how to case a door inexpensively

12 years ago

We're doing a super low-budget DIY remodel and I have 3 openings in the kitchen that I need to trim out. It's a 1920 worker's cottage, so I want to match the casing in the bedrooms, which is simple 1x4 verticals and top piece.

So I went to Lowe's and started to load my cart with 1x6s for the jamb and 1x4s for the casing. Then I tallied up the cost, and it's like $90 per doorway!! That's out of proportion with the rest of the remodel, so I'm looking for suggestions on how to do it for less. That was for select pine; poplar was a bit more..$28 for an 8' board!

I did have some 3/4" pine paneling I tore out, but nearly all of it has been recycled into kitchen drawer boxes. I found jamb trim kits at Lowe's, which would cut the cost in half, but they're only 4 1/2" deep, and my jambs are 5 1/2" thick (lathe behind drywall).

Any ideas on where to source suitable wood for this without spending so much?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

User
12 years ago
Try a real lumber yard.

The problem is you are buying S4S lumber at Lowe's---and paying labor for the surfacing, plus a hefty markup.

Or, if you know someone who has a woodworking shop and a planer, and there is a sawmill within a short distance, you can get 7" or 8" wide rough cut boards(poplar is the best wood for painting) and buy the woodworker a case of something for a lot less.
User
12 years ago
If it's to be painted, buy some HDF and rip it to size.
Related Professionals
Pittsburg Cabinets & Cabinetry · Wilmington Cabinets & Cabinetry · Killeen Cabinets & Cabinetry · Mason City Cabinets & Cabinetry · Grand Forks Cabinets & Cabinetry · Lancaster Cabinets & Cabinetry · Mission Viejo Cabinets & Cabinetry · Chicago Carpenters · Minneapolis Carpenters · Cleveland Carpenters · Mesquite Carpenters · Reno Carpenters · Carbondale Flooring Contractors · Manhattan Flooring Contractors · Portland Flooring Contractors
klem1
12 years ago
If you are painting,you don't need high grade material. Buy #2 & better pine and fill imprefections. Or as Hollysprings suggested, HDF, oops I think he meant MDF. MDF is available in primed 1x4 and 1x6. If you rip your own MDF,prime it first or it will obsorbe several coats of paint.
User
12 years ago
No, I meant exactly what I wrote. HDF, high density fiberboard. Denser and more dent resistant than MDF, which renders it more suitable to creating moldings that might get bumped.
weedyacres
Original Author
12 years ago
Doh! Why didn't I think of ripping down MDF/HDF? I think MDF would match better than HDF with the rest of my dinged-up (pine) door jambs. :-)

I also looked online and Menards has "quality" pine boards for $3 (as compared to $15 for "select"). They've just got tiny knots, which I could probably fill in. The nearest one is 30+ minutes away, but I'll be in that town later this week, so I could stop by.

There are 2 local lumberyards here, but when I've checked on a couple other things, they weren't any cheaper than Lowe's, and their hours are much more limited. I'll call them, though.
CEFreeman
12 years ago
I don't know if you found yr lumber, but I get recycled/reclaimed boards from my reuse center. Sometimes so much for a board, or so much per LF. I think the most I've ever paid is $8.00 for a 16' treated 6x6. Perhaps your area has such a place?