Architraves

[DavidC]

I'm fitting some architraves to my windows and doors
I have an excellent tradesmans quality drop saw and cuts 45 mitres perfectly

My problem is I'd like to know some ins and outs of marking and fitting to a window which is a closed square like frame.

Which side do I cut first the longer or shorter lengths ?
Do I start whith any side then work my way around ?
Any ideas that would help to follow a procedure that works best ?
Also my house is quite old and I will be going for a timber finnish
Because the window frame is not linning up with Gyprock wall by say
2-3 mm
how do I get the architrave to sit flush ? How would the tradesman get around this problem,.

[Auspiciousdna]

It doesn’t really matter which member you fix first, but I find it easier to temporary fix the head first, which gives you your height. Don’t forget the quirk; the quirk is 2 or 3mm set back from the edge of the jamb to allow for any adjustment due to any of the timbers not being true or straight.

So your head cutting size would be 2 quirks + 2 architraves widths + the opening.

Rebate the back of the architraves to get them to sit flush with the jamb if the gyprock is proud of the jamb or gap filler or a back mould (a bead to go around the architrave to hide any gaps if the jamb is proud)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
I hope this helps<o:p></o:p>

[DavidC]

hi thanks for your help
are you a carpenter or know of a good one to help me out further

[Auspiciousdna]

Jack of all trades and master of none, you could say! What other help do you need?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[Metung]

Thanks Auspiciousdna and Davidc because I will be going through the same exercise and this sounds like a pretty good approach to me - as long as I remember that the head cutting size is the top of the head ????? Somebody in the trade mentioned to me that it is imperative that you wood glue architrave joints before nailing to minimize the chances of relative movement - also sounded like a pretty good idea.

[journeyman Mick]

Here's another way to fit archs:
Measure your opening and calculate your required lengths (opening + (2 x stock width) + (2 x quirk).
Cut all four pieces.
Lay face down on a level surface.
Push one corner together and use a staple gun to tack it together.
Repeat for other corners .
Lift the whole thing up and fix in place.

The staples will pull the corner together and you'll end up with a nice tight mitre in each corner.

Mick

[Driver]

I've got an interesting one to sort out.

I'm converting a sliding door opening to a hinged door. The existing architrave is a rolled steel profile with no accommodation for hinges (the other steel-framed door openings in the house have hinges welded into the architraves).

In order to attempt a match with the other door opening in the same room, I intend to construct a jarrah frame to fit over the steel profile. The jarrah frame will serve two purposes

1. To provide a support for the door hinges.

2. On one side, to provide a visual match for the other door in the same room.

To achieve this, I'll have to construct the frame such that it will fit over the existing steel section. This will mean routing out the back of a rectangular jarrah section (70 x 30 mm) to accommodate a steel profile that protrudes 15 mm from the wall surface and is 40 mm wide.

Assuming that I can obtain some decent straight pieces of jarrah more than 2100 mm in length and rout the profile as described, can I use the assembly methods you recommend?

Any advice gratefully received.

Col

[Auspiciousdna]

Lay face down on a level surface.
Push one corner together and use a staple gun to tack it together.
Repeat for other corners .
Lift the whole thing up and fix in place.

Mick

But what if the surface is not perfectly flat? (On the same plane) Your joints will open up, because you need to back off one of the miters!!!!!!

Just something to think about!!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[ausdesign]

As Auspiciousdna said and mark your quirks in all 4 corners. cut the bevel at one end of the top arc, hold it up in place and mark the length to the quirk line. fix it in place & then do the sides. - do the top mitre cut, hold it in place, see that the cut is closed nicely when you've lined up on your quirks & then mark the length and glue the joint & fix it at the joint & part way down the arc but only pin it towards the bottom. Do both sides & then fit the botoom arc and readjust the side arcs if necessary to get a closed fit on the mitre cut.
Its not unusual for mitre cuts to be off the 45 degrees. It depends on how good the window frame is installed.
A brad through the side of the arc to hold the mitre is good practice unless its mdf.

[Auspiciousdna]

As Auspiciousdna said and mark your quirks in all 4 corners. cut the bevel at one end of the top arc, hold it up in place and mark the length to the quirk line. fix it in place & then do the sides. - do the top mitre cut, hold it in place, see that the cut is closed nicely when you've lined up on your quirks & then mark the length and glue the joint & fix it at the joint & part way down the arc but only pin it towards the bottom. Do both sides & then fit the botoom arc and readjust the side arcs if necessary to get a closed fit on the mitre cut.
Its not unusual for mitre cuts to be off the 45 degrees. It depends on how good the window frame is installed.
A brad through the side of the arc to hold the mitre is good practice unless its mdf.

Man that was really technical, I liked it!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[journeyman Mick]

But what if the surface is not perfectly flat? (On the same plane) Your joints will open up, because you need to back off one of the miters!!!!!!

Just something to think about!!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

If I framed it and jambed the opening it will be flat!

If the opening isn't true, then yes, I'll back the cut off a bit and staple it together. This will open the front of the join up, but only until you nail the whole assembly up against the jamb, at which point it will force the front of the mitre hard together and open the backcut up ever so slightly. Just try it, you'll see.

Mick

[Driver]

Mick

I can't send you a PM because your folder is full. However: thanks for your fax.

I guess you're right - because the door frame won't be carrying a load, plenty of glue will hold it without the need for it to be screwed to the existing metal jamb. I'll get some Sikaflex.

Thanks for putting me right on the terminology, too. It's been a long time since I needed to talk seriously about building components and the brain is undoubtedly getting rusty!

Regards

Col

[Driver]

I've finished the project described above (thanks to some good advice from journeyman Mick )

I didn't take a "Before" shot of the original crappy sliding door arrangement but you'll get an idea from the first photo below of how I went about re-cladding the existing rolled steel frame with jarrah sections.

The second photo shows the finished article. I won't claim too much credit for this. I didn't build the door. It's a bought one. However, I spent a bit of time putting a finish on it, using UBeaut White Shellac. Started with a sanding sealer mix, using 1 part shellac to 8 parts pure metho; then two coats of a thin mix (50% shellac) and finally two coats of a 70/30 mix.

It's a good finish to use from several different viewpoints. It dries quickly so you can apply several coats in the space of a day. You don't have to worry too much about cleaning your brushes out between coats because a quick swish around in the pure metho dissolves the hard shellac and softens the bristles quickly. The white shellac doesn't darken the wood much so you can either leave it as is (which I did because I quite like the colour of the cedar) or you can stain it to any shade you like.

Anyway - thanks again to Mick for his advice. Bel and I are pretty happy with the conversion from an ugly and boring flat-faced sliding door on a very ordinary metal frame to something that looks a bit more classy.