Architraves are interior mouldings fitted around a door frame or a window. They allow you to hide door joints and other rough surfaces by acting as a trim where the joints meet the walls or the floor.

Architrave is typically available in a range of materials and finishes. The most popular are MDF architrave and solid oak architrave. Tulipwood is also an excellent material for architrave because it machines very well and leaves a great surface to paint. It is considered to be the best paint-grade wood for architrave, and is a premium alternative to MDF or pine.

Architrave should nearly always be thicker than skirting boards. The only exceptions are when you need the skirting boards and architrave to be flush, for example, if you want to extend the design of the skirting boards seamlessly around the architrave, as with some grooved profiles, or if you are installing a plinth block at the base of your architrave to transition into the skirting board. Even in this case, the plinth block needs to be thicker than both the architrave and the skirting board.

You can choose to purchase either complete architrave door sets or running lengths; whichever is most convenient for you. A single set in MDF, oak or tulipwood includes two upright pieces (2440mm) and one top crossbar (1220mm), while pine sets are slightly shorter at 2200mm uprights and a 1100mm crossbar. Double sets provide enough architrave for a double width door, with both the uprights and crossbar measuring 2440mm (or 2200mm in pine). All options offer enough material for full door coverage, and you can fully customise your architrave by selecting the depth, width and finish.