How to Put Up Crown Molding
Crown molding adds a rich, finished look to any room and comes in different shapes, designs and sizes. Putting up crown molding is easiest when there are at least two people working together. Measure the walls of the room where you want to install the molding to begin with, and be sure to give yourself some extra molding to compensate for any cutting errors. Once you have your molding and required tools and equipment, you are ready to go. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hammer
- Nails and nails
- Measuring tape
- Ladder
- Compound miter saw
- Stud finder
Instructions
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Measure the height of your crown molding and put pencil marks the same height from the ceiling along the wall. If you determine that the molding is 3 inches in height, put a pencil mark 3 inches down from the ceiling at each corner of the wall and then add marks the same distance horizontally across the wall for your base reference line. Use a stud finder to locate the studs across the wall. You will be hammering in nails into the studs.
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Cut the crown molding to fit the length of the wall. If you are using a miter saw, you will need to adjust the miter and bevel to match the angle of the wall where you want to install the molding. When working with an 80-degree corner, set your miter to 40. Practice on scrap pieces until you have two end pieces that will joint together perfectly at a corner of the room.
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3
Align the bottom of the molding with your base reference lines and have your helper assist you in holding the molding up against the wall. One person can hold the molding in place while the other person nails the molding to the wall. Use a finish nailer to put nails through the molding into the studs. If you prefer to use a hammer and nails, you should drill pilot holes through the molding before affixing it to the wall.
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Repeat the steps above to install crown molding onto the rest of the walls in the room. Repeat the steps above to install the same crown molding in more than one room of the house. If you are using other crown molding in another room, you will need to measure the crown molding and make new reference marks according to the different dimensions of the other crown molding. Add any more molding to the room such as a crown molding that is installed just above doors.
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You can paint your crown molding according to desired color choices; however, it is easier to paint the molding before installing it. You may want to consider using a stencil to paint a design on to your crown molding if you have used a plainer type of molding and you want to make it appear more decorative.
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Tips & Warnings
The decorative part of crown molding is usually located at the bottom of it with the smoother, plainer part at the top of it. Miter refers to the angle on the table so it means moving the blade side to side in relation to the table angle. Bevel means moving the blade side to side in relation to the angle on the arm so it is the tilt of the blade.
Always take precautions when using power saws such as wearing protective gloves and eyewear, and watch your fingers carefully while using the equipment.
References
Resources
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