How to fix this trim alignment issue?

[Fix-a-Door]

Working on some trim updates in my own place and trying to stay within budget. I skipped Plinth Blocks on the main doors and used the same base moulding throughout, which looked cleaner. Now that I’m on the smaller doors, the moulding thickness throws off the alignment. Before I go back and redo everything, can I modify the moulding to make it work or is it better to start using blocks at this point?

 

[Gon_Kobold]

I ran into the same problem in my hallway. I shaved down the back of the trim with a chisel and sanded the edge flush. A little caulk and paint later, you can’t even tell. Unless the offset’s huge, modifying the moulding is the faster and cheaper move.

 

[y0ng3r]

I agree with what @Gon_Kobold said but look if you’ve got a lot of them, switching to plinth blocks might actually be faster and give a more intentional look. Either route works, just depends on how much time you want to spend fussing with each joint in the end

 

[Fix-a-Door]

I think the best way forward is to test the shaving method on one of the smaller doors this weekend. If I can get the offset clean and it's under a quarter inch, I'll know if it's worth doing more that way or just switching to blocks.

Do you think it’s better to commit to one method across all doors for consistency, or is mixing approaches acceptable if the finish looks clean?

 

[y0ng3r]

Consistency usually looks better, but if you're talking about face frames or something where different doors have different issues, mixing methods is fine as long as the final reveal is uniform, what kind of offset are you dealing with, is it like hinge side, latch side, or top/bottom?

 

[joshuadonnelly]

I ran into the same issue last year while working on door trims and skirting in my living room. The alignment between moulding thicknesses can really throw things off visually, especially around door frames. What worked for me was using plinth blocks on the thicker sections — they help transition between different moulding depths cleanly without needing to sand or modify too much. If you’re using solid wood profiles, you can also slightly plane the back edge to bring it flush where needed. I used traditional timber mouldings from Period Mouldings, and they handled trimming and shaping nicely without splitting. It’s a small detail, but once painted, the alignment looks perfect and much more professional.

 

[Alan]

I ran into the same issue last year while working on door trims and skirting in my living room. The alignment between moulding thicknesses can really throw things off visually, especially around door frames. What worked for me was using plinth blocks on the thicker sections — they help transition between different moulding depths cleanly without needing to sand or modify too much. If you’re using solid wood profiles, you can also slightly plane the back edge to bring it flush where needed. I used traditional timber mouldings from Period Mouldings, and they handled trimming and shaping nicely without splitting. It’s a small detail, but once painted, the alignment looks perfect and much more professional.

Nice breakdown! plinth blocks are one of those tricks that don't get mentioned enough, they're legit like lifesavers for situations like this. Good practical advice here