Hello and happy Make It Monday! My little guy Hunter woke up sick this morning, so I had to play mom first — this post is getting out during his afternoon nap.
I hope you had a chance to see my Secret Recipe Club reveal of bircher muesli — not your average overnight oatmeal. It’s a refreshing, make-ahead summer breakfast.
Now, on to Make It Monday!
If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to print this and hand it to your spouse to tackle. If your partner prefers to figure things out on their own, maybe these photos and steps will inspire them.
Recently Jacob installed a “new-to-us” old back door in our house and added decorative molding above it. The door was great on its own, but the molding really finished the look and made it fit our older home perfectly.
Here’s how you (or your partner) can add similar molding in 10 straightforward steps.
Supplies
- Exacto knife
- Pry bar
- Liquid Nails or construction adhesive
- Nails and screws
- Electric drill
- Hammer
- Miter saw (10″ blade recommended)
- Finishing nails
- Nail set
- 5″ x 1″ wide top molding (adjust width as needed)
- Decorative molding
- Caulk
- Paint
Step 1
Run an exacto knife along the paint seam between the existing molding and the wall to break the paint bond.
Step 2
Locate the existing nails and carefully pry off the molding around the door (top and both sides). Be gentle so the side molding stays intact — you’ll reattach it later.
Step 3
If the side molding is angled at the top, cut a straight horizontal line across those pieces. Apply liquid nails to the back, press the pieces into place, then secure with finishing nails driven into the door frame. Use a nail set to sink the nails below the surface.
Step 4
Measure the distance between the outer edges of the side molding. Cut the large 5″ x 1″ top molding to this width, adding 2 extra inches so it overhangs by about 1″ on each side.
Step 5
Run liquid nails along the back of the top molding, position it evenly above the door, and hold while the adhesive sets. Then fasten it with finishing nails and set the nail heads below the surface with the nail set.
Step 6
Cut three small pieces of leftover top molding and secure them to the wall above the top molding with screws — one at each end and one in the center. These act as backing for the decorative trim; keep them shorter than the decorative molding height.
Step 7
Measure and cut the decorative molding at 45-degree angles to match the length of the top molding. Apply liquid nails to the back, position the decorative piece onto the backing, and have someone hold it while you carefully drive finishing nails. Set the nails with the nail set.
Step 8
Cut two small side pieces of decorative molding at 45-degree angles to form the corners and attach them with liquid nails.
Step 9
Caulk all seams and nail holes so the entire installation looks like one seamless piece of trim.
Step 10
Once the caulk has dried, paint the molding to match your door trim and finish the look.
And that’s it — ten steps to an upgraded door or window. We did the same molding for the two dining room windows a few months earlier, and it completely transformed the bland room.
Want to share your own Make It Monday project? Add it below on the original Make It Monday page.
What did you do over the weekend? Any fun projects or crafts?
Heather