How to Install Molding Around Your Front Door

Installing molding around your front door  on the outside is a relatively easy home renovation, but it can go a long way toward setting off your front door decor.

Most of all, this job is about cutting the molding a) to the right length and b) at the right angle.

Chances are that your strips of new molding are quite a bit longer than you’ll need them. If they are, feel free to start by taking a rough measurement of the width and length of the door, just to cut your molding strips down from their original lengths to lengths that are more manageable.

When you make these roughly measured cuts, make them at 45° angles. This way, you’ll only have to make one more cut per strip.

Once you have three strips of molding that are flat on one end, angled on the other end, and of relatively manageable lengths, grab your shortest piece, the crossbeam–the one that will go over the top of the door.

Place it in its destination spot and make a mark on the flat-ended side, from which you will cut up and out at a 45° angle again.

Once your crossbeam is cut and ready, simply nail it in place using small finishing nails. Make sure to punch them down beneath the surface with a nail setter , so the holes can be filled in and painted over later.

When you hold your vertical strips up to fit with the crossbeam at its 45° angle, the bottom of each should reach a bit below where you want it. Make a mark where it needs to be cut and head back over to your table saw to make that flat cut, which will be parallel with the ground.

Nail that bad boy in and then, rinse and repeat! Do the same for the other vertical strip, nail it in, and punch those nails down with your nail setter.

You’re now ready to fill in the nail holes with caulk and select your paint.

Installing molding around the outside of your front door is one of the easier home renovations you can do, but it can have a major impact on the appearance of your home. If you can cut at an angle and use a hammer, you should be able to get the job done without too much trouble.

All the same, if you’d like some professional guidance or recommendations, give us a call! Our Remodeling & Construction department would be happy to answer any questions you might have. If your front-door molding project is part of a larger endeavor, consider making us your go-to experts on the case!