How to Go Around a Corner With Molding
Crown molding is a decorative piece of wood that is used to trim out the seam where the wall and ceiling meet. These pieces come in many different decorative mill cuts, widths, lengths and stain grades. Crown molding is installed by using a nail gun to nail the molding to the top plate, ceiling joists and studs of the wall. When you wrap molding around a corner, a miter cut is used to cut the end of the pieces at an angle for a smooth seam. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Miter Saw
- Caulk
- Caulking gun
- Electric nail gun
- Safety glasses
- Measuring tape
- Stud finder
- Pencil
- Ladder
- Partner
Instructions
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1
Swivel the blade of your miter saw to cut an outside 45-degree bevel for each of the meeting ends. Be sure to use the manufacture's blade locking system to keep the blade from swiveling once in place. If the particular corner is not a standard 90 degrees, change the saw angle to match. This is usually done by dividing the corner angle in half.
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2
Place the end of the molding flat on the table of the miter saw standing on its side so the decorative side of the molding is facing you.
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3
Cut the end of the molding at the 45-degree angle.
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4
Measure and cut the opposite end of the molding to the length that matches the wall on which you are installing it. Cut this end at an inside 45-degree angle instead of the outside angle cut.
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5
Repeat Steps One through Three for the second piece of molding that will wrap around the other side of the corner.
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6
Hold the first piece of molding up to the ceiling making sure its factory mitered sides are flat against the ceiling and the wall. Line up the piece so that your outside miter cut comes flush off the corner you are wrapping around.
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7
Use a stud finder to locate and lightly mark the wall studs and ceiling joists along the wall that you will be installing the crown molding to.
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8
Use an electric nail gun to drive nails through the top and bottom of the crown molding. Nails shot near the top edge of the molding should be placed in either the top plate of the wall frame or a ceiling joist while bottom nails should be aimed at the plate or wall studs, depending on the width of the molding. Have a partner help you hold the molding up if necessary. Place a few extra nails near the corner you are wrapping around but not too close as you could split the end of the molding.
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9
Repeat Steps Six through Eight on the other side of the of the corner using the second piece of molding you cut. Before nailing it in place, line up the mitered end that you cut to fit flush against the mitered end of the first piece of molding to make a seamless turn around the outside corner.
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10
Caulk the tops, bottoms and mitered ends of both pieces to blend the molding into the drywall. Fill all nail holes with caulking as well to hide them.
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Tips & Warnings
Use caution when operating power tools as they can cause severe bodily harm.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
