If the local mill from which the trim is purchased has stock mouldings of pleasing design, the architect may safely specify them, but he should not make the economic mistake of demanding specially designed casing from full-size details of his own. The small house cannot stand this additional cost.
Any Mill will have
the above in stock
In selecting the trim, it is always important to bear in mind that it must harmonize with the walls and have no obtrusive appearance, since it acts with the walls as a background for the furniture. In Colonial work the painting of the trim white, pearl-gray, or cream is always the most pleasing, and so the architect should select a wood which will best take the paint. White wood and white pine are ideal for this purpose. Gum wood is good, but there is always the chance that it will not hold its place and twist. Yellow pine is difficult to paint well, since the hard summer wood has a tendency to stand out beyond the softer spring wood, making the surface irregular; but this difficulty can be overcome if a number of priming coats are used to fill in the grain before the enamel is applied. It is a mistake to finish the painted trim with a glossy enamel, for this will destroy its quietness and background effect. A matte surface of paint or an egg-shell enamel finish is better.
This same principle should be followed in selecting and treating the hardwood casing which is not to be painted. The trim should never be finished with a bright, glossy varnish and stain, for nothing is more ugly in its final effect. Treat the hardwood trim, such as oak, chestnut, ash, and the like, with an oil stain; rub in a filler, stained slightly darker, and then shellac. Over this apply a wax finish, and rub this down with a shoe brush. Varnish manufacturers make grades of varnish which give the dull effect of wax, and these can be used, if desired; but why? Many prefer to even omit the shellac and depend entirely upon the wax for the gloss.
When trim is delivered to the job, it should not be stored in a damp place nor fitted in place before the plaster is entirely dry. In fact, in order to protect the trim from losing its shape, as soon as it comes on the job a priming coat, or filler, should be applied to it, and the ends and back painted with white-lead and oil. It will be noticed that all well-designed trim has a gouged-out space at the back to permit circulation of air around it, and also to make it easier to fit against a flat surface of plaster.
| Stock Bed Mouldings | Stock Crown Mouldings |
Mouldings for the trim of exterior cornices, string-courses, and the like are often specially designed by architects for the small house, but it is a much better plan to use stock mouldings, selecting them to approximate the design that is desired. Through the efforts of many concerns the market affords many well-designed stock patterns of mouldings for exterior purposes. The idea is sound, and makes possible a great variety of designs through the standardization of parts, but at the same time cutting down the cost.
Likewise the standardization of doors and windows is another economic aid for the small house.