I live in a century-old house with a new, thicker exterior wood door installed, which now makes the door frame sit uneven with the existing plaster trim. I want the frame to be flush with the plaster, but the wall area around the door is limited to about a foot on each side and above. I'm considering a few options and would appreciate advice: 1) completely demo and replace the area, 2) add 3/8" drywall over what's already there, or 3) skim coat the surface, although I'm worried that the difference may be too substantial for just a skim. I'm not tackling this project myself; I just want to be informed when I reach out to professionals. Thanks for your help!
2 Answers
You might want to consider adding a piece of 3/8" trim to the back side of your existing casing. That way, the thicker casing can sit properly without making the trim awkwardly high. It keeps everything looking cohesive!
Honestly, the 3/8" drywall option seems like the easiest fix. Just make sure that it doesn't sit too proud of the trim, or else it’ll create another headache for you later on!
That sounds like a good plan. Just grab a level and check a few spots to confirm!
Keep in mind that the trim usually sits next to the plaster, not on top of it like newer constructions. You might need a bevel on the under side to hold in the plaster, similar to how lathe works.