I Hate Crown Molding

[Mark T]

No, not because of the normal reasons. I am quite good at coping, measuring, and figuring the angles for un-square outside corners (no, my outside corners aren't persactly square). I hate crown molding because there is NEVER any good place to anchor it in a modern home. I can find a stud every 16" for the bottom, but nothing useful for the ceiling side (2" finish nails). Therefore, I am relegated to cutting a 30 degree backer board throughout the house perimeter. Just another thing I guess.


Did I mention that I hate crown molding?

[TDHofstetter]

It's not so bad (unless you've got danged "popcorn" ceilings) when it crosses the ceiling joists, but it can really be a ^&*&(* when it's getting hung parallel to the joists. Sometimes it's worth doing to incorporate a "top plate" into the crown, with a shaped front edge, and Molly that to the ceiling first. That gives ya something to nail to.

[larryh86gt]

I crown molded my kitchen and my 2 baths about 10 years ago with hickory crown. I still have the pencil markings on my miter saw showing which way to flip the molding depending on the cut needed. I don't think well upside down, inside and outside at all. My ranch is 50+ years old and I didn't have a problem shooting them with my nailer and 2" finishing brads. At least they haven't fallen down yet. ;D
Larry

[rrich]

When I did mine, I ripped 2x4s at the correct angle and put them up first. I had LOML find all the studs and put tape on the walls first so I knew where to nail. (I avoided the top plate where I could. (My nail gun would only do 2-1/2" nails.)

Putting up the 2x4s was a real PITA but it made the job easy to do and look good.

[joshg]

Personally i see no reason to nail it at the top....not like its gonna fall off.

[Mark T]

Not entirely true Josh. If not nailed at the top, it tends to sag and not fit tight to the ceiling... or at least in this case. The molding is real wood (imagine that) and if you sight down the length, it is warped and twisted. It must be "straightened" as you go down the length, and it takes well placed nails to un-twist it.

Anyway, I ripped backers last night from 2X4s, and found the top plate with 3 1/2" screws driven at the backer angle. I'll install the backers tonight. This should help tame the twist.

I built a nice jig for the miter saw; no problems with direction of cuts or the fact that it is cut upside down. I did make a cheater or two from scrap representing inside left, right, and outside left and right. A quick comparison and good to cut.

Shouldn't be long now for the ceiling project to finish up...


Now she wants a new hardwood floor as well. And the war department gets what she wants... mostly.

Stand by.

[deepsplinter]

I'm not a fan of crown, myself.

I'll do it, if it's on a piece of furniture, here in my shop. If it's a whole room, I'll call my carpenter buddy. He's hung a ton of it and makes it look easy.
We have a pretty good thing going...He hangs my crown and I build his raised panel doors, and we're both happy.

Yep, if momma wants hardwood floors, momma gets hardwood floors.

[sdb777]

Just installed crown molding in the mother-in-laws home for Christmas. There was not a square corner anywhere in the house(house was built around 1989), and the ceilings were that blown chunky stuff.
Needless to say, everything was custom. Often making 4-5 cuts to get it just right, and nothing but bottom nailing with 2" brads at every 8" or so. I'd rather fill a bunch of little holes with chalk, then to have to fill the seams on the bottom!

Everyone that sees it, comments on the way it makes the rooms "POP!", but all I remember is the swearing, re-cutting, two tubes of chalk, etc, etc.....




Scott (dang framers....) B

[triplefreak]

Crown molding is definitely one of the easier jobs to fixing up a house.
I have a plain compound miter saw, and there's not one angle, corner or dead end I haven't been able to fit CM into.
Here's what's hard: digging out 32" of snow, then another 20" on top of it.

[Mark T]

Well git yer arse dug out an come down here an put up this damm molding for me! ;D

[joshg]

well...all i am saying is if you take the time to cut backer or something to fasten the crown more solid...you would price yourself right out of a job when working for the public. i can't begin to count the number of feet of crown i have installed in the last 7-8 years and i have yet to see any of it sag from a lack of nails in the top.

[Mark T]

Josh, I don't disagree with your thinking. However, in this case, a couple of different factors mix in (for me). 1. I am not installing this for a client. Therefore, I have the option to 'gold plate' it. 2. I am anal about fit and finish in my own space. I really dislike a gap of any kind on either the ceiling or wall. And unfortunately, my walls and ceiling are not the best of surfaces to begin with. I also do not like the accepted method of a tiny caulk line along the edges. They do it on "This Old House", but I would rather not. 3. My molding, while real wood, is somewhat warped and twisted. It does not want to conform to the corner. I surly don't want a piece to work it's way loose six months down the road. I have seen this happen at other houses (not my work) and wish to avoid the possibility.

Scaffold in entry way


Finished work







The backer is proving to be a winner for me. It has made short work out of actual crown installation. May have taken some extra time to rip the pieces, but I like ratting around in the shop anyway.

So we move on.

[larryh86gt]

That dresses up the room nicely.
Larry

[Mark T]

The war department sure is happy with her new ceiling. And it wasn't terrible painful installing it.

Now she has decided that with the pretty new ceiling, she needs a pretty new floor (entire house).

Never ends....

[sdb777]

So what kind of flooring did you go buy today?



Scott (don't forget the photo's) B

[Mark T]

Lordy, don't even whisper that YET! Surly she's going to let me finish the crown first... although, knowing her...

She has drug in samples from every box store and every flooring store in the Ohio Valley. I have samples of everything from the junk laminate made by kids in a Chinese mud covered hut to the pewter flecked, three thousand year old, taken from an Egyptian sarcophagus from under the giant pyramids, petrified hardwood. Anything from about a dime per square ft to take a loan out from Donald trump just for one room. If the power went out around here, we have enough samples to burn for several weeks.

We (she with coaxing) has eliminated the junk laminate. I will now cut all those sample up round and throw them in place of clay targets... they should last all season.

So now I wait like Dr. Strangelove for the bomb to release.

Don't ask, don't tell. Just do.

[CajunRider]

The crown molding in my house is made of two pieces for a total of 11 inch. I found it much easier to bang a piece of 2x4 right to the ceiling and the attach the crown molding. 2x4 are cheap, plus there were plenty left over after the frame construction.

As for the angle, things become lots simpler when you have a 12" SCMS. We built a jig to hold the molding at the exact vertical angle we want and just measure and cut the horizontal angle. That took all the calculation out!

[oakridgeboy]

I've hung a fair amount of crown for others.Yes,I always fight with the corners(a real cause to celebrate when a 'true' one is found)-but for attatching the crown I just use crossed 2 1/2" brads( ie. / \ ). and they seem to hold fine.Just my .02.
Mike