The best way to handle gaps between your door frame and architrave: Leave a comment

It can be frustrating when you’ve ordered the architrave you need specific to your measurements but they don’t fit flush to the door. There are a number of things that can cause this, like new plastering that is sticks out further than the door frame, a protruding door frame or anything that creates an uneven surface for your architrave.

My plastering sticks out further than my door frame so there is a gap under my architrave, what do I do?

If your plastering comes out further than the door frame, its not necessarily a bad job from the builders. This can happen if you have new plastering done, but the old door frames are kept. it might be necessary to add another piece of wood to bring the door frame level before putting on your architrave.

First, measure how far out the plaster comes from the door frame. Let’s say that it is 2.5cm. An easy fix would be to buy wooden strips that are 2.5-3 cm thick and secure them in place with adhesive and a nail gun, making the surface even. Sand down your wood strips once they are in place to ensure they are flush with the wall. Next, test the surface by putting your architrave against them. If everything is level, continue to put your architrave in place as normal. If the wooden strips come out further than the wall, you still need to sand them down using sandpaper or a multitool to ensure they are flat. Alternatively, if the wall is still protruding, you may need a thicker wooden strip.

Now that the wall and the door frame are level, you should be able to install your architrave on an even surface. Add a layer of adhesive on the back of the architrave and stick against your newly fitted wood strips, leaving a small space to the inside edge for the door to open and close. Nail them in with a nail gun to ensure they’re secure.

My door jam is sticking out past the plasterboard, how can I make it smooth so my architrave fits flush?

You should ensure that your measurements are accurate before ordering and installing your door frame to avoid any complications. With that being said, mistakes can happen and sometimes, its an easy fix.

If your door frame is majorly uneven, protruding out further than the wall or has a difference of more than 2cm across its surface, you may need to use a multitool to cut them down. You can also use a hand held saw, however, this can be difficult to get an accurate cut.

Using your cutting attachment on the multitool, aim to trim your door frame as close and straight to the wall as possible. Once you’ve done this, sand the rest of the woodwork down until smooth and in line with the plasterboard. Once everything is smooth and even, place your architrave on the surface to ensure they fit flush. You can then proceed to stick and nail the architrave in place.

Key points for installing architrave:

• Choose a style that suits your room. If the ceilings are low, a tall architrave can make the room look smaller.
• Think about matching your mouldings. A matching architrave and skirting board is always a nice touch, creating symmetry and making your mouldings more noticeable.
• Consider using rosette and plinth blocks for a more seamless finish or to add extra patterns and features.
• Use a wood filler to make the mitres smooth on each corner. Again, this helps to leave a more seamless finish.

For some examples of some well fitted architrave, check out our social media platforms @skirtinguk