Wall is wider than door lining - architrave dilemma

[Jupiter01]

I have these door linings that are probably 3-5mm lower than the plaster. I am concerned that my new architrave won’t fit flush. I can’t remember how the old architrave coped with this...

Can you please advise on how this should be approached. Thanks in advance.

 

[sircerebus666]

Sorry not quite sure what you mean

You can see where the old architrave went from the paint on the door lining

 

[Jupiter01]

The level of the plaster is higher than the lining which means that my architrave doesn’t sit flush.

 

[sircerebus666]

Ooohhhhhh makes sense now

Several ways chop the plaster level behind the new architrave, fit new flush door linings or rout out a step in the architrave to account for the step

 

[Jupiter01]

I don’t have a router and changing the lining will be a much bigger job.
Interested in the remaining option of chopping the plaster. Is this just a case of using a chisel and hammer to knock off the surplus 5mm or so?

 

[conny]

Chopping the plaster to the correct depth will work but could be difficult to achieve without having to use filler if you go to deep.

You could use a cheap amateur method and panel pin some suitable hardboard strips around the frame to take up the depth. Use continuous strips with no joins and sand the edges as smooth as possible. You may find the paint finish will be absorbed down those edges though.
As I said, cheap and amateurish but it depends how fussed you are. You may be able to get some very thin laths that would give a better finish but if you do, blunt the head of the panel pin to reduce the chance of splitting.​

 

[sircerebus666]

I don’t have a router and changing the lining will be a much bigger job.
Interested in the remaining option of chopping the plaster. Is this just a case of using a chisel and hammer to knock off the surplus 5mm or so?

Place your new architrave where you are going to put it on the door lining , run a pencil down remove the architrave and score pencil line slightly deeper than 5mm with a sharp Stanley blade or forget the pencil line and score the plaster down the edge of the architrave - whichever you prefer

Place sharp chisel flat on door lining and remove plaster to your score line

 

[lostinthelight]

If you have a table saw its easy enough to run down batten or old skirting/ architrave into strips to pack out the space.
As in post above a bit of filler and paint sorts it out




Edit: packing out imo is the better way if you like skirting and architrave to fit flush otherwise there is a step or you have to use plinth blocks
Also no need to pin it on, just pva it to the back front edge of the architrave which has the same effect as rebating without reducing thickness

 

[Jupiter01]

Hadn’t appreciated the ramification for skirting. Very good point @lostinthelight

Under normal circumstances, does the architrave match the thickness of the skirting or is one usually higher than the other? If they should be level, then I can see how chipping away plaster to help the architrave sit flush, is going to cause me an issue with the skirting and hence, the need to go with your suggested approach of packing out underneath the architrave.

Preempting, your answer on the above, are you advising that the strip of wood (will need to buy as I don’t have a table saw) is glued on the back front end of the architrave and I then glue/pin this 4-6mm within the edge of the door lining?

 

[lostinthelight]

The architrave and skirting I use comes in the same thickness so I like to fit level or it looks like a mistake, others may have different opinions
The width of the filler strip for architrave only needs to be wide enough not to foul on the plaster lip taking into account how much of the door lining you want to cover,. So if lining is 30mm and you want 6mm lip then the strip should be less than 24mm wide, if that makes sense?

 

[sircerebus666]

Hadn’t appreciated the ramification for skirting. Very good point @lostinthelight

Under normal circumstances, does the architrave match the thickness of the skirting or is one usually higher than the other? If they should be level, then I can see how chipping away plaster to help the architrave sit flush, is going to cause me an issue with the skirting and hence, the need to go with your suggested approach of packing out underneath the architrave.

Preempting, your answer on the above, are you advising that the strip of wood (will need to buy as I don’t have a table saw) is glued on the back front end of the architrave and I then glue/pin this 4-6mm within the edge of the door lining?

Personally I prefer the skirting to be thinner than the architrave around the door but it's all down to personal preference

I would get the architrave and skirting , offer them up and see what works best for you , it's your job your house so you need to do what you would be happy doing

 

[lostinthelight]

Personally I prefer the skirting to be thinner than the architrave around the door but it's all down to personal preference

Which would be more difficult in the op's case as the effective depth of the architave would be reduced even more if it was let into the plaster by 5mm

 

[Jupiter01]

I's prefer the two to be level.

So if lining is 30mm and you want 6mm lip then the strip should be less than 24mm wide, if that makes sense?

In which case the architrave edge sits right on top of this strip of wood i.e. the front edge of the strip and architrave are in the same place and there is only one "step" from the door lining to this combined fitting?

 

[lostinthelight]

 

[Jupiter01]

That clears everything up! Thanks again.