Shims

By Jenny Bengen
A shim is a thin, usually tapered piece of material such as wood, stone or metal, that is used to help make something level, fill gaps, or adjust something so that it fits properly.

Applications

With regards to construction, shims are intended to help ensure a flat wall surface in both residential and commercial construction. Some of the ways shims may be used in construction include:


For example, shims are useful when constructing a new door. Once the door has been attached to the jamb, shims can be used to correct any spacing problems.

Shims are frequently used in cabinet installation. Shims are used in this case to ensure that everything is level so that all the doors and drawers openly smoothly and properly.