Trim is millwork, which means it's created in a sawmill from raw lumber, at least traditionally. Trim is a great decorative choice that brings a room together by using both color and design. It hides gaps in the wall, floors, and ceiling. Trim may even provide minor assistance in keeping your house structurally sound, though only minimally. With all this in mind, you don’t need trim in a home. However, it does look nice, makes a room feel put together, and increases resale value — which is why most homes have it.

COST CALCULATOR

How Much Does It Cost To Install Trim Molding?

Q: How do I install wall trim?

Here’s how to install wall trim in a nutshell. You’ll need to cut the baseboard to length, then place it against the wall to close gaps. Glue your baseboards to the wall, and use a brace to force any gaps closed. Let the glue dry overnight, then caulk any gaps between the boards and the walls. The tricky aspects of installing wall trim include cutting the pieces to fit corners and form-fitting the trim to walls that aren’t flat. If you’re unsure what you’re doing, consider hiring a professional for the best results.

Q: What’s the difference between molding and trim?

Trim is a catch-all term for strips of material that run along a wall, usually near the ceiling or floor. Any openings to your home – like doors and windows – are also surrounded by trim. Trim refers to baseboards, crown molding, chair and picture rails, and more. Molding is more specific; it’s a decorative style of trim — often featuring ornate details, which enhance a room's aesthetic. If you want fancy trim that does more than frame the room, you’ll be looking for molding.

Q: Can I install trim on a crooked wall?

Trim is commonly installed on uneven walls. Most old home’s walls warp and settle throughout the years. That’s why when it comes time for a renovation, it’ll be clear those walls are no longer flat. A good carpenter will take the time to make your trim look excellent, despite crooked walls. This process requires time to do correctly, so it will cost more than if the job were straightforward.

Q: How long does it take to trim a house?

When you want trim installed, you’d usually hire a finish carpenter. The average installation time for one of these professionals is close to 20 linear feet per hour. The average trim installation project involves 125 linear feet, which should take between six and seven hours to complete. Large, flat walls are the easiest to install baseboards on, but if your home has crooked walls and plenty of corners, it will take time to finesse the baseboards correctly. Every job is different, but a good finish carpenter should be able to provide an educated guess on how long they estimate each job to be.

Typical range: $648-$976

Find out how much your project will cost

Zip Code

cost to install trim molding Calculator

For your project in zip code 43215 with these options, the cost to install trim molding starts at $5.18-$7.81 per linear foot. Your actual price will depend on job size, conditions, finish options you choose.

The average cost to install trim molding is $1,320. At the low end, you might pay $200, whereas that price leaps to $5,200 on the high end. Typically, people pay between $600 and $2,000 in trim installation costs. Trim is the woodwork elements that adorn a home’s floor, ceiling, or walls. The right trim can pull together your home’s design elements, from colors to styles. You can choose prefabricated trim, or get something custom-made. Trim is largely decorative but can be used to hide unsightly gaps.

Cost Calculator

Zip Code

Calculations are dependent on where you live

Linear Feet

Standard Services		Quantity	Low	High
What you can expect
Range per linear foot:			$5.18	$7.81
Range for this type of project:			$648	$976
Estimate: $812
	Molding Cost	132 linear feet	$102	$155
	Cost of residential-grade, 1/2"x2-1/4" ready-to-paint MDF casing. Rate is inclusive of local delivery, as well as standard excess for perfect installation and occasional repairs.
	Molding Labor, Basic	6 hours	$388	$629
	Labor cost, under typical conditions, for complete installation. Molding will be measured, sized, and finished, with a single miter and coped end per section. Edge gap will be caulked, and nail holes patched and smoothed. Rate is inclusive of all aspects of the project, such as thorough planning, acquisition of equipment and material, preparation and protection of project site, and meticulous cleanup.
	Molding Job Supplies	132 linear feet	$96	$109
	Requisite supplies for the job, including fasteners, connectors, and materials for surface preparation and finishing.
	Molding Equipment Allowance	1 job	$61	$83
	Daily rental of specialty equipment for maximum quality and efficiency. These include pneumatic-finish nailer, 12" compound miter saw, biscuit joiner, and detail sander. Consumable equipment elements not included.
	Molding Debris Disposal	125 linear feet	$14	$16
	Responsible disposal of all project debris, including the cost to load and haul old materials, installation waste, and any other refuse.
Optional Services
	Option: Remove Molding	3 hours	$52	$329
	Trim edge will be scored where bonded to adjacent surfaces. Trim will be gently pried away, preserving the integrity of adjacent surfaces, finishes, and hardwork. Trim millwork will be removed from premises.

Standard services

Molding Cost
$102 -$155

132
linear feet

Cost of residential-grade, 1/2"x2-1/4" ready-to-paint MDF casing. Rate is inclusive of local delivery, as well as standard excess for perfect installation and occasional repairs.

Molding Labor, Basic
$388 -$629

6
hours

Labor cost, under typical conditions, for complete installation. Molding will be measured, sized, and finished, with a single miter and coped end per section. Edge gap will be caulked, and nail holes patched and smoothed. Rate is inclusive of all aspects of the project, such as thorough planning, acquisition of equipment and material, preparation and protection of project site, and meticulous cleanup.

Molding Job Supplies
$96 -$109

132
linear feet

Requisite supplies for the job, including fasteners, connectors, and materials for surface preparation and finishing.

