Trim Molding Wood
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Wood trim molding that decorates a room can have a natural finish or it may be colored with paint to compliment wall and ceiling colors. Likewise, the wood used to make trim molding can be either soft or hardwood. Softwood trim moldings usually include pine or fir, and are usually finished with white paint or possibly another color, depending on room décor. Oak is a common hardwood used for trim molding and is almost always left natural and covered with a clear coat like varnish or shellac. In some cases, it may also be stained to change to grain color before the varnish is applied. Poplar is another hardwood commonly used for trim molding when a painted finish is needed.
Hardwood Trim Molding
Red oak, pictured here, is the most commonly available hardwood molding for applications where a natural finish is desired. Finishing red oak with a clear coat will produce a reddish–brown color that goes well with most room décor. Red oak also takes a stain well but because it has an open grain, the finish will have light and dark areas that can be distracting to some. In these cases a hardwood with a closed grain is a better choice.
In addition to oak, hardwoods used to mill trim molding profiles include walnut, cherry, maple and poplar. The first three of these are most often used for furniture and cabinetmaking, trim moldings will have to be special ordered in most cases.
Poplar is a more commonly available hardwood often used for custom milled paint–grade molding because it holds an edge well and has a very smooth finish when painted. The grain color of poplar can vary greatly, even in the same piece, making it unsuitable for a clear coat unless the pieces are chosen carefully to get a uniform finish.
With the exception of poplar, hardwoods are typically harder than softwoods and will require carbide saw blades for cutting and shaping. Drilling pilot holes is required when fastening with nails unless a nail gun is used, which will drive and countersink the nail uniformly.
Hardwood molding can be used for all applications from baseboards to crown but this can get quite expensive and a natural finish on all the trim will absorb much of the light in a room. Many times a better choice is to use paint–grade moldings on baseboards, casings and chair rails and reserve hardwoods for unique features like a staircase or fireplace. In addition, a natural hardwood finish can be a good choice for crown moldings or built–ins like bookcases, adding a richer feel to a room than paint can.
Softwood Trim Molding
Softwood trim molding is usually painted but it may also be stained and varnished if a natural finish is desired. Softwoods commonly used to mill trim molding include fir, pine and hemlock. Pine is easily the most commonly available because it grows very quickly on tree farms and is an easily renewable source of raw material.
Softwood moldings will typically come in more profile choices and be less expensive than hardwood moldings. In addition to solid boards, softwood trim is also manufactured by joining scrap pieces with glue and finger–joints making an even more economical paint–grade product.
Softwood is very easy to cut by hand with steel saw blades and can be fastened with hammer and nails. It sands easily and planes to a very smooth surface which will produce a uniform finish when primed and painted. Finger–joined moldings will sometimes come with a white primer applied while solid pieces will be bare so they can be stained or painted depending on the users purposes.
Paint–grade molding is often used exclusively for room trim including crowns, picture and chair rails, casings and baseboards. While softwoods are indeed soft and easily dented, the price for a paint–grade molding can makeup for this fact. In addition, if a painted finish is the goal, there are other materials used to make paint–grade trim that can be used in combination with wood like plaster ceiling medallions and polyurethane crown moldings.