Then consider installingcrown molding.
Few other remodeling projects give your home such a luxury look with so little time and investment.
Crown molding is a value-added home project; it takes just a weekend to upgrade a medium-sized room.
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But a patient DIYer who works carefully can certainly get good results with this project.
What Is Crown Molding?
The Advantages of Crown Molding
Crown molding gives rooms an extra-fancy touch for little extra cost.
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Providing crisp, neat lines, crown molding helps to separate ceiling colors from wall colors.
Crown molding can help disguise minor wall or ceiling issues at the junction.
Safety Considerations
Installing crown molding always involves working above the floor on ladders.
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verify to buy enough crown molding to cover the walls, with some excess for waste.
Buying about 25 percent more molding than you need is a good plan.
Cut the Crown Molding
Measure and mark the crown molding piece for cutting.
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The piece of crown molding will be positioned at an angle as you cut it.
For the left side of the corner, miter-cut with the saw blade rotated right at 45 degrees.
Discard the left side of the cut and save the right side of the cut.
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For the right side of the corner, rotate the saw blade left at 45 degrees.
Discard the right side of the cut and save the left side.
Discard the left side of the cut and save the right end of the cut.
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For the right side of the corner, rotate the saw blade left at 45 degrees.
Discard the right side of the cut and save the left side.
A nearly invisible way to stitch two straight pieces is with ascarf joint.
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Cut the adjacent, right-hand piece as if cutting the right side of anoutsidecorner.
The two pieces will butt neatly together in the center of the wall.
This is a much more professional-looking joint than simply butting the pieces together with square cuts.
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These marks will serve as a guide when you nail up the crown molding pieces.
Recruit a helper to help you manage the molding on a second ladder as you position it into place.
Begin at the center of the wall.
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Make certain that the angle is precise.
Problems with the angle will become apparent at the corners.
Plan for your scarf joints to occur at wall studs for best results.
Run a bead of flexible, paintable caulk along these gaps to fill them.
Caulk can also fill any remaining gaps at the mitered corners.
Some carpenters like to also apply the finish paint to each piece before nailing up the crown molding.
Paint all the moldings and let the paint dry according to the manufacturer’s directions.
If necessary, apply a second coat to cover more completely.
Some trade carpenters specialize in cabinetry and trim work.
This kind of pro is a very good option if you want a truly quality installation.
Installing crown moldings in this situation is not impossible, though.
During the day, this can give the room a desirable shadow effect.
Or you’re free to install lighting behind the crown molding to create a pleasant aura at night.
Corner blocks are pieces of trim that are installed on inside or outside corners.
They substitute for the 45-degree junction or coped joint of two crown strips.
Each strip meets straight onto the block at a 90-degree angle.
Older-style heavy plastic tube-covered rope lights are slowly being supplanted by ultra-lightweight LED tape strip lighting.
Consider Alternative Materials
There are two alternatives to rigid wood crown molding.
The second is a rigid, high-density polystyrene molding, that is cut with a miter saw.
These flexible products are easy to cut and install.
Their flexibility allows them to conform to wall imperfections.
However, the peel-and-stick adhesive can loosen and fail over time.
Rigid polystyrene crown is closer to real wood crown molding.
Because it is lightweight, it can be applied with caulking.
Unlike wood, it is not affected by changes in relative humidity.
Caulking residue may also be left behind.
Foam crown molding is easier to install than wood.
Crown molding should be as seamless as possible from one area to the next.
