Victorian Style
This post shows you step by step how to make this beautiful entablature from simple moldings you can buy just about anywhere.
And while it may look complicated to build, I assure you that it’s really very simple once you understand the sequence.
Posts in This Series
1. How to Build DOOR TRIM-114 for About $60.00
2. PLINTH BLOCK-101: How to Make Step by Step
3. PILASTER-103: How to Make Step by Step
4. ENTABLATURE-100: How to Make Step by Step
5. How Do I Make This Large Baseboard?
6. How to Paint Moldings: Steps to paint this door trim and this room are on this page.
[This is part of my DOOR TRIM-114 series.]
Materials Needed
[More detail about each molding on my DIY Projects & Inventory page]
CM-007
If you can’t find this exact crown molding profile, then just make sure you use one that is primarily a cove shape. The cove aspect of the profile is what makes this pattern Victorian.
$1.29/lf (8′) = $10.32
MDF-300
A sheet of this costs $32.84. Assuming you rip a 6″ wide piece to make the entablature out of, then that 8′ long x 6″ wide MDF board would cost you roughly $4.10.
$4.10 (1 ea. 8′ board) = $4.10
PM-003
You can find a cove molding like this one pretty much any place that sells moldings.
$4.16 (1 ea.) = $4.16
PM-007
This molding acts as the entablature’s architrave, though it is a much reduced one from what you’d expect in an architrave of the classical orders. But it is a common element on door surrounds of the Victorian period.
$0.48 (8′) = $3.84
[More detail about each molding on my DIY Projects & Inventory page]
How to Build the Entablature Step by Step
Before we get to the exact dimensions, let me show you the two ways you can assemble the entablature:
- In-place on the wall
- On a bench and then install on the wall
Method 1: Assemble In-Place On the Wall
Pros Allows me to install the foundation flat-stock right on the wall, starting from left and work my way to the right. This method ensures that I don’t make some silly dimensional mistake that may not be obvious when building it separately on a flat bench.
It’s also a good method for door jambs that are really out of square and plumb. You know the kind — with wonky drywall full of bulges on all sides. It’s easier to make those out-of-square adjustments on the fly, especially when you’re wrapping the molding, because you can cover more gaps between molding and wall as each piece is cut-to-fit.
1. Install the First Capital
2. Install the Frieze
3. Install the Right Capital
4. Wrap the Moldings
Cons It takes more time to install the entablature against the wall because you have to climb up and down to cut, test the fit, trim and then install each of the 27 individual pieces that make up this entablature.
Method 2: Assemble On a Work Bench
Pros Allows me to build at waist-height right next to my miter saw, and this is no small thing.
1. Make the Capitals
You can see how easy these capitals are to make. I just rip a few pieces of 3/4″ MDF and then put 45 degree bevels on them, finally I glue them all together. 23 gauge micro pins help hold all the pieces together until the glue on the joints dries.
Below I calculate the entablature height considering the following variables:
- How much reveal I want on the frieze.
- The total width of all moldings that will be wrapped around the flat-stock foundation.
- The height and width of any ornate appliques I want to install.
How Tall Should the Entablature Be?
I would have liked to make this entablature another inch or so higher (making it even more characteristically Victorian), but I wanted to install some extra rectangular rosettes I already had on the capitals, and so the final frieze reveal was based on the tallest space in which those rosettes would look balanced.
Note: The capital width is always based on the width of the pilasters. I can’t think of any reason to make your capitals wider or more narrow than the pilasters.
Exactly the Same But Different
You know that I like to make front door surrounds more dramatic than the other door molding in the room, architectural subordination and all that.
But in this open floor plan foyer/living room I made the proportions and molding details on the two door surrounds exactly the same. Adding these appliques to the front door capitals made it more senior to the other.
2. Prepare the Foundation Flat-Stock MDF
Arrange the pieces of the entablature on a flat surface near your miter saw.
Laying the foundation for all the moldings that will be layered on top.
3. Glue the Capitals to the Frieze
Be patient. Don’t lift this until the glue is really set. You don’t want your capitals flopping to floor. Why, no, I’ve certainly never had that happen.
