# Options for finishing trim



## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

I'm remodeling my family room and will be installing crown, base, casing and new cased openings. I'll probably use pine but haven't ruled out oak. 

On past projects I've always stained and finished the trim before installation but am giving serious consideration to finishing it after installation. It'll be stained and will have brushing laquer applied over the stain. If I use pine I'll of course use sanding sealer first.

Is it a bad idea to install the trim over primed walls and ceilings, finish it in place without being overly concerned about getting stain and laquer on the walls, and then paint the walls and ceilings their final color? 

Or should I just take my lumps and pre-finish this stuff before hanging? I'm a heck of a carpenter but I am terrible at the finishing part of this.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I would do the finishing before installing the trim. Much easier to get a uniform finish, and less of a backache.


----------



## skymaster (Oct 30, 2006)

HEY Termite!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First yes i would finish on the floor sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much easier, also where ever you get your material they will have COLORED putty crayons to match any stain color, I use Minwas critters just like a grease pencil, they do magic :}:}:}:}
Second and most important


congrats and best wishes from me and mine to you and yours:yes:


----------



## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

Thanks to both of you guys and thanks for the congrats Skymaster. So you'd suggest staining _and clear-coating_ the trim before installation and then using the crayons to fill the nail holes once it is installed? Even with a good color matched putty will the nail holes show up since there's no clear over them?

I'm probably using oak but am having a heck of a time getting a color match to the dark cherry colored furniture we're using in the room. Any ideas? I've tried Cabot cherry stain with and without sanding sealer and it is about half as dark as I need it to be. Mix a dark walnut color and the reddish cherry???


----------



## skymaster (Oct 30, 2006)

Termite: You are on the right track, minwax r usually easier to find in the "boxes" so if you cant find exact color on one stick you can mix em to get the right color. Mohawk is another top end brand, you will have to hunt for a distributor in your area. Remember these are the "grease" pencil type NOT the little putty bottles. Way gooder flavors in pencils :}:} IF you need to mix, remember exactly what you did :}:} Dont ask me why I say this :}:}:}:}:}
:laughing::yes:


----------



## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

*A little follow-up*

Hey guys-

A little follow up after the trim's completed:

I took your good advice and finished the trim in the garage before hanging it. Glad I did that. 

I used a water-based dye to get the color a deep reddish-brown mahogany color on the oak trim, and followed up with 3-4 coats of brushing laquer. The dye is something I've never used before and I have to say it beats the heck out of conventional stain for uniformity of color and ease of application. The only downside is that since it is mixed with water it raises the grain unless you pre-wet the wood, let it dry and then sand it down before applying dye. I won't be using stain in the future, I'm sold on TransTint dye.

The Minwax Blend-Fil crayons are absolutely awesome. Those nail holes absolutely dissapear! I've seen them a hundred times and never gave them a thought and I'm glad to have learned of them here. Very impressed with the results...Much better than putty ever did for me.


----------

