How to Use Nail Guns to Install Crown Molding

Crown molding ties a room's ceiling and walls together.

Crown molding is commonly used in the upper corners of a room as a decorative touch. The molding gives rooms an elegant, sophisticated look. Molding can be painted a fresh white or cream color, to offset dark paint, or in a shade to match the walls. You can install crown molding in your home yourself. In most cases, you will use finish nail guns equipped with brad or casing nails to secure the molding into place. The nail size can be 6d or 8d depending on the width of the molding.

Things You'll Need

• Stud finder
• Crown molding
• Pneumatic finish nail gun
• 6d or 8d finish nails

Instructions

1. Locate the room's wall studs using a stud finder. Make a light pencil mark 6 inches below the ceiling on the wall where each stud is located.

2. Place ready-to-install crown molding along the upper corner of the room. Ready-to-install crown molding has been measured and cut to fit the area in which it is being placed.

3. Locate the mark made on the wall to indicate stud placement. Place the tip of the nail gun against the crown molding near the indicated mark. Crown molding nail placement should be about 1/3 the width up from the bottom of the molding.

4. Point the nail gun in the direction that will drive the nail toward the wall and into the stud. Pull the trigger of the nail gun to release a nail. Lift the gun and place the tip of the gun about 1/3 the width down from the top of the crown molding pointing towards the ceiling. Pull the trigger again to release a nail into the ceiling joist.

5. Continue to the next stud mark on the wall and place another nail into the wall stud and ceiling joist. Continue this process throughout the room.

References

• The Family Handyman: How to Install Crown Molding