Installl crown molding aboce your cupboards for a custom look.
Achieve a custom look on your kitchen cabinets by installing above the cupboards. Cabinets are square, so you will be able to cut the material at 45-degree angles and achieve crisp corner joints in the crown. To attach the crown molding above the cupboards you will need to make a small frame so that you aren't nailing into the face of the cabinet. Choose crown molding that will complement the style of your cabinetry.
Instructions
1. Measure the depth and length of the cupboard where you plan to install the crown molding using a tape measure. Subtract three inches from the length for the front frame board. The depth measurement is the length required for the side frame boards.
2. Place the 1-by-2-inch boards on a work surface. Mark the measurements from step 1 onto the boards. You will need two side frame boards and one front frame board. Lay each board with the 2-by-96 inch side flat on the miter saw table and cut each board to length.
3. Lay the boards out in a three-sided rectangular formation with the 2-inch sides flat. Hammer two evenly spaced finish nails through the outside edges of the side boards into each end of the front board. This is the frame for the crown molding.
4. Mark the measurements for the side and front boards onto the bottom back edge of the crown molding lengths. Leave at least six inches on each end of the measurements to accommodate for the extra length of the miters.
5. Place each crown molding length with the bottom edge against the fence and the top edge against the table of the miter saw. Adjust the saw to cut a 45-degree angle. Cut the molding to the marked lengths. The outside face of the molding will have the long points. The back side of the molding will measure the lengths of the frame boards. The front sides of the molding will be longer than those measurements.
6. Fit the bottom edge of the crown molding parts around the frame to form a three-sided rectangle. Apply wood glue to all of the joints and press the parts together. Hammer finish nails through the molding into the frame every six inches. Wipe off any excess glue with a damp rag.
7. Lay the assembled frame and molding on top of the cupboards. Drive wood screws through the top side of the frame into the cabinet frame with a screw gun.
8. Center a nail set on the center of each nail and tap it with a hammer to set the nails below the surface of the molding. Fill the holes with wood putty using a putty knife. Allow the putty to dry overnight. Sand the putty flush with the molding using a fine-grit sanding pad.
9. Finish the molding in a matching wood finish using a paintbrush. Allow the finish to dry at least four hours and apply a second coat.
Tags: crown molding, , molding will, side frame, boards front