Molding Equipment Allowance
$61 -$83

1
job

Daily rental of specialty equipment for maximum quality and efficiency. These include pneumatic-finish nailer, 12" compound miter saw, biscuit joiner, and detail sander. Consumable equipment elements not included.

Molding Debris Disposal
$14 -$16

125
linear feet

Responsible disposal of all project debris, including the cost to load and haul old materials, installation waste, and any other refuse.

Optional Services

Option: Remove Molding
$52 -$329

3
hours

Trim edge will be scored where bonded to adjacent surfaces. Trim will be gently pried away, preserving the integrity of adjacent surfaces, finishes, and hardwork. Trim millwork will be removed from premises.

What you can expect

Range per linear foot:
$5 - $8

Range for this type of project:
$648 - $976

Estimate:
$812

Cost Comparison

YOUR ESTIMATE

$812

NATIONAL AVERAGE RANGE

$672 -$1,013

YOUR ESTIMATE

Install Trim Molding: national average cost

The national average materials cost to install trim molding is $1.01 per linear foot, with a range between $0.81 to $1.22. The total price for labor and materials per linear foot is $6.74, coming in between $5.38 to $8.11. A typical 125 linear foot project costs $842.84, with a range of $672.26 to $1,013.43. Your actual price will depend on your location, job size, conditions and finish options you choose.

cost to install trim molding
National Avg. Materials Cost per linear foot	$1.01
National Avg. Cost (labor and materials) for 125 linear foot	$842.84
National Cost Range (labor and materials) for 125 linear foot	$672.26 - $1,013.43

Cost to install trim molding by linear foot

If you want to know “how much do trims cost,” you’ll need to decide what trims you’re installing. Each trim is defined by its location in the home and its practical and aesthetic purpose and comes with different costs.

Quarter round installation costs

Quarter Round molding fills gaps between your baseboards and the floors, covering gaps between flooring remodeling work. This is a round trim, one-quarter of a full circle, where it gets its namesake. Quarter round installation costs $0.50 per linear foot on average, with eight feet being the average length.

Shoe molding installation costs

Shoe molding is used to hide gaps between walls and floors and is usually installed to a taller baseboard. It’s narrow and has flat inward-facing sides and one concave outward-facing side. You’ll often find shoe molding in eight-foot lengths at an average cost of $0.50 per linear foot. It’s somewhat like quarter-round molding in its uses.

Crown molding installation costs

Crown molding is often decorative but can also hide gaps between walls, the ceiling, and large cabinets. Crown molding can be elaborate custom affairs or something budget-friendly and basic - the choice is yours. Basic crown molding costs between $2.00 to $3.00 per linear foot, while custom crown molding costs between $8.00 and $10.00 per linear foot.

Base molding installation costs

Base molding is commonly known as baseboards, and its purpose is to hide gaps between the floors and the wall. The baseboard has several finishes and comes in either a fiberboard or wood base. Fiberboard is your cheaper option, averaging $0.60 per linear foot, while wood base averages $1.20 per linear foot.

Picture or chair rail installation costs

A chair rail protects the wall from furniture bumping and usually runs three feet above the floor. A picture rail runs along the wall much higher and is an anchor to hang photos. You don’t need to drive nails into the drywall with a picture rail. Both picture and chair rails cost between $1.00 to $2.00 per linear foot.

Wall frame installation costs

Wall frames are premade, decorative squares found in high-end homes. These are often painted or wall-papered and typically cost between $8.00 to $25.00 per linear foot.

Additional costs for trim molding installation

With most renovations, there’s always more to it than the basic installation cost. This fact remains true with trim molding. Here are the additional costs you might incur when you decide to install new trim:

Labor costs for trim molding

The cost of a carpenter can range between $65 to $100 per hour. Most full-trim installation projects take roughly six hours to complete, which means you’ll pay between $400 to $650 for a professional.

Removal or replacement costs for trim molding

If you already have trim in your home, you’ll need it removed. Trim molding removal can cost between $0.55 to $1.17 per linear foot. This cost accounts for your carpenter’s due diligence in removing the trim. They’ll prepare the area, pry the trim off the wall without damaging the surface, haul the garbage, and clean the area afterward.

Painting or staining trim costs

You can find a lot of pre-painted or stained options when you buy trim molding, but those options may not be suitable for your home. Staining or painting trim molding is detail-oriented work that requires time and patience. As it's an intricate job, you can expect to pay between $1 and $4 per linear foot, based on your choices. Baseboards are usually more comprehensive than other trims, and may cost between $1 to $5 per linear foot instead.

Material, style, and length

Aside from the various types of trim molding, your costs will vary based on materials, styles, and the length you need. Certain trims, such as shoe molding, come in 8-foot lengths. If you need 12 feet of this molding, you’ll have to pay for 16. As with everything — the more you need, the more it costs.

Trim usually comes in basic options, and there’s no shortage. If you’re looking for specific materials, you may choose to get something custom-made. You might do this to have a specific trim style as well, and these custom jobs will affect the cost.

DIY or hire a pro

Trim seems somewhat easy to install – after all, you’re just nailing a board to a wall, right? Not exactly, as trim requires significant carpentry experience to do the job well. Experienced carpenters will create smooth runs, tight joints, and exact cuts. One problem that most DIYers find is that most walls aren’t exactly flat. You’ll have to know how to cut your trim to conform to your wall, which takes training. You may be able to save some money by doing the job yourself, but trim installation is a job worthy of a professional.