Jim Whitney has been the leader of trim carpentry in Kansas city for over 30 years now. Located in Kansas City, MO Jim works all over Kansas City and knows his trade the best. With a working wood shop in his customized van, Jim is able to come out to a customers home, get a request and begin working on it immediately.
Jim has experience building Custom mantles, Custom entertainment centers, and has even remodeled a house just by changing the trim on it.Avoid using numbers
It is usually more accurate to hold a board in place to mark its length rather than to use a tape and involve numbers. A tape can flex and change shape, and the movable end hook bends easily, affecting accuracy.
Use reveals, and avoid flush edges
Wood moves — as it dries out, as the house settles, as you cut it and as you’re nailing it up. It’s almost impossible to get flush edges to stay that way.
Split the difference
If you’re running courses of material between two diverging surfaces, it’s obvious that if you start out working parallel to one, you won’t be parallel to the other.
Avoid exposing end grain
End grain will always absorb stain and paint differently than face or side grain; even if left natural, end grain reflects light differently.
Fit the joint before cutting to length
If you’re coping or mitering a joint on a piece of base, chair rail or crown, make sure that joint fits well before you cut the other end to length.
Don’t be fussy where you don’t have to be
Learn to think ahead to see if what you’re working on will later be covered, which is often the function of molding. At the intersection of wall and floor, for example, the drywall doesn’t have to come all the way down to the floor, nor does the flooring need to meet the wall perfectly, because the baseboard will cover the gap.
Plan your sequence to avoid perfect cuts at both ends
There is usually a sequence of installing trim that requires the fewest perfect cuts.
Parallel is more important than level or square
Instead of keeping track of plumb, level and square, you now must keep finish materials parallel to the walls and floors. The eye sees diverging lines more readily than it sees plumb and level.
Nothing is random
Whenever I find myself saying, “It doesn’t matter,” the red flag goes up. Which end of the board you cut first, which face is out, where you put the nails–all this matters, and the care you put into the details shows up as craftsmanship in the entire job. “God lives in the details,” said Mies van der Rohe, and this is especially true in finish carpentry.
Finish the job
A contractor usually has to complete a punch list before final payment is issued.
With over 30 years of experience, Jim is always willing to work and always offers reasonable pricing. He truly is Kansas City’s best.
Contact Jim at (913) 375-0275 with your next project, to get an estimate and get started.
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