Building With Style: Door Casing Details

Last month, I classified window casings into three types: traditional flat stock, plaster returns, and window-box (edge-on) casings. Door casings can also be classified this way, but the second two options are not often used. The interesting cases are variations on traditional casings. Visually and practically, I can see four approaches to “normal” door casings: (1) The traditional method, which has milled or flat casings that miter at the head corners, with the baseboard butting into the casing. (2) Milled casings that miter at the head and also at the baseboard, forming continuous running trim. (3) Casings with blocks at the corners. (4) Casings with extended head pieces forming a lintel or cornice, with or without blocks at the base. The Traditional Casing You might think