One way to make our humble home look better without spending a small fortune is to change door casings the trim that connects the door frame to the wall.

In older homes that have wide trim, additional pieces can be added to enhance depth and interest. In newer homes, narrow door trim can be replaced with a wider selection. And, when sculptured trim goes with the decorum there is yet another alternative.

If the door frame and trim are painted rather than stained, the project can be very inexpensive. This is because finger-jointed wood can be used instead of the more expensive clear-dry stain-grade types of wood. We don't recommend plastic trim. Finger-jointed wood is made from wood scraps that are glued together at zig-zagged joints that resemble fingers, thus, finger-joints. If the paint job isn't thick enough, the joints will show through. Prime, sand, putty, re-prime and complete the painting part of the project with two thin finish coats. Remember: when applying a finish coat of paint, thinner is better. The end product will be smoother and more professional looking.

There are a few carpenter's tricks that will make installing new casings easier.

As with most home improvements, removing the old comes first. First, use a razor knife to cut through the painted joint between the door frame and the door trim. This step should be repeated at the joint between the trim and the wall. Step one reduces the chance of tearing and splitting as the old casing is removed.

Removal is easier when a flat pry-bar is used with a block of wood. The flat pry-bar is easier to get between the wall and the casing than other types of pry bars and the block of wood provides the protection needed to prevent damage to the underlying wallboard.

Once the casings have been removed, finish nails that didn't come out with the trim will have to be removed from the wall and the door frame. With the nails removed, a paint scraper is used to eliminate the "bumps" on the door frame and the wall where paint and putty have built up at the joints.

The next step is cutting and installing the trim. Always install the trim across the top first on both sides. The length of the trim pieces that go down the sides is determined by a special measurement between the top trim and the floor.

If the door frame material is one-by stock (three-quarters of an inch thick), measure from the outside of the frame on one side to the inside of the frame on the opposite side. Cutting "short length" of the top trim miters to equal this measurement will result in a head casing with inside miters that center on the sides of the door frame.

Next, cut miters into the left side(s) and the right side(s) casings. Next, place a casing (for the appropriate side of the opening) upside down, with the miter on the floor and the square end of the casing up. Use the top of the top casing as a guide to mark a line on the upside down casing. Square off the mark and make a straight cut.

The casing should fit snugly into the space between the top casing miter and the floor. Use finish nails to attach the casing to the door frame and the wall.

Finally, caulk, spackle and putty all joints nicks and gouges and then follow the painting steps mentioned earlier.

Carpenter's note: If you accidentally hit the trim or door frame with your hammer and gouge the wood, use a hammer and nail punch to deepen the indentation. The deeper holes provide better "grip" for patching compounds.