Crown molding installation is not that easy but it's not that hard either!We've all seen beautiful crown molding installations in homes or businesses and thought how wonderful that would look in our own homes but oh the difficult work and it's so hard to get it right. Wrong! Crown molding is simply a shaped piece of wood that mounts at a 45 degree angle at the corner where your wall meets the ceiling but boy oh boy, does it make a room look grand. Some moldings are actually multiple pieces stacked on top of each other to create an dramatic effect. Installing this wonderful accent does require some work but it is definitely worth it, trust me. The average homeowner can accomplish this installation project in as little time as a weekend.
If you need step by step details this is a great E-book to guide you.
A miter saw is a table top saw that can cut wood at any angle up to 45 degrees and cut bevels (vertical angles) up to 45 degrees Nowadays the average homeowner can do crown molding installation with very few tools and little experience. The biggest problem you may run into is holding up the pieces while you put in the nails. Tricky if you're alone but I have an answer for that as well. Do you think you're ready to install some crown molding? Okay then, let's get to it.
Once you have that done you'll need to visit a home improvement store or website and decide what profile you like. The profile is the cross section of the molding and this is what you'll see on the wall. The sizes range from 2-1/2" to over 8". Here are some examples for you to look at while you're deciding.
Some crown molding profile choices As you can see from the above piture, there are many types of profiles so be picky and make sure that you choose the one that's right for your room. The newest innovation in crown molding installation is the invention of blocks that mount at the corners so that you DO NOT have to make miter cuts. These blocks simply mount at the corners and you cut straight pieces to fit against the blocks. This will greatly decrease your frustration in trying to get the right miter cut. I love these blocks! They come in solid wood or foam and many styles so you should really consider using these to make your life less stressful.
A really good idea is to pre paint or stain the molding before installing it as it is difficult to paint when it's up on the wall. Just a little tip from your friend the handyman. If you're using the blocks this is the time to install them. Please follow the directions on the blocks or use construction adhesive and finish nails to install them at all the corners. Measure the distance from corner to corner of your walls. If your using the blocks, measure from the block edge to block edge. If the distance is greater than the length of your longest piece then you'll have to put up two pieces so you should cut them at the center of the wall. It just looks better, trust me. Now cut the pieces according to your measurements. You should really have a helper for the crown molding installation part but if you don't you can follow these directions. If you do not have any help then you can use the 2x4's to hold up the molding while you install. Place one board leaning against the wall near the far corner or near the middle of the wall at an angle and a few inches from the ceiling, sort of like a teepee pole, do the same with the near corner where you are going to start. Now you can gently place the molding on top the far side or middle 2x4 and the near corner 2x4 while you climb the ladder and start your crown molding installation. Once you have the near side molding up you can secure it with a nail at the top of the molding. This will allow you to rotate the molding on the other side so that it will be even. Now you can nail the other side and once that's done put in the bottom nail on the far side and the near side. You can continue this on all the sides and when you're done all you have to do is fill in any gaps with caulk. Now that all if the molding is done you can relax and admire your handiwork, nice job!
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