Removing the sliding glass doors from our sunroom was exciting, but it left a much less glamorous task: finishing the exposed edges where the metal door frames had been. Those exposed strips of raw wood around each opening not only looked unfinished, they also invited moisture and rot. Since rain + raw wood = rot, we tackled this job right away.
After the house was painted we discovered a lot of exterior rot repair in this area, so we’re especially vigilant about preventing future damage. Instead of filling the gaps with wood everywhere, I decided to invest in PVC trim for the exterior-facing portions. It cost about $5 more per piece than the wood alternative, but plastic holds up far better to moisture and should resist rot for decades. To save a bit, I purchased pre-primed wood for the top trim pieces that won’t be consistently exposed to standing water — that choice saved roughly $25 overall.
Each board I bought was 1″ x 6″ x 8′, which turned out to be a touch wider than the gaps I needed to fill. That meant I had to cut them down and rip a little off the sides on the table saw. Once I set a reliable fence and measurement, ripping the pieces to width became straightforward and repeatable — a good reminder to measure twice and clamp your guides carefully.
With everything cut to size, I applied construction adhesive to the back of each board and secured them with a nail gun. It had been a while since I used mine, so it felt good to get comfortable with it again. For the ceiling pieces I added screws in addition to nails and adhesive — I didn’t want to rely solely on glue and brads for anything that might end up overhead.
Installing the boards took a couple of hours. The physical work is fairly quick if your cuts are accurate, but the finishing steps always take longer than you expect: caulking, sanding, and cleanup added several more hours to the project.
When it came time to caulk, our main goal was to seal every gap around the new trim so moisture can’t creep in. We filled cracks and seams throughout the room, which not only improves weather protection but also makes the new trim look finished and intentional. I learned from a previous porch project that the right caulk choice matters: where the board meets brick, the surface of the masonry is uneven, and the caulk often gets pressed into the brick’s texture.
For those brick joints I used clear silicone caulk rather than white. Clear caulk seals well but visually defers to the crisp edge of the trim, so the finished line looks cleaner even if the caulk gets a little compressed into the brick. After smoothing the bead with a damp finger or a shaping tool, the result is neat and weather-tight.
Caulking the whole room was tedious but worth it — sealing those seams reduces the chance of future rot and helps everything read as a cohesive finish. I also took the chance to touch up small gaps elsewhere in the room so the overall look is uniform.
It’s not glamorous work, but it dramatically improved the appearance and durability of the openings. The new trim makes the sunroom feel less unfinished and much more protected from the elements.
As you can see, someone has already claimed the newly opened space and is enjoying it thoroughly.
Next up we still need to paint the inside of the room — currently the interior reads cream while the exterior is white — but before we reached for brushes we had to explore the ceiling some more. We opened a small access point to inspect framing and insulation and to plan the next phase of work. More on that once we finish poking around up there.
A few quick tips from this project: use rot-resistant materials where moisture is likely, measure and cut carefully, reinforce overhead pieces with screws as well as adhesive and nails, and choose your caulk thoughtfully—clear silicone can be your friend against rough masonry. With those steps the openings will look clean and stay protected for years.