know, a sharp chisel and care will do it (still less work than removing the whole frame 🤷‍♂️.

[TonyT]

Is the frame screwed or nailed in?

[Nickfromwales]

Whatever you do, do NOT cut / chisel / plane these linings down!! 
When you come to install arrow-straight doors to the wavey linings you will kick yourself.

Work out what the minimum amount is that needs removing, mark each lining side with this information, remove the lining, cut it down with a track saw (and nothing else) and then refit. 
As you’ll have taken the minimum amount off, you’ll still have some gaps to fill, but that ‘the norm’. 
If you are an excellent chippy, you could use an electric plane, but you won’t get straight lines at the beginning and end of the ripp.

 

[Brendan]

11 hours ago, Conor said:

3. Just fit them and caulk the gaps.

 

I don't think 10mm of caulk would ever look good, certainly not for long.

 

 

11 hours ago, TonyT said:

I think removing the frames would be the quickest and easiest way, especially as you can now pencil mark the plaster edge, remove, and refit.

 

once you get over the heartache of removing one the rest will fly in, and you will realise it’s the best decision 

 

good luck with whatever option you go with

 

 

 

 

In some cases this would have the advantage of me only having to modify one side of the frame (or lining) as it's proud of the wall both sides.  They are screwed in place as far as I can tell.

 

3 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Whatever you do, do NOT cut / chisel / plane these linings down!! 
When you come to install arrow-straight doors to the wavey linings you will kick yourself.

Work out what the minimum amount is that needs removing, mark each lining side with this information, remove the lining, cut it down with a track saw (and nothing else) and then refit. 
As you’ll have taken the minimum amount off, you’ll still have some gaps to fill, but that ‘the norm’. 
If you are an excellent chippy, you could use an electric plane, but you won’t get straight lines at the beginning and end of the ripp.

 

 

Would a table saw not be suitable, with an appropriate fence? 

 

I am not an excellent chippy, in fact I've never done this before, but I have run out of money and enthusiasm for paying other people whose job it is, to do a poor job and be happy with it.  In my favour, I am diligent, thoughtful, careful, considered, patient and thorough.  I'm also reasonably practically adept.  I've already learnt a lot of new skills and carpentry and bathroom fitting are just the next two on the list.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Brendan
typos

[Nickfromwales]

More chance of ruing them with a table saw tbh. Can you hire / borrow a track saw for the day and get them all out ready for cutting in one go?

Remember, you’ll be taking both sides worth of material off the one side, not cutting both sides   

[Brendan]

36 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Remember, you’ll be taking both sides worth of material off the one side, not cutting both sides   

 

Yes, I worked that out!

 

I've got 16 openings to do so buying one is likely to be the economical route.

[joe90]

9 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

More chance of ruing them with a table saw tbh.

Unfortunately I disagree with Nick here (the first time I believe!!) I have done woodwork most of my (long) life and with a decent table saw with a fence, cutting can be very accurate, cut 1/2 mm too big then cut that last 1/2mm and you will end up with a surface that with a little sanding will be fine for painting, alternatively cut 1/2mm too big then use a plane electric or manual. If you use the original fixings into the wall you will need to cut both sides but if using new holes  just cut one side. 

[markc]

Agree with @joe90 on this, a (well set up) table saw can and will be accurate to fractions of a mm. I can’t remember last time I used a jointer (flat bed planer) for straightening and levelling a board, I always use the table saw and rarely sand, or need to sand unless it’s for stain or varnish

Edited July 9, 2023 by markc

[TonyT]

I find that people who want to do a good job generally leave a good job so    Good luck to you 

[joe90]

3 minutes ago, TonyT said:

I find that people who want to do a good job generally leave a good job so    Good luck to you 

Yes, we all started somewhere, crack on and enjoy the journey.

[Dave Jones]

table saw all day long. They are cheap as well.

[Nickfromwales]

On 09/07/2023 at 07:36, joe90 said:

Unfortunately I disagree with Nick here (the first time I believe!!) I have done woodwork most of my (long) life and with a decent table saw with a fence, cutting can be very accurate

I can’t win them all, lol. 
 

I used a table saw for the first time, and I made a proper mess at the mid point and end, just through inexperience and that other thing…..wanting to keep my all my fingers and thumbs. That is a big distraction tbh. 
 

If it’s a table saw which has a nice big bed and supports the wood then great, but the small square table-top saws are a baptism of fire. 
 

For a one off job, and if the OP isn’t using these tools every day, then the track saw will be a great choice imho.

 

If the OP feels confident, then go with the table saw, but I’d recommend spending an hour or 2 running dead stock through it to get some practice in before going at the linings, as it’s pointless going through all this to save money and having to buy new linings as they got chewed by the saw. 
 

Particularly difficult to consistently keep the whole length against the blade fence all the way through to completing the cut, AND get it out of the blade before it gets another unwanted shave. 

I’d not consider this without a competent second pair of hands. 
 

Track saw can be clamped and used ‘mono’ so that would be my choice here, based on the OP’s experience. 

[joe90]

15 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

If it’s a table saw which has a nice big bed and supports the wood then great, but the small square table-top saws are a baptism of fire. 

I DO agree with Nick on the above and also using any power tool with no experience can be disastrous/dangerous. I modified my first table saw (small table top) by adding a table top around it giving support before and after the blade. I also invested in stand alone adjustable roller supports for long timber, one in front and one behind 👍