Can You Use Baseboards as Door Trim?

Are you considering replacing your existing door trim? Or perhaps you are building a new home. In either case, you will need to install moldings or trims around your doors. Matching it with baseboards can often be difficult. You can’t go too thick or too thin because it would look odd. How do you match your trim without spending a lot of time comparing different pieces?

Can you use baseboards as door trim? Yes, you can use baseboards as door trim. However, due to the thickness of regular door trim compared to baseboard trim, it may look visually unappealing for some. Door trim is also designed to draw attention to the door, while baseboards do not.

Both baseboards and door trim have similar installation methods, mainly because the same product can be used for both. Casing or molding (same, may have different names depending on current use) is usually ⅝ x 2 ¼ inches in size and can be placed either on a door frame or on the floor as baseboards.

Attaching the Door Trim

When attaching the door trim, you will only need a few materials. And fortunately, if you also need to install baseboards, you will need the same materials, so you won’t have to switch tasks too much. If you have enough baseboard leftover and it matches your desired look – go for it. Otherwise, we’ll help you choose a trim later.

• Miter saw
• Finish nailer
• 1 ¼ inch finish nails
• Safety goggles
• Tape measure
• ½-inch wood cutting

Before you start repairing your door trim, it’s always good to note that wearing safety goggles is considered necessary. Whenever you use power tools, there is a risk of injury. Safety goggles can protect your eyes in case of an accident. Always wearing the proper PPE is simply the smartest way to do anything with power tools.

Choose a Thickness and Edge That Fits Your Style

When you start planning your DIY project to install door trim, you need to figure out what style you are looking for. There is a wide variety of options for door trim, and if you are using baseboards as trim, you don’t have many possibilities.

Basically, this is the biggest decision you will have to make when thinking about style is thickness. It determines a lot about the look you will end up with.

Most people use the tapered trim. This allows for less bulk around the door and a thicker edge that matches the baseboards. Do you want a fancier looking door or just a plain simple one? You have two main options when it comes to the edges or corners of your trim:

• Mitered casing is a trim style where only two straight right angles come together at the top of the door frame. Nothing special.
• Butted casing is a larger, thicker molding for your door. It only gets thicker at the top to accentuate the top of the door frame.

The Material of Your Trim Matters

Now, style is important, but materials are much more important. You want to make sure the material you purchase will stand up to your planned design. Whether you want to stain it or paint it, certain materials are better for each option.

• Paint-grade wood trim – This is the most common type of wood trim. Mostly, it’s already primed and ready for painting, so you can choose the color you prefer. The joints on this trim are very visible and can be hidden when painting, but will be visible if you just want to stain the wood.
• Hardwood trim – This is more expensive than paint-grade. However, this is what you want to use for areas with a lot of moisture. This trim won’t warp even when stained. This trim also doesn’t leave streaks when stained or painted, and it doesn’t have visible joints that break up the design when it gets stained. You can also order custom designs and sizes with this type of trim.
• Fiberboard trim or medium-density fiberboard (MDF) – Made from sawdust and resin, most pieces come pre-primed and ready for painting. MDF swells and absorbs water very easily, so it shouldn’t be placed near any possible water source. You can order complicated custom designs with it since it’s made of resin, but that can get very expensive.

Choose the Trim That’s Right for You

The choice of material for your trim is really important if you want to figure out how to make it last the longest. Even though trim is exposed to your everyday wear and tear, it’s always best to know which trims react better to moisture.

Moisture seems to be the biggest issue when it comes to wood or just building things in general. You don’t want swollen or warped trim in just a few months after installation.

The Installation Process

1. Prepare your space by making sure everyone knows you’re using power tools. This will ensure everyone is extra cautious to avoid injuries or causing you injuries.
2. If you’re replacing the trim on the door, you’ll need to remove the door trim and nails and patch any cracks or holes in the drywall where you’ll be placing the door trim.
3. Measure with the tape measure from the top edge of the door jamb to the floor. Subtract ¼ inch from your measurement.
4. Cut left and right miters on two casing pieces by using the measurement on the short side of the miter. Now, you have one for the left side of the door and one for the right side. A miter is a connection you create with the miter saw. It’s a 90-degree angle for the corners.
5. Use a level to ensure they are perfectly straight and nail the casing to the door jambs. You can use the wooden block to rest the trim pieces on to leave space at the bottom and keep them straight.
6. Measure the length of the top of the door jambs between the two pieces currently sticking out. Place a piece there just like with the side pieces.
7. Remove the leftover blocks of wood.

Finished! Now you can insert baseboard pieces to fill the gap at the bottom of the door frame.

Tips for a Smoother Installation

• If possible, always put the door trim on first. It’s easier to fit the baseboards into the door jambs.
• Cut the baseboards and door trim with square ends where they meet.
• Sand and round the edges as much as you can where they meet to allow for a smooth transition.
• If you have pre-finished trim or baseboards, it’s best to use a putty stick to fill the nail holes.
• If you have unfinished trim, use wood putty and sand it after it dries, then stain the wood.
• Always cut your pieces a little long first, you can always cut shorter if you have to, but you can’t fix the void you cut too short.

Overall, you can absolutely use baseboards as door trim, and it can even make the project easier since you won’t have to make as many decisions about what fits or doesn’t fit. As long as you do your research, you should be able to replace and finish your trim in no time.

Just make sure you use nails of the correct size and the right stain or paint to give it the finishing touch, so you have a project that won’t require much touch-up work over the years.