Finish Carpentry Explained
Framing builds the skeleton of a house. Finish carpentry is everything you see afterward: door and window casing, baseboard, crown molding, wainscoting, stairs, built ins, and doors.
Because it is the work people see and touch every day, small flaws are obvious.
Signs of Quality Work
Look for tight miters with no gaps, consistent reveals around doors and windows, trim scribed to follow uneven walls and floors, and nail holes that disappear under the finish.
Built ins should sit level and square even when the room itself is not.
Matching Existing Trim
In older homes, stock trim often will not match. John makes trim to match inside and out, so new work reads as original.
Three Generations of Craft
John learned carpentry as a third generation New England carpenter and has nearly four decades of experience in high end trim and restoration.
Common Questions
What is finish carpentry?
Finish carpentry is the visible woodwork that completes a home: trim, casing, baseboard, crown molding, wainscoting, built ins, stairs, and doors. It is the work people see and touch every day, so precision shows.
Can you match trim and molding in an older home?
Yes. John makes trim to match inside and out when stock profiles are not available. He has used this skill to restore homes more than 200 years old.