4. Make the Cornice Hood
The very upper part of the entablature, including the portion with the crown molding — for lack of a better term — I call the hood.
The cornice hood has three pieces: left and right capital hoods and center piece.
Below Don’t pay too much attention to the dimensions below. What’s important to know is how much soffit reveal you want showing once you install the crown molding. That’s where you’ll get your exact dimensions from.
Entablature capital hood length. I goofed this, it should have been a tad wider (see below).
Entablature capital hood width.
When finished assembling the hood, glue and nail the hood in on top of the frieze.
5. Wrap the Architrave Molding
Note how I have two pieces of molding mitered and laying on the right and left sides. Those are my test fit pieces. I keep shaving a hair from an end of the center piece of molding until both left and right joints fit perfectly. Only then do I glue and nail the center piece in place. The rest is cake.
Important Note: Nothing makes installing these fussy little moldings easier to install than a 23 gauge micro pinner. If you don’t already own one, either a Senco or an Accuset, then stop what you’re doing and buy one, then come back to this page.
Make all the little piece first, test the fit, then glue them in place.
It’s easiest to glue all the pieces together and then install as one piece.
Piece of cake.
6. Wrap the Crown Molding
Install the center piece of crown molding first, before making all the pieces for the capitals. The only difference between installing the crown molding and installing the architrave molding, is that you cut the crown molding using the oft-repeated mantra “upside down and backwards.”
7. Wrap the Cove Molding
8. Install the Entablature On the Wall
Use a liberal amount of Liquid Nails and 18 gauge brad nails to hold it in place.
Now do you see how really easy it was to build this? You just make a good foundation of flat-stock and then wrap the moldings around it. That’s it. No magic, just a little planning and patience is all that’s needed.
Behold, My Mistake!
Below I want to point out a mistake I made in the hood dimension.
The arrow pointing to “My mistake” shows a soffit reveal that does not match the soffit reveal on the front of the capital. They should match. It’s not something most people would notice once it’s painted, but I notice, and it still bugs me.
The Next Step
The entire door surround needs to be prepped for paint, and that’s another post in itself. Until then, thanks for reading this far.
Good luck!
Posts in This Series
1. How to Build DOOR TRIM-114 for About $60.00
2. PLINTH BLOCK-101: How to Make Step by Step
3. PILASTER-103: How to Make Step by Step
4. ENTABLATURE-100: How to Make Step by Step
5. How Do I Make This Large Baseboard?
6. How to Paint Moldings: Steps to paint this door trim and this room are on this page.
Beautiful job ken. Its going to look amazing once painted. I’m a big fan of classical american moldings. I’m always the guy staring at the molding designs of many of the older homes here in new england while everyone keeps walking by to go to another room. Door, window and crown moldings of these homes are unmatched by anything being built today. Keep posts like these coming and please provide any good websites where someone can continue to educate themselves on how to design and build what i consider to be american architectural artwork..
Herman, we know exactly what you mean! And we envy you living in New England. Many of my designs are based on NE architectural details I found in historic home books, but sadly, I’ve never been there.
We’re glad you like our blog. We haven’t even scratched the surface of the molding topics and designs we want to cover.
If you want to stay up to date you can subscribe to us via email, I think that’s probably the best way.
I found your site extremely helpful. I am planning my door and window trim project and will use your site for tips. Thank you!
That’s excellent Tim!
Ken,
It doesn’t look like you coped your inside corners, if so, how come?
I’m attempting to do something similar to this during this long weekend (and then some) on my front door. The plan is to run your crown molding 103 around two walls of the foyer (baby steps) finishing one side in an inside corner and the other maybe in a finial. Since the ceiling is only 8′ and the door is wide, I will also attempt to run it around the entablature (in over my head). I’d like to build up the crown around the entablature by matching the extra drop of the finial. Did I mention I’m a novice? I’m not entirely sure how this is going to work but I have your instructions up and my fingers are crossed.
Brad, you’re learning how to install moldings like I did, by just getting in there and doing it.
I don’t cope inside corners on entablatures because there is no stress on them that requires the strength of a cope joint.
Good luck. Send us some pics when you’re all finished!