Crown molding is a piece of architectural molding that adds detail to a room. The crown molding also hides the joint between the ceiling and wall. The molding is available in a stain grade wood that will match the other wood trim in your home. It is also available in a paint grade made of small sections of wood glued together. You can layer crown molding to create a larger profile and more architectural detail.
Instructions
1. Cut a 12-inch piece of each piece of trim. Use a tape measure and the miter saw for this step. Assemble the pieces of trim the way you want them installed on the wall. Nail these together with a pneumatic trim nail gun, which will provide you with the order of the pieces and dimensions you need to install your custom crown molding.
2. Measure the angle of the first intersection where you will begin installing the crown molding. Use a digital angle finder for this step. Place an arm on each of the surfaces where you will install the crown molding. Read the angle on the angle finder, and write it down on a sheet of paper. The digital angle finder is a handheld device that measures any angle.
3. Cut two pieces of molding 12 inches long with the miter saw, which will provide you with test pieces to set up the miter saw for perfect fitting joints.
4. Check the resources for the "Miter Saw" chart, which will provide the angle that the miter saw needs be set at to cut the miter joint.
5. Adjust the miter saw to the angle from step 4, and secure it in position.
6. Place one piece of the test crown molding on the miter saw. Crown molding is cut upside down when cut with a miter saw. Place the top of the crown molding flat against the table of the saw. Place the bottom of the crown molding flat against the fence of the saw.
7. Adjust the miter saw stops to hold the crown molding in place. Turn the knob to adjust the fence in or out as needed to clamp the molding. The miter stop is an adjustable fence that holds crown molding in place.
8. Cut the test piece of crown molding. Lower the blade slowly through the cut to help reduce splintering.
9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 for the opposite angle of the miter joint.
10. Dry fit the two pieces of crown molding in the corner. Dry fitting allows you to check the fit of the crown moldings miter joint and adjust it for a perfect fit. Hold each piece against the wall and ceiling as you install it. Push the two pieces of trim together, and check the fit of the miter joint. If the joint is not tight, adjust the miter saw by one degree and recut the end of the test piece. Repeat this step until you have a perfect fitting joint.
11. Write down the angles for the miter joint on a piece of painter's tape and stick it to the wall. Easily remove painters tape without leaving any residue. You will need this information when you cut the other pieces of the layered crown.
12. Repeat these steps for the remaining corners of the room, which will provide the first layer of the crown molding around the room. Repeat the same procedures for each layer of the crown molding. Refer to the angles listed on the painters tape for the correct angles for each miter joint.
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