Portland has a dense stock of homes built between 1905 and 1945, and most of them have trim profiles that were standard at the time but are no longer commercially produced. When a renovation requires new work alongside original trim, the difference between a close match and a precise match is visible, particularly in rooms with strong natural light. Getting it right requires knowing what you're looking at and having the capability to reproduce it.
Why standard lumber yard trim doesn't match ¶
The colonial casing and base profiles available at most lumber yards today are simplified versions of their historical counterparts. Profiles from the 1910s through 1940s typically have more relief, more complex transitions, and different proportions than their modern equivalents. Putting new colonial casing next to 1928 original casing in raking light makes the difference obvious. It's not a subtle distinction.
How we identify existing profiles ¶
We photograph and measure existing trim at the initial walkthrough. We keep a reference library of common Portland-area profiles, organized by era and house type. Craftsman bungalows from the 1910s and 1920s tend to use wide, flat casings with a simple back band. Colonial Revivals from the late 1920s and 1930s use more elaborate built-up profiles with ogee and ovolo elements. Foursquares from the same period often have a distinctive wide base with a separate shoe mould.
Sourcing and milling reproductions ¶
For profiles we can identify and that have a commercial equivalent, we source from specialty millwork suppliers. For profiles that aren't commercially available, we mill reproductions in-house using a shaper and router table. The in-house capability grew out of necessity: we kept encountering profiles that simply didn't exist in any catalog, and having the equipment meant we could make them rather than substitute something close.
Working with landmark and historic district homes ¶
For homes with landmark status or in a designated historic district, the standard for matching is higher and sometimes involves review by the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission. We've worked on several landmark properties and understand the documentation and approval process. For these projects, we sometimes collaborate with a specialty millwork shop in Northwest Portland that focuses exclusively on period reproduction work. We'll be upfront at the walkthrough about which approach your project requires.
If you're renovating an older Portland home and want to understand what's achievable with the existing trim, bring us in for a walkthrough. We'll assess the profiles, tell you what we can match and how, and include the trim specification in the written estimate.