doorsstairstrim
This door separates a sunken rec room from a den. It has always struck me as odd that there is trim/casing along the bottom. Is there a better way of handling the trim around the sides, but with no trim at the bottom? Perhaps a stair nose with notches on the sides so it extends to the width of the casing on the sides would be a better choice? I’m looking to either validate that this was already handled well with the trim, or to identify a more typical approach.
The strips you made and installed are called extension jambs. We use them all the time to fit new windows and doors. I usually sand and prime them before I install them, but if you have already installed the jambs and old trim, here are a couple of ways to finish them off.
There are painter's caulk that will "fast dry" in an hour, that you may consider. If you are unhappy with the final leveling of the caulk, you can also use a super thin layer of lightweight spackle (not standard vinyl spackle) applied with a putty knife over the caulk. This product dries in about 20 mins and can be lightly sanded or shaped with a damp cloth.
Trim is a general term, often used to describe all types of molding and millwork.
Casing is a type of molding, typically used to trim the perimeter of windows and doors. Casing is typically less wide (tall?), but thicker than base molding.
11/16" x 2 1/4"
Base molding (or baseboard) is a type of molding, which is applied where the wall and floor meet.
9/16" x 3 1/4"
Crown molding (or crowns) is a type of molding, which is applied where the wall and ceiling meet.
7/16" x 3 5/8"
I think what the person was saying, was that the previous owner used casing in place of base molding.
Best Answer
I tend to agree that this door would look better if there was a threshold in the bottom of the door opening that included a projection nose out just a smidgen beyond the side casings both in overall side to side length and beyond the surface of said casings.
A door opening like this is a bit of a safety hazard and really should have a "landing" on the low side so that when you are concentrating on getting through the door that you do not get a surprise step up or step down at the same time.