Creating shadow gaps around doors

There is no reason why you can’t use a shadow gap around internal door openings. In fact, it is preferable to plastering right up to the door lining, which will leave an unstable timber-plaster joint, liable to cracking.

To get a shadow gap, you start by fixing the door lining and then fix a plaster stop bead into the wall around it — leaving a shadow gap between the door lining and the stop bead of around 10mm. Expamet makes shadow gap beads, although you could elect to use a conventional stop bead. You are looking to get the surfaces of the wall and the door lining to be absolutely flush.

However, you might want to use something other than standard door linings, which are supplied with slot joints in the head section. These are designed to be covered over when the architrave is fixed, but with no architrave, you will be able to see them. You may also find that the widths of the standard linings don’t match your wall and plaster widths. Remember that planed timber is sold in nominal widths (that is before planing takes place) and the actual widths are usually 7 or 8mm less than this. So be prepared to spend a little extra on your door linings: they may have to be made up on site, or purchased as specials.