How do I identify the period of my interior window casings?

Federal: flat, thin, 3-1/4" wide, with a small back band or bead at the outer edge. Greek Revival: wide and flat, 4-1/2" to 5-1/2", with an ear at the upper corners and a flat head casing. Victorian: built-up with applied molding, ogee or cove profiles, sometimes with a plinth block at the base. When in doubt, measure the width and look for applied molding profiles.

Can I replace damaged interior casing with stock molding from a lumber yard?

Only if the stock profile matches the original. Most stock profiles at lumber yards are contemporary and do not match Federal, Greek Revival, or Victorian profiles. For period-correct replacement, a millwork shop that runs custom profiles is the correct source.

Should interior window casings be painted or stained?

In traditional New England buildings of the Federal through Victorian periods, interior trim was painted — white or a color. Stained wood trim in these buildings is a later modification, not historically correct. Paint is the correct finish.

Interior Window Trim — Old Canaan Building Materials

The interior window casing is one of the most repeated details in a traditional New England house. Every window, every door — the casing defines the boundary between the opening and the wall, and its profile identifies the building's period more specifically than almost any other single detail. A Federal house has Federal casings. A Greek Revival house has Greek Revival casings. The profile is not interchangeable.

The Character

Federal period (1780-1820): simple flat casing with a back band or beaded edge, 3-1/4" to 3-1/2" face width, thin and precise. Greek Revival (1820-1850): wide, flat pilaster-like casing with an ear at the upper corners and a simple entablature head. Victorian (1860-1900): built-up casing with ogee or ovolo profiles, often wider, with more shadow line detail. Each reads as itself and as a specific moment in American architectural history.

What It Is

Interior window casing in traditional New England buildings is clear white pine, 3/4" to 7/8" thick, in profiles determined by the building's period. Federal casing: 3-1/4" flat with a 3/8" back band. Greek Revival casing: 4-1/2" to 5-1/2" flat with an ear return at upper corners. Victorian casing: built-up from flat stock and applied molding — typically an ogee or cove profile on a 3-1/2" flat base.

How It Behaves

Interior window casing in clear pine, properly primed and painted, lasts the life of the building. The profile, once established, should not be changed when rooms are repainted or renovated — the casing is part of the building's architectural identity.

Why It's Right

Period-correct interior window casing is the specification that makes a historic building read as itself rather than as a renovation. Replacing Federal casing with a Victorian profile, or a Victorian built-up casing with a simple contemporary flat casing, erases the building's period character as thoroughly as any other single change.

How To Get It

From millwork shops that produce custom profiles from clear pine. Bring a cross-section sample or profile drawing of the existing casing when ordering replacements. Do not accept a stock profile that approximates the original — the profile is the detail.

The Old Canaan Standard

Period-correct interior window casing in clear white pine, profile determined by the building period: flat with back band for Federal, wide flat with ear return for Greek Revival, built-up ogee for Victorian, for all interior window and door openings in traditional New England buildings. Do not substitute contemporary stock profiles. The casing profile is the building's period identity.

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