Lesson Plan
15 Video Lessons · 53M
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1. Introduction
Your instructor, Aaron Butt, is a professional framer and finish carpenter who has been working in the trades for twenty years. Learn why finish carpentry is such a unique trade, and how it’s able to transform rough construction into a beautiful, finished space.
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2. What Is Finish Carpentry?
Finish carpentry is all around us, from baseboards to wall paneling to window trim to crown moulding. Aaron reviews the wide variety of profiles and stocks to choose from in finish carpentry, and emphasizes the necessity of consistency and attention to detail when working with trim.
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3. Trim: Basic Tools
Finish carpenters are very particular about their tool sets, and these sets often vary greatly from carpenter to carpenter. Aaron reviews a select few of his favorite trim carpentry tools to have on hand, like a rubber mallet, trimmer’s flat bar, spring clamp, and more.
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4. Trim: Process Overview
Finish carpentry is about taking construction work—regardless of the state—and making it look as good as possible. Aaron reviews a general finish carpentry workflow, which involves checking the leveling, laying out the reveals, rough cutting the material, preassembling the cut pieces and installing them, and scribing.
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5. Interior Door Trim: Marking in Place
Aaron shows you how to lay out your reveals—which means marking the areas for the trim on the edge of the door casing—with a combination square and pencil. Then, learn how to mark up the three casing pieces and safely make miter cuts so they’re ready for preassembly.
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6. Interior Door Trim: Preassembly
Preassembly is a process by which you cut and assemble all of your pieces at once, before installation. Once the pieces have been cut, learn how to join three door casings using wood glue, a rubber mallet, spring clamps, and an eighteen gauge brad gun.
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7. Interior Door Trim: Installation
Aaron demonstrates a basic door trim installation, working the eighteen gauge brad gun down the casings so they are firmly attached to the door jam. Learn how to avoid pulling the joints apart with the nails using pieces of shim and an angled finish nailer.
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8. Terminology: Miter and Bevel Cuts
Miter and bevel cuts are some of the most common cuts used in finish carpentry. Learn about making miter cuts in casing and baseboard, and how to make a bevel cut.
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9. Baseboard Installation: Wall Out of Plumb
If you inherit walls that aren’t entirely straight, you’ll end up with a gap where they meet the baseboard. Learn how to correct this mistake using a speed square and saw for a beautiful, finished space.
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10. Baseboard Installation: Floor Out of Level
To install baseboards along a floor that isn’t level, you’ll need to scribe your baseboard to the floor. Learn how to adjust the baseboard piece to the floor’s slope.
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11. Baseboard Installation: Outside Corner Angles
Sometimes wall corners don’t come together at exactly ninety degrees. Learn how to use an angle finder to measure your wall corners, then adjust your baseboard measurements to fit the wall corner–even if it isn’t square.
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12. Base Cap: Installation
A base cap is a transitional piece between the baseboard and the wall, used for safety and aesthetics. Aaron demonstrates a simple base cap installation using miter clamps and a brad gun.
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13. Interior Window Trim: Introduction
Stool caps and aprons line the bottoms of windows to create a finished look. Learn how to determine measurements and cut for an apron, stool cap, and a return stock—a small piece of trim that fits to another piece of trim to create a ninety degree angle.
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14. Interior Window Trim: Installation
Aaron takes you through a full window trim installation, starting with the stool cap, moving to the window casings, then finishing with the apron and stock returns. Finally, learn how to measure, cut, and attach an apron stock, creating a ninety degree angle on the aprons and completing the window trim.
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15. Conclusion
Each person finds their own sweet spot within carpentry. For Aaron, it’s interior finish carpentry. Learn how this trade has provided him with a great living, exciting work environment, and a satisfying way to work with his hands to make beautiful spaces come to life.
Who it's for: This course is designed for construction professionals or entry-level carpenters looking to specialize in this area of the trades and gain new skills to perform quality interior trim work for any job.
Key Topics
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Finish carpentry tools
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Miter & bevel cuts
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Installing baseboards
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Installing door & window trim
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Installing base caps
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Preassembly
5 stars
Overall rating of 6 students
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5 out of 5
Michael Reid.,
Feb 03, 2022
Excellent learning experience
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5 out of 5
Curtis Holt.,
Jan 04, 2022
Very easy to follow and informative.
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5 out of 5
chad walker.,
Jan 03, 2022
Great visualization to learn
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5 out of 5
Manuel Echegaray.,
Oct 25, 2021
Great tips, I just don’t trust YouTube anymore when it comes to lea...
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5 out of 5
Robert Cattani.,
Oct 21, 2021
For a first time DIYER THIS IS GREAT, for anyone who has installed ...
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4 out of 5
Bruce Hall.,
Jan 22, 2022
Very useful course, well paced and not too much jargon. I’d be inte...
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4 out of 5
Darrin McCarthy.,
Oct 31, 2021
I picked up a few basic techniques. Seemed a bit short for the pric...
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3 out of 5
charles roth.,
Nov 03, 2021
Crown? Chair moldings ? Coffered? Wainscoting?
Aaron Butt
Lead Carpenter at Carpenter & MacNeille
Your Instructor
Aaron Butt has been in the trades for over 20 years, primarily in the custom, high end architect driven building market on the north shore of Boston Massachusetts. He is passionate about excellence and the craft of custom residential building. Having also spent time teaching a full-time carpentry program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston, Aaron fully embraces his desire to continue teaching what he knows and learning from others who have gone before him.
Become Job Ready
This course will increase your knowledge for jobs like:
Finish Carpenter
Carpenter
Remodeler
Remodel Carpenter
Finisher
For more information on these roles, visit our career page .
Search for these jobs at:
Common Questions
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What is MT Copeland?
MT Copeland helps you further your career in the building industry with expert-led online education that will make you a better, smarter tradesperson.
Our training courses give you a foundation in construction fundamentals and trade skills with real-world applications and best practices to help you grow on the job. -
What do courses include?
Online courses include professionally produced videos taught by leaders in the trades and supplementary learning material such as quizzes, assessments and downloadable materials to help you acquire new skills. Watch anywhere, always at your own pace. We keep lesson videos short so they’re easy to watch after work or on your lunch break. You can finish a course in one sitting, or space it out over a week or two.
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How does the 30-day guarantee work?
If you’re not happy with a course, let us know within 30 days for a full refund. Our goal is to provide maximum value for your career. If we haven’t delivered on that promise, let us know.
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Can you learn with MT Copeland outside of the u.s.?
Yes! You can take MT Copeland courses from anywhere in the world. Our courses are online, so if you have access to the Internet, you can watch our training videos. Courses are taught in English, with English captions and Spanish subtitles available.
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Where did the name MT Copeland come from?
MT Copeland was named after a legendary educator who promoted the idea that training in a specific trade paired with a knowledge of general business principles opens up a whole new world of career possibilities. We believe in the same powerful combination of skills and knowledge.