Why is crown molding hard to install

Unfortunately, few corners are a perfect 90 degrees. To determine the angle for your cuts, take two pieces of wood—they should be the same size— and hold them against each side of the wall, allowing them to overlap by an inch. On the piece flush with a ceiling, use a pencil to draw lines along the upper and lower overlapping edges. Draw a line to connect the opposite corners of the lines. Stack the piece and cut along the diagonal line. This will be the angle you use to cut your molding.

Make the miter cut into one of the lengths of molding and then adjust the saw to make a mirror cut into the other. The top edge should be longer than the bottom for an outside corner. Nail the remaining pieces into place and use caulk to disguise any gaps. Nail holes can be filled with wall repair compound. At this point, you can paint your new moldings if you wish. Decoration Renovation Conversation Shopping. Most crown comes in foot lengths, so unless you're trimming out a gymnasium, a single piece can usually span each wall.

When it can't, two lengths join end to end in a scarf joint 4. This combines opposing compound-angle miters in a clean, nearly undetectable seam. Molding can shrink or shift out of position slightly--with a scarf joint, as opposed to a square-edged butt joint, a gap won't appear at the seam.

To form a scarf joint, I made a compound-angle miter cut on the end of one length of crown. I nailed the crown to the backer board and then made an opposing compound-angle miter cut onto the end of the mating length of crown. After applying a little wood glue to the joint, I slid the second piece of crown into position and nailed it to the backer board.

A coped joint connects two pieces of crown molding at an inside room corner. I prefer this type of joint over a miter joint because wall corners are rarely perfectly 90 degrees.

A coped joint, in which a piece of crown is tailored to fit an adjacent profile's curves, makes a tight-fitting seam even if the inside corner is out of square--as many are. I cut the first length of crown with a square end, pushed it tight into the corner and nailed it in place. Then, I cut a compound-angle miter into the end of the mating length of crown 1. Next, I used a coping saw to back-cut the molding along its contoured profile 2. The idea is to saw away enough wood to allow the coped cut to fit tight against the profile of the first piece of crown.

If something went wrong and there are gaps in your corners, you can resolve this with caulk. You can also use caulk on any gaps between the ceiling and the crown molding. View this caulk on Amazon. Cover the caulk with paint and watch it blend the molding into the room. Hopefully, you saved some of the paint when you first prepped the crown molding and have it handy for touch-ups.

Once completed, allow the paint to dry. Stand back and be proud of what you accomplished! The length of time it will take to install crown molding depends on several factors. Variables include room size or home size, and whether you are doing more than one room. Most professionals can install crown molding in a standard-sized room within a few hours.

For the novice, this timing will understandably increase. Crown molding can add value to your home. Many realtors use it as a selling point when showing homes for sale. Additionally, crown molding obviously installed poorly could take away from the value of your home. If doubting your DIY skills, always consult a professional! Attaching the Crown Molding You will need a partner for this phase of the project, someone to hand pieces up to you and hold them in place while you attach the crown molding to the wall.

You also must be precise with fitting, and keep in mind that you can hide minor mistakes with caulk on paintable material, you cannot with stained crown molding. Going through and making up for imperfections in cutting and attachment also can significantly and unnecessarily increase the total time this project takes. Deciding Between DIY vs. Professional Installation Keeping all of the above in mind, whether or not you can do this project yourself depends on your carpentry skills and experience.

If you have never before worked with wood pieces that require precise measurement and planning to fit together, this task probably proves out of your reach if you want professional-looking results. Those with mid-level skills in this area still may want to hire help, as this type of project can take much longer than expected; estimates put installation at eight hours per room. And keep in mind the type of crown molding chosen when deciding between DIY and professional installation.

The fancier the crown molding, in terms of design and finish, the more slight imperfections will show. If you plan to opt for more expensive materials, why would you cut costs on installation and diminish their appearance in the overall results of the rooms? Increasing the Value of Your Home When considering the benefits of adding crown molding to your home, add to the list increasing the value of your home in the event of a resale. That said, such an increase comes with correctly installed crown molding.