Domakihub How to Fit Architrave: A Step-by-Step Guide
Get clean, professional door and window trims without calling a carpenter.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Architrave — the decorative moulding that frames a door or window opening — is one of the finishing touches that separates a polished interior from a rough one. The video above walks you through the process visually, while this guide gives you the ordered steps, material notes, and practical tips you need to do it confidently yourself. Whether you're refreshing a rental apartment in Athens, updating a holiday villa on a Greek island, or smartening up a hotel corridor, a clean architrave job costs very little and makes an immediate difference.
What Is Architrave and Why Does It Matter?
Architrave is the timber or MDF moulding that runs around the edge of a door or window frame, hiding the gap between the frame and the plastered wall. Without it you see raw plaster, exposed fixings, and an unfinished look that undermines even expensive flooring and paint. In Greece, where older properties often have thick plastered walls and door linings that sit proud of the plaster, a well-fitted architrave is especially important for a clean result.
MDF architrave is the most practical choice for most interior projects — it's stable in varying humidity, easy to paint, widely available at Greek timber merchants (ξυλαποθήκες), and significantly cheaper than solid wood. Solid pine or oak is worth considering for high-end renovation or period properties where the profile will be stained rather than painted.
Tools and Materials You'll Need
You don't need a large toolkit to fit architrave. The essentials are a mitre saw (or a good mitre box and hand saw), a tape measure, a pencil, a spirit level, a nail gun or hammer and panel pins, wood glue, decorator's caulk, and fine-filler for any small gaps. A coping saw is useful if you need to scribe internal mitre joints to an uneven wall.
Buy around 10–15% more architrave length than your measurements suggest — mitre cuts waste material and you'll want spare for mistakes. For a standard single door you'll typically need about 5 linear metres of profile. Pre-prime MDF architrave before cutting if you can; it saves a finishing coat later.
How to Fit Architrave: 5 Steps
- 1
Mark the reveal line on the door lining
Before you cut anything, use a pencil and combination square to mark a consistent 'reveal' — the visible strip of door lining that will show inside the architrave — all the way around the frame opening. A reveal of 6–8 mm is standard. This line is your guide for positioning every piece of architrave; getting it straight here saves a lot of adjustment later.
- 2
Measure and cut the head (horizontal) piece first
Measure the distance between the two reveal lines across the top of the door opening. Cut your horizontal head piece with 45-degree mitre cuts at each end, angling outward so the long face of the moulding is longer than the short face. Always cut slightly long, test-fit the piece, and trim until it sits exactly on the reveal lines. Label this piece so you don't mix it up.
- 3
Cut and fit the two vertical legs
Hold each vertical leg in position against the wall, with its top end butting against the mitre already cut on the head piece. Mark the length at the floor (or skirting board) and cut a straight 90-degree base cut. At the top, cut a matching 45-degree mitre that pairs with the head piece. Apply a small amount of wood glue to both mitre faces before pressing them together — this is what holds the joint tight long-term, not just the nails.
- 4
Fix all three pieces to the wall and frame
Once you're happy with the dry fit, nail through the face of the architrave into the door lining using panel pins or a nail gun, spacing fixings roughly every 400–500 mm. Also nail through the back edge into the wall. If the wall is masonry (common in Greek concrete-frame construction), pre-drill and use a combination of adhesive and masonry fixings rather than trying to nail directly. Punch nail heads just below the surface for filling.
- 5
Fill, caulk, sand, and paint
Fill any nail holes and the mitre joints with fine filler, allow to dry, and sand smooth. Run a thin bead of decorator's caulk along both edges of the architrave — where it meets the wall and where it meets the door lining — then smooth with a damp finger. This seals any small gaps and gives the painted finish a crisp, professional edge. Apply two coats of interior trim paint, lightly sanding between coats.
Rather have a pro handle it?
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FAQ
- What angle do I cut architrave corners?
- Standard architrave corners use 45-degree mitre cuts where the head piece meets each vertical leg. If your walls are badly out of square — common in older Greek properties — you may need to adjust slightly away from 45 degrees; test-fit before committing to the final cut.
- Can I fit architrave without a mitre saw?
- Yes. A mitre box (a plastic or wooden guide that holds your hand saw at the correct angle) costs very little and works well for straight runs. It takes more care and time than a powered mitre saw, but produces accurate cuts if you use a sharp saw and clamp the work firmly.
- How do I stop the mitre joints from opening up after painting?
- Apply wood glue to both faces of every mitre joint and clamp or hold firmly while the glue sets — nails alone are not enough. Once painted and caulked, slight seasonal movement in the wood can still cause hairline cracks; filling with flexible decorator's caulk rather than rigid filler on the mitre line helps prevent this.