Installing Trim

Inspiration for Installing Trim Successfully

By reading and following these simple suggestions you will be installing trim work efficiently with professional looking results. A lot of times the results of your work will be the direct reflection of how you are feeling or what frame of mind you're in. I am a firm believer in this because of all the years I have done finish carpentry and of the experiences with my own employees.

I noticed something right away when I started hiring employees and working with them on a daily basis. When I showed up for work in the morning in a great mood, thinking and feeling positive, this positive energy was magically passed on to the guys. The results were phenomenal. I have seen inexperienced guys who I was training in for installing trim work do some amazing things. All the difficulties of trim work seemed too disappeared and their work was of great quality. I couldn't help but complement them on the work and this just fueled more motivation for them to do better.

Failure is Part of Installing Trim

By reading the instructions for a certain aspect of installing trim whether it's installing doors or baseboard or what ever and then taking on the job with a positive attitude will greatly improve your results. Don't sweat it if you can't get something perfect. You have to make small failures in order to succeed and it's how you learn and use these failures to move on. Don't let these little failures get you upset or angry or guess what?

When Not To Be Installing Trim

Being mad, upset, depressed or just negative brings poor results with your work. Installing trim will be too difficult and your work will show this if you proceed when you are in this state of mind. That's all I will say about negativity, it's not worth the energy to dwell on. I recently wrote an article to help you get and stay in the frame of mind you need to be in when doing any type of finish carpentry or installing trim work, and here it is.

Getting the Mind Set for Finish Carpentry

Lots of people want and try to do their own finish carpentry. They begin with high hopes and good intentions. They buy books, watch videos, talk to professionals, and use the web for information only to end up with total aggravation.

Here are some good tips and general information to help get that professional looking trim work for your project and hopefully keep the aggravation at bay. You always pass failure on your way to success.

First, when doing finish carpentry work, your attitude and mood directly affects your performance and quality of the trim work. Some of the best finish carpenters have a difficult time doing quality work if they are upset or mad or depressed about something in their life. To prevent this, in the morning before you begin working, take a shower, eat breakfast, put on some new shoes, have a clear mind, be in a fantastic mood and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish. Focus is the key.

Having the right tools for the project is also a huge factor for quality. Poor tools can some times produce poor quality. Poor tools can fuel aggravation. So be sure to buy or borrow the best tools you can. Make sure the saws have sharp blades, keep your pencil sharp, your knife sharp and your mind sharp and your work will be sharp. Remember - success doesn't come to you, you go to it.

Knowing how to use these tools safely and effectively is also a big factor. Practice a while with them before working with them if you are not familiar with them. Practice making some angle cuts that are involved with trim work. All the different joints and miters can be a bit of a challenge at first - so practice making miters or coping or doing outside corners before cutting and installing the actual pieces. Practice with the different trim pieces like the casing or baseboard or shoe or chair rail whatever the job entails. Practice makes perfect.

Another factor that can distract you is the environment you are working in. Interruptions like too many people around or in the way, interrupting phone calls, working where it is cold or hot or what ever the case, all of these should be addressed before you begin. Do your best to make it as comfortable as possible. When you get to your working area clean it up and do what you can to keep it clean and clutter free. Walking over wood scraps and cords and hoses is not only annoying but also dangerous.

I once tripped over a hose with my hands full and fell to the floor. I caught my self with one hand hitting the floor and fractured my wrist. The best part is that I am indestructible and that sort of thing never happens to me..Yea Right!

Your goal is to make it as comfortable and as safe as you can any way you can, given the situation. Even after taking all of these suggestions into consideration this work can still try your patience. There may be times when no matter how hard you try you can't make something work. When this happens, take a break, clean up, or go start something different, chances are when you come back it will work.

Remember this, wisdom and experience doesn't come without a little suffering and rarely do we experience success without practice. If you take the time to prepare both mentally and with your technique, you will end up with a finished project you can be proud of.

Return From Installing Trim page to Home - Finishcarpentryhelp.com.