Lay out picture frame molding around doors, windows and outlets

Enter your wall and what is on it. Get evenly spaced frames, a scale drawing with every measurement, and a cut list for the saw. Free, no sign-up, nothing uploaded.

Wall

Frames

Doors, windows, outlets

Measure to the outside of the trim or cover plate. “From left” is from the left wall corner.

  • Window
  • Outlet

6 frames · 24 cuts · 86.1 linear ft

121" × 82 1/2"221" × 82 1/2"336" × 22 1/2"4521" × 82 1/2"621" × 82 1/2"Wall 144" wide × 96" high4"25"29"50"54"90"94"115"119"140"Mark these distances from the left corner9 1/2"32"84"92"

Layout looks wrong for your wall? Send feedback

Cut list

Lengths are the long (outside) edge of each piece, with 45° miters on both ends.

QtyLength
8 ×82 1/2"
4 ×36"
2 ×22 1/2"
8 ×21"
2 ×8"

Total 86.1 linear ft. Buy at least 12 boards of 96", plus one spare for miscuts.

Frame positions

Outside edges, measured from the left corner and the floor.

#WidthHeightFrom leftFrom floor
121"82 1/2"4"9 1/2"
221"82 1/2"29"9 1/2"
336"22 1/2"54"9 1/2"
436"8"54"84"
521"82 1/2"94"9 1/2"
621"82 1/2"119"9 1/2"

How the layout is worked out

  1. Doors and windows split the wall into open sections. Each section gets as many equal frames as it takes to land closest to your target width.
  2. The same gap is kept between frames, at the wall corners, under the ceiling and above the baseboard.
  3. A short frame is added above each door, and above and below each window, lined up with the trim.
  4. If the molding would run across an outlet or switch plate, the frame count is changed until the plate sits clear. If nothing works, the plate is marked in red.

Before you cut

  • Measure the wall in two places. Walls are rarely square, so use the smaller number.
  • Measure doors and windows to the outside edge of the casing, not the opening.
  • Mark the layout on the wall with a level and painter’s tape, and step back before nailing.
  • Cut the longest pieces first so a miscut can be reused for a shorter one.

Questions

How far apart should picture frame molding boxes be?
Most walls use a gap of 3 to 4 inches, and the layout looks most deliberate when the same gap is used everywhere: between frames, below the ceiling or crown, above the baseboard and beside door and window trim. This calculator keeps one gap throughout and changes the frame width to make it fit.
How do I lay out picture frame molding around a window or door?
Treat the opening as a break in the wall. Lay out equal frames on the open wall on each side, then add a short frame above the opening (and below a window) that lines up with the outside of the trim.
How are the cut lengths measured?
Each frame needs two pieces at the frame width and two at the frame height. The cut list gives the long, outside edge of every piece, assuming a 45 degree miter on both ends.
What do I do when an outlet or light switch lands on the trim?
The cleanest fix is to change the number of boards or frames so the plate sits in open wall. The calculator tries this automatically. If no layout clears the plate it is flagged in red, and your options are to change the spacing, move the box, or notch the trim around the plate.
Is my layout saved or uploaded?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser. Print the page or save it as a PDF to keep a copy.

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