Understanding the Exterior of Your Home

Apron: A piece of trim installed beneath a window sill, extending horizontally across the wall.

Backband: A trim piece used to add depth and detail to window and door casings.

Backer Rod: A foam rod inserted into a joint before caulking to provide support and reduce the amount of caulk needed.

Baseboard: The trim installed along the bottom of a wall where it meets the floor, providing a finished look and covering any gaps.

Base Cap: A decorative molding installed on top of a baseboard for added detail.

Base Shoe: A thin, rounded molding installed at the bottom of baseboards to cover gaps and provide a smooth transition to the floor.

Batton: A narrow strip of wood or other material used to cover seams between boards or panels.

Bead: A rounded trim detail, often used in bead board paneling or as part of more elaborate moldings.

Beadboard: Paneling with vertical grooves, often used on walls, ceilings, or as wainscoting.

Bed Molding: A small molding used where the ceiling meets the wall or as part of more complex crown molding designs.

Brickmold: Exterior trim used around windows and doors to provide a finished look and seal against the elements.

Casing: The trim surrounding a window or door, covering the gap between the frame and the wall.

Chair Rail: A horizontal trim installed partway up a wall, originally used to protect walls from chairs but now often used for decorative purposes.

Chamfer: A beveled edge cut at a 45-degree angle, often used on trim pieces fordecorativeeffect.

Clapboard: A type of siding made of long, thin, flat boards that overlap each other horizontally.

Cope: A technique used to create seamless inside corners in trim by cutting one piece to fit the profile of the other.

Cornice: A decorative trim at the top of a wall, often used where the wall meets theceiling.

Cove Molding: A concave-shaped trim used where walls meet ceilings or as part of more complex trim designs.

Crown Molding: Decorative trim installed where walls meet ceilings, often featuring elaborate profiles.

Dentil Molding: A type of crown molding with small, evenly spaced blocks, resembling teeth.

Door Stop: The trim inside a door frame that stops the door from swinging past the frame when closed.

Drip Cap: A piece of trim installed over windows and doors to direct water away from the frame.

Eased Edge: A slightly rounded edge on trim pieces, providing a softer look and reducing sharp edges.

Fascia: The vertical trim installed along the edge of a roof, where gutters are often mounted.

Fillet: A small, flat trim piece used to fill gaps or add detail to larger trim pieces.

Finish Trim: The final layer of trim installed to cover gaps and provide a polished look.

Finger Joint: A method of joining two pieces of wood by interlocking finger-like projections, often used in trim to create longer lengths.

Flashing: Thin metal sheets used to prevent water intrusion around trim, windows, and doors.

Frieze Board: A horizontal trim board installed along the top of a wall, often below the roofline.

Gable Trim: Trim installed along the gable ends of a roof to cover gaps and provide a finished look.

Gingerbread Trim: Ornate, detailed trim often used on Victorian-style homes for a decorative effect.

Header: A horizontal trim piece installed above windows and doors, often part of the casing.

Inside Corner: A piece of trim used to cover the seam where two walls meet at an inside corner.

Jamb: The vertical sides of a door or window frame, often covered with casing.

Kerf: A narrow cut or groove made in trim pieces to allow for bending or to create a decorative effect.

Keystone: A decorative piece placed at the center of an arch or above a window or door for added detail.

Lattice: A framework of crossed strips of wood or other material, often used for decorative trim on porches or gardens.

Lattice Molding: Trim with a crisscross pattern, often used for decorative purposes or to create ventilation.

Miter Joint: A joint made by cutting two pieces of trim at an angle, typically 45 degrees, to form a corner.

Molding: Decorative trim used to enhance the appearance of walls, ceilings, doors, and windows.

Newel Post: The main post at the bottom or top of a staircase, often supporting the handrail.

Nosing: The rounded edge of a stair tread that extends beyond the riser.

Ogee: An S-shaped curve often used in molding profiles for decorative effect.

Outside Corner: Trim used to cover the seam where two walls meet at an outside corner.

Panel Molding: Trim used to create panels on walls, often in wainscoting or to add detail to flat surfaces.

Picture Rail: A horizontal trim installed high on a wall, used to hang pictures without damaging the wall surface.

Plinth Block: A decorative block used at the base of door trim where it meets the baseboard.

Quarter Round: A small, curved trim piece used to cover gaps between flooring and baseboards or in other tight spaces.

Rabbet: A recess or groove cut into the edge of a piece of trim to allow it to fit with another piece.

Rake Board: Trim installed along the sloping edges of a gable roof.

Riser: The vertical part of a step in a staircase.

Rosette: A circular or square decorative piece often used at the intersection of trim pieces, such as at the corners of door casings.

Scotia: A concave molding used at the junction of two surfaces, often found in crown molding profiles.

Screen Bead: A thin trim piece used to secure screens in window or door frames.

Shoe Molding: Similar to base shoe, used to cover gaps between baseboards and flooring.

Shiplap: Horizontal boards with a rabbet joint that overlap, often used for interior and exterior walls.

Soffit: The underside of a roof overhang, often finished with trim to provide a clean look.

Stair Trim: Trim pieces used to finish and decorate the edges of stairs and landings.

Stile: The vertical part of a door or window frame, providing support and structure.

Stop Molding: Trim used to hold a window sash or door in place when closed.

Sub-Fascia: The board attached directly to the ends of the roof rafters, providing a surface for attaching fascia trim.

Surround: Trim that frames a door, window, or other architectural feature.

T-Molding: A T-shaped trim piece used to transition between two different types of flooring or to cover expansion gaps.

Tapered Shim: A thin, wedge-shaped piece of material used to level or adjust trim pieces during installation.

Threshold: A piece of trim installed at the bottom of a doorway, providing a transition between different flooring materials.

Tongue and Groove: Boards that fit together with a tongue on one edge and a groove on the other, creating a tight, seamless fit.

Trim: Decorative and protective molding used around windows, doors, walls, and ceilings.

Truss: A structural framework of timbers or metal used to support a roof or other structure.

Valance: A decorative horizontal trim piece often used above windows or doors.

Wainscoting: Paneling applied to the lower part of a wall, often finished with a chair rail and baseboard.

Water Table: A horizontal trim board installed at the base of an exterior wall to deflect water away from the foundation.

Weatherboard: Siding composed of overlapping horizontal boards, often used in traditional and historical homes.

Wedge: A piece of material used to fill gaps or provide support during trim installation.

Window Stool: The flat, horizontal trim piece at the base of a window, providing a surface for the sash to rest on.

Wood Filler: A substance used to fill holes, cracks, and imperfections in wood trim before painting or staining.

Wood Putty: A pliable substance used to fill small holes and gaps in wood trim, often used for finishing touches.

Wood Trim: Trim made from various types of wood, offering a natural and classic look.

Wrap: Trim that completely encases a structural element, such as a beam or column, to

provide a finished appearance.