Beef Up Door and Window Casing with Back Band
Want an easy way to add more architectural interest to your standard colonial door and window framing? Adding an extra piece of moulding, called back band, can add that extra boost of architectural interest.
And the good news is that you can do this to your existing trim moulding. No need to remove or start fresh! The only thing you will need is paint on hand to paint the moulding after you BEEF it UP! In essence, We’re gonna PUMP it UP!
Materials:
- Back band moulding
- Finish nailer
- 2″ finish nails
- Caulk
- Paint
- Miter saw or hand saw with miter box
Instructions:
There’s really not much to this tutorial. Line up the back band against your existing door or window frame. Measure or mark the back band where you need to cut your miter.
Then make your miter cut from that inside mark. Continue cutting pieces of back band for the top and opposite side.
Simply secure the back band to your existing trim with finish nails.
Then caulk the holes and the seam where the back band overlaps with your old moulding. Let the caulk dry completely and paint the moulding.
The added back band moulding creates more dimension and a classier look to your doorways and windows. The left side is the standard colonial casing. The right side is with the addition of the back band:
It looks great with the plank and Howe casing that I installed in the kitchen.
A thicker moulding can give your house a classier and more expensive look.
Psst. You don’t have to beef up your whole house. You can add back band to one room or a few rooms. It’s your choice. I added it to the kitchen when I was renovating it. Our living room had existing beefed up moulding, so it seemed only natural to continue it into the adjoining kitchen.
Can this be added to wimpy base trim?
Not sure you’d want to do that as it will jut out further than your baseboard. But, you can look for other mouldings that would work nicely with your baseboard.
I swear pretty handy girl, you are a genius. I love your work. I would be happy if I could do half as good.
Hi! Thanks for this tutorial! My husband says we have to attach the window curtain rods to the window trim since we have antique plastered walls that he doesnt want to harm. So, I am thinking about beefing up the trim so that the rods can go out wider and higher from the window. Any other ideas on how I can do this???
Also, I tried to search your site, but can you please tell me what the wall and trim color is in the room above… I love how they look together! Many thanks!
Sure. Go shop the moulding department at your local home improvement store and get creative with what they have. Here’s a tutorial on adding more moulding to a window: https://prettyhandygirl.com/frame-casement-window/ See what I did at the top. That may be enough to give your husband something to attach the curtain rod to.
I had a quick question about the backband you used. In the link to the lowes backband you used it looks like the bottom of the band (the part against the wall) is angled. Did you cut it flat before applying or leave it angled. If you left it angled how did you apply it?
Thanks so much! I keep looking at pictures of backband with that angled bottom, and I’m so confused how to fit it around my casings!
Cassie, no I didn’t cut it straight. The bevel is facing in so you won’t see it. Just nail it from the side into your existing casing.
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Brittany, if you were installing this on an existing door frame would you stop above the baseboard, or would you trim the baseboard back to accept the back band?
Hannah, excellent question. Yes, I’d shave back the baseboard moulding. A Dremel Multi-max is a great tool for doing that. 😉
Hello. I love this idea. I am going to do this. Can you please sent me a pic or post a picture of what the back band looked like before installed. I need a before picture so when I do my searching I can locate it. Thanks for the wonderful ideas! Keep them coming. Thank you.
Tracy, I looked to see if I had any scraps in the workshop to photograph, but I don’t. This is the best photo of the profile of the moulding: http://www.lowes.com/pd_49772-746-L0428128_4294715696%2B4294961606__?productId=1090863&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=Backband
That does make quite a huge difference. I can do this! Thanks for this great tutorial. X
Colleen, you can definitely do this! Girl, you can do anything you put your mind to. Especially because I know you are visually talented!
WOW what a difference –I have those skimpy moldings and I thought I was stuck with them! I’m going to do this for sure!
Do you know what kind of piece of trim you can add to the 4″ baseboard to beef them up?
I’m really psyched to do this!!!
Thanks for the info –I love your blog
Maggie, I hope you try it! You can always add other mouldings like quarter or half round above your existing moulding. Take a day trip to your local Lowe’s and pull mouldings down and line them up on top of one another. There’s no rules about what moulding you HAVE to use, so feel free to have fun.