How to Paint Wooden Crown Molding

Wood crown molding makes a beautiful addition to any room. Painted wooden crown molding looks very nice in rooms where the walls are painted with a solid color. If you're the do-it-yourself type, painting wooden crown molding is quite easy. Here's how to do it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wood crown molding
• Primer
• Paint
• A Paint Brush

1. Once you've chosen the crown molding that you'd like to install, lightly sand the wood to remove any rough spots. This can be accomplished with a 150 grit sand paper. Wipe off the sawdust with a dry cloth.

2. Apply a coat of primer to the crown molding. Typically, a latex water based primer will be sufficient (and easier to clean up) for indoor painting. Allow this to dry before applying paint. You can also purchase pre-primed crown molding which saves you this step.

3. Using a paint brush, apply one to three coats of paint to the wooden crown molding. Choose whatever color you like. Here again, I recommend using a latex water based paint. Latex based paint typically produces less fumes. This makes it ideal for indoor use. You can also choose the type of shine you'd like from your paint. Flat, Satin, Semi-gloss and gloss are all choices you can make.

4. If you're painting crown molding that has previously been stained and varnished, sand the molding enough to scuff it and remove the shine from the varnish. Then use a stain-blocker based primer such as Kilz. After it's dry, perform step 3 of this article.

5. If you're painting crown molding that has previously been painted, you can often begin with step 3 and apply the new paint. If you're worried about bleed through, apply a stain-blocker or primer before painting.

Tips & Warnings

• If your crown molding is already installed, use a straight edge of some sort to avoid getting paint on your walls or ceiling.
• Sometimes, foam paint brushes work well for smooth paint finishes. They can help avoid paintbrush lines.
• Be careful to keep the coats of paint thin. Too thick will produce runs.
• Always properly vent the room in which you'll be painting.
• Wear old clothes while painting.

[RachelB]

on 1/15/2009 All very good suggestions on how to paint wooden crown molding. Thank you!