The only thing I can think of to improve the appearance is to do a 45 degree cut where it butts up to the jamb. You would only do it deep enough to relieve the large, flat portion that sticks out...maybe take off 1/2" or so. Does that make sense?

Deep breath....thank you! Both suggestions make sense. I’ll call my carpenter today and see what he wants to do. A 1/2” seems like a lot. Can you share a picture? If we do a plinth block, how much bigger than the baseboard and casing should it be? (The baseboard is being cut to 3 3/4”.)

A plinth block will be the better looking and more traditional solution. It should be a little bit taller and a little bit thicker than your baseboard so the baseboard and door casing both terminate cleanly into it, leaving a little reveal on both sides.

I like kudzu's suggestion, but I personally prefer plinth blocks in this situation. I'd start by mocking up a block (before you cut anything) to pick your size. Then use a multitool to cut the existing door case at the right height for the plinth block.

Debbie-

It doesn’t have to be any particular dimension. Have your trim guy take a couple of scraps and do a couple of sizes of bevel, and pick the one that looks best.

Plinth blocks are nice, but that means a lot more work and a more significant alteration to the architectural style of trim in your house.

It’s a little hard to tell from just one picture but I might take the baseboard back to the company that made it and have them plane the back, maybe taking off 1/8” - 3/16”. Then cope the end to match the profile of the door casing. Fussy work but doable.

Or just bite the bullet and just have new baseboard moulding milled. Or re-case the doors, the two moulding styles really don’t match IMHO.

The company is Amish and they don’t answer the phone. Leave a message and we will call you back. Very frustrating to work with, but this is our third time purchasing from them and we have never had a problem before. We chose this baseboard because is what we are putting in the living area, except it is oak.

When I called the company about a solution, they sent me a picture of baseboard intentionally cut to be thicker than the casing. I asked them about plinth blocks and they have them for $7 each. I need 34 blocks. Plus the carpenter’s labor. Of course since it we be painted, we can go with a local box store. Or, if we had each piece back cut, it additional carpenter’s labor again. I get it, it is the price I will pay now.

So, my question, should I push the issue and would it be difficult for them to plane down the back?

1. Cutting a bevel where it butts in to the jamb is a tiny fraction of the labor compared to installing all those plinth blocks.

2. If you pay to have them plane the backs and make the trim thinner, it looks like you can't remove much before you get to that deep reveal at the top and weaken the trim so that the upper half-round shape breaks loose.

I'm still saying that the simplest, cheapest, and least problematic approach is a bevel.

Do it right with the plinth blocks please. You're going to be staring at this a long time.

The door casing does not seem to be terribly ornate. You could probably go with a simpler plinth and save some money. Not a lot, because you still have the labor and paint, but what about something like this?

So they have agreed to sand some off the back. Question, how important is the relief cut on the back on the trim? I know it is to avoid cupping, etc, but can it be sanded down some or removed?

The relief on the back helps it sit tight to the wall. No wall is totally flat and the relief helps deal with the irregularities. If the trim doesn’t have this feature, you might see more gapping and more caulk may be needed to hide it.

Thanks all. We are going to put this project on hold until spring. As of now, we plan to use the shallow oak casing in the hall, as I have the same number of doors there as in the living area. (We had planned to do the hall at a later date anyway.) We will order the casing for the living area to be a bit deeper.

I’m going to have them sand down the back of the poplar that we will be painting for the bedroom.

I so appreciate all the information shared here. I now know way more about trim that I ever thought I would need to know, but I love being educated by those with real life experience.