shane_hayes•2d agoProlific Poster

I finally finished that built-in for the old house on Elm Street

Started it three years ago when the client wanted something to match the original 1920s trim... spent last month just on the crown molding because nothing off the shelf fit. Last week I had to hand-carve a 4-inch section to match a water-damaged piece they found under the floor. Anyone else get a project that just drags on forever because of one tiny detail?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max2d ago

Three years is a long time, but that's not really a project dragging on. It sounds like the client kept adding new, very detailed work. A true forever project is when you're stalled on your own for months sanding the same cabinet door. Matching original trim from a find under the floor is just a new, hard job.

alicemurphy2d ago

Totally get that. I had a client who wanted custom molding matched to a 1920s original. We ended up making a plaster cast of the good piece to get the profile exactly right for the new wood. It added a week but saved so much guesswork. What kind of trim are you trying to match?

paulw532d ago

Plaster casts are a smart move for tricky profiles. Read about a guy who used dental molding putty for the same job on a historic door. Seems like a faster option if the original piece is still in good shape.