The Art of Custom-Matching Historical Mouldings: Blend Old and New Styles Seamlessly

Your historic home has seen a lot of changes through the decades. Bringing it back to its period beauty is a genuine labor of love, but fitting historical mouldings may seem like a task that is out of your reach. However, with a little know-how and some simple tools, you can create your own custom mouldings that will match the surviving trim inside your home.

Mouldings add style and a sense of elegance to any home, but they also serve an important function, especially in homes that were constructed before modern building techniques were invented. For example, crown moulding helps make the transition from wall to ceiling more seamless, and baseboards cover small cracks and spaces that inevitably appear between the wall and the floor.

Take a closer look at how getting the details just right when you’re custom-matching historical mouldings can add to the charm of your home and help improve the structural integrity for many more decades to come.

Know Your Architectural Style

Of course, any restoration project starts by identifying the architectural style of a home, but when it comes to the interior, this may not always be as easy as it sounds. For instance, a Greek Revival home could have been fitted with Victorian crown moulding by owners who felt they were updating the home by keeping up with new styles.

Make sure you take the time to research different styles or consult with an expert for advice before choosing moulding. Additionally, your budget and time restraints play a major role when deciding how much moulding you wish to replace.

Whether you are matching new or reclaimed moulding to what is currently in your home, make sure it is period-appropriate before going to the time and trouble to match it.

Tricks for Matching Common Historical Mouldings

With a little searching, you can often find off-the-shelf moulding that is close to the moulding in your historical home, but chances are that it will take some tweaking to produce a seamless transition.

Consider these tips for matching some of the most common types of moulding found in period homes to help you complete the job like a pro.

Window Stools

Window stools are a charming accent found in most styles of older homes. A window stool is a piece of moulding that protrudes just above the window apron or lower trim board. Today, window stools are often referred to as window “sills,” though technically, stools and sills are different types of moulding.

In addition to the name change, historic window stools were much thicker than modern ones. A stool measuring just over an inch in thickness was once common, but today, most stock pieces are less than an inch.

To match an older window stool, purchase 5/4” trim, and add a base cap to the interior edge. This will give it the same profile as an older window stool. You may have to modify the base cap by removing ⅛” from the widest part of the cap from both sides. Mitre the corners for a DIY custom window stool.

Baseboards

Baseboards are the most common type of moulding found in any home. Not only do they create a finished look between the floor and wall, but they also hide uneven or crooked walls and prevent dirt and debris from getting in the house.

Houses built before 1910 had baseboards that were 1” thick, and from 1910 to the 1940s, baseboard material was generally ¾” thick. Today, most baseboards are only ½” thick, making it difficult to match stock material to historical mouldings.

An easy fix is to purchase 1” or ¾” boards as needed and attach the base cap separately instead of buying a baseboard with the base cap already attached. To match existing baseboards, it may be necessary to remove lumber that is too wide.

Backbands

There have been many styles of backbands through the decades, but a simple square is typically the most common type found in historic homes throughout the U.S. Backbands are a part of the molding on a door casing.

They can be difficult to find at a big box store. Shopping at companies that specialize in custom mouldings and specialized building supplies can provide the best chance to find a new backband that matches your existing samples.

You can also create a backband on your own. For a simple square backband, use a 1 ⅛” outside corner piece. You may have to adjust the size for a perfect fit. Once installed, it will look just like its historical partners.

To match a more ornate backband, purchase an existing backband that closely resembles your historical trim. You can adapt new moulding by adding an additional piece to duplicate the look. Once the moulding is sanded, puttied, and painted, it will look as if it’s always been there.

Complex Custom Mouldings

Depending on the period in which it was built and the original budget, your home could be filled with intricate custom mouldings with profiles that seem impossible to match. Keep in mind that ornate mouldings are often like puzzles, and several separate pieces may have been fitted together to create the final look.

You can create your own matching custom mouldings by breaking down the shapes in your mind. For example, that extra-special crown moulding might be the result of coves, some basic crown, corner pieces, and a length of quarter-round. If you can visualize the separate elements, you may be able to piece together stock mouldings to recreate a similar profile.

Keep in mind that modern products can be thinner than historical mouldings. It may be necessary to reinforce stock pieces to match the thickness of the original pieces.

Make the Most of Historical Mouldings

Historical mouldings add the period touch that makes your older home look its authentic best. Mouldings One carries a wide selection of moulding pieces from dozens of architectural styles. With a little ingenuity and practice, you can match old and new moulding for a seamless look or create custom mouldings to complete your project.

Contact Mouldings One to receive a quote or order a free catalog today.