Trim carpentry is an acquired skill that may take years to develop fully, but like most home improvement projects, if one takes their time and can accept that there will be mistakes to correct, most of us are capable of some of the more complex tasks. Installing crown molding would have to fall under the heading of a more advanced skill, but with the proper amount of patience, a do-it-yourselfer will find success.
There are a number of tools you will need to acquire for a crown molding project. One tool that will come in handy is an extra set of hands — that is, a helper to hold things in place while cutting and nailing. It is best to have the molding span the entire length of each wall to which it is applied, and a 12- to 14-foot board may be difficult for one person to hold in place, especially if you are trying to match angles and keep them tight. This is trim carpentry at its finest, and while gaps can be filled with putty, having an assistant will be a great help for keeping the gaps closed as the installation progresses.
In addition to an assistant, you will need:
1. Two ladders
2. Miter saw
3. Coping saw
4. Measuring tape
5. Compass to measure angles
6. Roller stand (or your assistant)
7. Stud finder
8. Pencil
9. Nail gun
10. 18-gauge brads, probably 1 1/2 to 2 inches long
11. Wood glue
12. Wood filler
13. Masking tape
14. Sandpaper
15. Crown molding in appropriate lengths
16. Crown molding jig (optional, but helpful)
17. Square corner blocks (optional, but helpful — especially if you aren’t proficient with cutting angles) Crown molding is relatively expensive, so avoiding waste is important. Choose lengths long enough to span each wall, if possible, so you can avoid making joints in the middle of the wall.
Start your project with the longest wall. Run a piece of masking tape along the wall near where the bottom of the molding will be, and use the stud finder to mark the studs on the masking tape with the pencil.
If you can use the coping saw for the pieces that will go into place in the inside corners after the first piece is in place, the ends of the first piece can be cut square. If you are not going to cope the inside corner joints, cut the ends at the proper angle with the miter saw. Rooms that look square are not necessarily square, so use the compass to measure the corner to get a good, tight fit.
You cannot use the coping saw for the outside corners, so measure them with the compass, and cut them with the miter saw. Tack the molding in one side, then make sure the joint is good where you will join the next piece. If it lines up within an acceptable tolerance, place a small amount of glue in the joint and nail it in place. If the joint for an outside corner does not want to stay closed while the glue dries, pull it together with a couple of pieces of masking tape. Especially if this is your first attempt at installing crown molding, some angles may be difficult and require a little more wood filler and sanding.
There are some recent aids to simplify crown molding installation and produce very satisfactory results. Crown molding can be difficult to hold at the proper angle in a miter saw, and there is a jig that can be used for this purpose. Another very helpful aid can eliminate the need for the difficult angles, that is, using square corner blocks. These blocks are made for both inside and outside corners and can range from very plain to as elaborate as you would like for your crown molding to be. The blocks are placed in or on the corners at the beginning of your project, then the crown molding is cut to fit between the blocks, with all the cuts being square.
Take your time with crown molding. Patience is your friend. Watch a couple of videos before you start. After you finish the project, call some friends over and listen to them say, “Wow, you did this yourself?”
Sources:
1. www.familyhandyman.com.
2. www.house-improvements.com.
Written by Bill Smith
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