How to Use Crown Moldings to Bring Out the Luxury in your Room

Wow! That was what I whispered silently to myself the first time I entered a sitting room that was trimmed with crown moldings. Crown moldings don’t only make your room look beautiful, they make it look sleek, lavish and luxurious. That is why it has become a common feature in many homes today.

What are crown moldings? You may ask. Crown moldings are decorated boards or trims that are used to bridge and beautiful the meeting point of walls and ceilings in homes. So, chances are, you might have seen them many times before.

In this article, we will be discussing some of the basic things you need to know in order to use crown moldings properly in your home. So without wasting time, here are some key points you need to have in mind.

You can either purchase predesigned crown moldings or you can pay for a custom design. However, keep in mind that custom milled crown moldings which can be done in your local woodworking shop will require you to spend some extra bucks, and even some more if your design will require the shop to design a custom blade for the molding profile you’re going after.

Installing the crown moldings

Installing crown moldings properly requires some tips and tricks, which is why it is advisable to seek the services of a professional trim carpenter to help you with the installation. However, if you a DIY enthusiast like me, you have some woodworking knowledge and you always like doing things yourself, you can also pull it off by yourself.

Here are some of the tools you’ll need to install the moldings.

1. A measuring tape to take measurements.
2. Stud finder to check for studs in your wall
3. Pencil to make your marks on the moldings
4. Tools for cutting crown moldings, like a good compound miter saw and a coping saw
5. A pneumatic finish nailer or a cordless one, depending on what you can afford, for fastening the crown to the wall. You can use a hammer instead, if you don’t have a finish nail gun. However, working with a finish nail gun is faster and also prevents damages to the moldings which can occur while using a hammer.
6. A drill
7. Wood filler for covering nail holes and gaps or small spaces at the corners which are not covered by the moldings.
8. Finish nails for nailing the to the wall.

There you are. Those are the tools you’ll need if you decide to install the crown by yourself.

More tips for a good installion

Regardless of the size or style of moldings you’re installing, crown moldings require precise and accurate cuts, in order to stay flush and seamless in your room. Therefore, you need to invest in the right tools required for the installation.

The cuts you make need to be very smooth. So, if you’re using a tool like a compound miter saw to make your cut, you also need to invest in a quality blade to produce the best cuts.

When joining the moldings, try to use different angles to help the stay flush. Don’t forget to use the wood filler to fill up all nail holes and cover up all gaps to produce the best finish.

Finally, with the right paint on the moldings, your room will be transformed from an ordinary looking room to a luxurious one.